[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5110 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5110
To facilitate the use for irrigation and other purposes of water
produced in connection with development of energy resources.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 5, 2006
Mr. Udall of Colorado introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To facilitate the use for irrigation and other purposes of water
produced in connection with development of energy resources.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE, FINDINGS, AND PURPOSE.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``More Water and
More Energy Act of 2006''.
(b) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
(1) Development of energy resources, including oil, natural
gas, and coalbed methane, frequently results in bringing to the
surface water extracted from underground sources.
(2) Some of this produced water is used for irrigation or
other purposes, but most of it is returned to the subsurface.
(3) Reducing the amount of produced water returned to the
subsurface, and increasing the amount that is made available
for irrigation and other uses--
(A) would augment water supplies;
(B) could reduce the costs to energy developers for
disposing of such water; and
(C) in some instances could increase the efficiency
of energy development activities.
(4) Removing or reducing the technical, economic,
environmental, legal, and other factors that impede use of
produced water for irrigation and other purposes is in the
national interest.
(c) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to facilitate the use of
produced water for irrigation and other purposes and to demonstrate
ways to accomplish that result.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Produced water.--The term ``produced water'' means
water from an underground source, that is brought to the
surface as part of the process of exploration for or
development of oil, natural gas, coalbed methane, or any other
substance to be used as an energy source.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``the Secretary'' means the
Secretary of the Interior.
(3) Upper basin states.--The term ``Upper Basin States''
means the States of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.
(4) Lower basin states.--The term ``Lower Basin States''
means the States of Arizona, California, and Nevada.
SEC. 3. IDENTIFICATION OF PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS.
(a) Study.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the
Commissioner of Reclamation and the Director of the United
States Geological Survey, shall conduct a study to identify--
(A) the technical, economic, environmental, legal,
and other obstacles to increasing the extent to which
produced water can be used for irrigation and other
purposes; and
(B) the legislative, administrative, and other
actions that could reduce or eliminate such obstacles.
(2) Consultation, advice, and comments.--In implementing
this subsection, the Secretary--
(A) shall consult with the Secretary of Energy, the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency,
and appropriate Governors and local officials;
(B) shall seek the advice of individuals with
relevant professional and industrial experience or
academic expertise; and
(C) shall solicit comments and suggestions from the
public.
(b) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall report to the Committee on
Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy
and Natural Resources of the Senate regarding the results of the study
required by this section.
SEC. 4. DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.
(a) Grants.--Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for
the purpose, the Secretary shall award grants to assist in the
development of facilities to demonstrate the feasibility,
effectiveness, and safety of processes to increase the extent to which
produced water may be recovered and made suitable for use for
irrigation, municipal or industrial uses, or other purposes.
(b) Limitations.--Grants under this section--
(1) shall be provided for--
(A) no more than one project in one of the Upper
Basin States;
(B) no more than one project in one of the Lower
Basin States other than California; and
(C) no more than one project in California;
(2) shall not exceed $1,000,000 for any project;
(3) shall be used to pay not more than 50 percent of the
total cost of a project carried out with such grants; and
(4) shall not be used for operation or maintenance of any
facility.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated--
(1) such sums as may be required to implement section 3;
and
(2) $5,000,000 to implement section 4.
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