[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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