[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2546 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2546

 To authorize appropriations for the provision of financial assistance 
to protect public health, the environment, and water quality along the 
                      United States-Mexico border.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 28, 1993

 Mr. de la Garza introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
            the Committee on Public Works and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize appropriations for the provision of financial assistance 
to protect public health, the environment, and water quality along the 
                      United States-Mexico border.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION. 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Good Neighbor Environmental 
Assistance Act of 1993''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to protect the economy, public health, 
environment, and water quality of the United States-Mexico border area 
which is endangered and is being polluted by raw or partially treated 
sewage, effluent, or other pollutants.

SEC. 3. CONSTRUCTION ASSISTANCE.

    (a) In general.--Upon approval of the necessary plans and 
specifications, the Administrator is authorized to provide financial 
assistance to the Secretary of State, acting through the American 
Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission, or any 
other Federal agency, any other appropriate commission, entity, or 
border State designated by the President. Such financial assistance 
shall be for the construction of projects--
            (1) consisting of wastewater treatment works to protect the 
        residents and surrounding areas from pollution resulting from 
        any inadequacies or breakdowns in wastewater treatment works 
        and systems; or
            (2) consisting of treatment works to provide primary or 
        more advanced treatment of municipal sewage and industrial 
        waste.
    (b) Limitation.--The Administrator may make grants for construction 
of treatment works described in subsection (a) in Mexico only if, after 
public notice and comment, the Administrator determines that treatment 
works in Mexico, in conjunction with any wastewater treatment works or 
other project constructed under this or any other Act, are not 
sufficient to protect residents of border States from water pollution 
originating in Mexico.
    (c) Operation and Maintenance.--The Commission or such other 
agency, commission, entity, or border State as may be designated under 
subsection (a), is authorized to operate and maintain any treatment 
works constructed under subsection (a) in order to accomplish the 
purposes of this Act.
    (d) Approval of Plans.--Any treatment works for which financial 
assistance is made under this Act shall be constructed in accordance 
with plans developed by the Commissioner or such other agency, 
commission, entity, or border State as may be designated under 
subsection (a), in consultation with the appropriate officials of the 
affected border State, and approved by the Administrator, to meet the 
construction standards which would be applicable if such treatment 
works were being constructed under title II of the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act.
    (e) Federal Share.--Construction of the treatment works under 
subsection (a) shall be at full Federal expense less any costs paid by 
the affected border State and less any costs paid by the Government of 
Mexico as a result of agreements negotiated with the United States.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act.--
            (1) the term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of 
        the Environmental Protection Agency;
            (2) the term ``border State'' means the States of Arizona, 
        California, New Mexico, and Texas; and
            (3) the terms ``construction'' and ``treatment works'' have 
        the meanings such terms have under section 212 of the Federal 
        Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251).

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal years beginning 
after September 30, 1993, such sums as may be necessary to the 
Administrator to provide financial assistance under this Act and such 
sums as may be necessary to the Commission or such other agency, 
commission, entity, or border State as the President may designate 
under section 3 to carry out this Act.
            

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