[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1648 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  1st Session
                                H. R. 1648


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 18, 2003

   Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                           Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
  To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain water 
    distribution systems of the Cachuma Project, California, to the 
  Carpinteria Valley Water District and the Montecito Water District.

    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 ``Carpinteria and Montecito Water 
Distribution Systems Conveyance Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. CONVEYANCE OF WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS OF THE CACHUMA 
              PROJECT, CALIFORNIA.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior--
            (1) may convey to the Carpinteria Valley Water District, 
        located in Santa Barbara County, California, all right, title, 
        and interest of the United States in and to the Carpinteria 
        Distribution System of the Cachuma Project, California, 
        consistent with the terms and conditions set forth in the 
        agreement entitled ``Agreement Between the United States and 
        the Carpinteria Valley Water District to Transfer Title to the 
        Federally Owned Distribution System to the Carpinteria Valley 
        Water District'' (Agreement No. 00-XC-20-0364); and
            (2) may convey to the Montecito Water District, located in 
        Santa Barbara County, California, all right, title, and 
        interest of the United States in and to the Montecito Water 
        Distribution System of the Cachuma Project, California, 
        consistent with the terms and conditions set forth in the 
        agreement entitled ``Agreement Between the United States and 
        the Montecito Water District to Transfer Title to the Federally 
        Owned Distribution System to the Montecito Water District'' 
        (Agreement No. 01-XC-20-0365).
    (b) Liability.--Effective upon the date of conveyance of a 
distribution system under this section, the United States shall not be 
held liable by any court for damages of any kind arising out of any 
act, omission, or occurrence relating to the distribution system, 
except for damages caused by acts of negligence committed by the United 
States or by its employees or agents prior to the date of conveyance. 
Nothing in this section increases the liability of the United States 
beyond that provided in chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code 
(popularly known as the Federal Tort Claims Act) on the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
    (c) Benefits.--After conveyance of a water distribution system to 
the Carpinteria Valley Water District or the Montecito Water District 
under this section--
            (1) such water distribution system shall not be considered 
        to be a part of a Federal reclamation project; and
            (2) such water district shall not be eligible to receive 
        any benefits with respect to any facility comprising that 
        distribution system, except benefits that would be available to 
        a similarly situated person with respect to such a facility 
        that is not part of a Federal reclamation project.

            Passed the House of Representatives November 17, 2003.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.