[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 968 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 968

 To authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency 
 to make grants to State agencies with responsibility for water source 
development, for the purposes of maximizing the available water supply 
 and protecting the environment through the development of alternative 
                 water sources, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 5, 1999

 Mr. Graham (for himself, Mr. Mack, Mr. Cleland, Mrs. Lincoln, and Mr. 
Robb), introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 
            to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency 
 to make grants to State agencies with responsibility for water source 
development, for the purposes of maximizing the available water supply 
 and protecting the environment through the development of alternative 
                 water sources, 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 ``Alternative Water Sources Act of 
1999''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
            (2) Alternative water source project.--The term 
        ``alternative water source project'' means a project designed 
        to provide municipal, industrial, or agricultural water 
        supplies in an environmentally sustainable manner by 
        conserving, managing, treating, reclaiming, or reusing water or 
        wastewater.
            (3) Critical water supply needs.--The term ``critical water 
        supply needs'' means water supply needs, including reasonably 
        anticipated future water supply needs, that cannot be met by 
        available water supplies--
                    (A) as projected over a planning period of at least 
                20 years; and
                    (B) as identified in a comprehensive Statewide or 
                regional water supply plan or assessment.

SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR ALTERNATIVE WATER SOURCE PROJECTS.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator shall make grants to develop 
alternative water source projects to--
            (1) State, interstate, and intrastate water resource 
        development agencies (including water management districts and 
        water supply authorities);
            (2) local government agencies;
            (3) nonprofit entities; and
            (4) private utilities.
    (b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
section, an agency, entity, or utility described in subsection (a) 
shall have authority under State law to provide water or develop water 
resources for municipal, industrial, or agriculatural uses in an area 
of the State that is experiencing critical water supply needs.
    (c) Eligible Project.--
            (1) In general.--A grant under this section may only be 
        used to carry out an alternative water source project that is 
        designed to meet critical water supply needs.
            (2) Limitation.--A grant under this section shall not be 
        used to carry out an alternative water source project if the 
        project is located in a State or area that--
                    (A) is referred to in Federal reclamation law (the 
                Act of June 17, 1902 (32 Stat. 388, chapter 1093), and 
                Acts supplemental to and amendatory of that Act (43 
                U.S.C. 371 et seq.)); and
                    (B) is within the geographic scope of the 
                reclamation and reuse program established under the 
                Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act (43 
                U.S.C. 390h et seq.).
            (3) Eligibility for other federal grants.--An alternative 
        water source project that is funded by a grant under this 
        section shall be ineligible to receive funds under any other 
        Federal program.
    (d) Uses of Grant.--
            (1) In general.--Amounts from grants received under this 
        section may be used, with respect to alternative water source 
        projects designed to meet critical water supply needs, for--
                    (A) engineering;
                    (B) design;
                    (C) construction; and
                    (D) final testing.
            (2) Prohibited uses.--Amounts from grants received under 
        this section shall not be used, with respect to alternative 
        water source projects, for--
                    (A) planning;
                    (B) feasibility studies;
                    (C) operation;
                    (D) maintenance;
                    (E) replacement;
                    (F) repair; or
                    (G) rehabilitation.
    (e) Cost Sharing.--The Federal share of the eligible costs of an 
alternative water source project carried out using assistance made 
available under this section shall not exceed 50 percent.

SEC. 4. REPORTS.

    (a) Reports to Administrator.--Not later than 1 year and 180 days 
after the date of receipt of a grant under section 3, and every 2 years 
thereafter until completion of the project funded by the grant, the 
recipient of the grant shall submit to the Administrator a report on 
eligible activities carried out by the grant recipient using grant 
funds.
    (b) Report to Congress.--Not later than September 30, 2005, the 
Administrator shall submit to Congress a report on the progress made 
toward meeting the critical water supply needs of the grant recipients 
under section 3.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$75,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2000 through 2004, to remain 
available until expended.
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