[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 556 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 556

   To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to authorize the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to make grants to 
address waste water needs of the residents of colonias in the southwest 
          region of the United States, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 18, 1995

 Mr. Coleman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
             Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to authorize the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to make grants to 
address waste water needs of the residents of colonias in the southwest 
          region of the United States, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Colonia Waste Water Treatment Act of 
1995''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) there is currently a severe lack of potable water and 
        waste water treatment facilities in the southwest region of the 
        United States;
            (2) the lack of facilities has caused the pollution of the 
        region's rivers and ground water; and
            (3) this pollution presents a grave threat to public 
        health, due to the proliferation of infectious diseases under 
        such conditions.

SEC. 3. GRANTS TO COLONIAS.

    Title II of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 
1281-1299) is amended by adding the following new section:

``SEC. 220. GRANTS TO COLONIAS.

    ``(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
Administrator is authorized to make grants to each of the States of 
Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California for waste water treatment 
for--
            ``(1) a colonia of such State that meets the requirements 
        of subsection (b); and
            ``(2) a county, municipality, or other political 
        subdivision of such State acting on behalf of a colonia that 
        meets the requirements of subsection (b).
    ``(b) Eligible Colonias.--A colonia which meets the requirements of 
this subsection is a community that--
            ``(1) is determined to be a colonia on the basis of 
        objective criteria, which may include the lack of a potable 
        water supply, lack of adequate sewage systems, or lack of 
        decent, safe, and sanitary housing;
            ``(2) is located in the United States within 100 kilometers 
        of the international boundary between Mexico and the United 
        States; and
            ``(3) was in existence as a colonia before November 27, 
        1992.
    ``(c) Use of Grant.--A grant made under this section may be used 
for the planning, design, and construction, including the extension, 
improvement, alteration, or reconstruction of facilities for the 
treatment of waste water or the disposal of waste water by surface or 
underground methods, or both.
    ``(d) Grant Amount.--The amount of a grant made under this section 
shall not exceed 100 percent of the costs of the project that is the 
subject of the grant.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for fiscal years beginning after September 30, 1995.''.
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