[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1709 Referred in House (RFH)]


109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1709


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 27, 2005

Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in 
 addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
  To provide favorable treatment for certain projects in response to 
 Hurricane Katrina, with respect to revolving loans under the Federal 
          Water Pollution Control Act, 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 ``Gulf Coast Emergency Water 
Infrastructure Assistance Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF STATE.

    In this Act, the term ``State'' means--
            (1) the State of Alabama;
            (2) the State of Louisiana; and
            (3) the State of Mississippi.

SEC. 3. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN LOANS.

    (a) Definition of Eligible Project.--In this section, the term 
``eligible project'' means a project--
            (1) to repair, replace, or rebuild a publicly-owned 
        treatment works (as defined in section 212 of the Federal Water 
        Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1292)), including a privately-
        owned utility that principally treats municipal wastewater or 
        domestic sewage, in an area affected by Hurricane Katrina or a 
        related condition; or
            (2) that is a water quality project directly related to 
        relief efforts in response to Hurricane Katrina or a related 
        condition, as determined by the State in which the project is 
        located.
    (b) Additional Subsidization.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), for the 2-year 
        period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, a State 
        may provide additional subsidization to an eligible project 
        that receives funds through a revolving loan under section 603 
        of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1383), 
        including--
                    (A) forgiveness of the principal of the revolving 
                loan; or
                    (B) a zero-percent interest rate on the revolving 
                loan.
            (2) Limitation.--The amount of any additional subsidization 
        provided under paragraph (1) shall not exceed 30 percent of the 
        amount of the capitalization grant received by the State under 
        section 602 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 
        U.S.C. 1382) for the fiscal year during which the subsidization 
        is provided.
    (c) Extended Terms.--For the 2-year period beginning on the date of 
enactment of this Act, a State may extend the term of a revolving loan 
under section 603 of that Act (33 U.S.C. 1383) for an eligible project 
described in subsection (b), if the extended term--
            (1) terminates not later than the date that is 30 years 
        after the date of completion of the project that is the subject 
        of the loan; and
            (2) does not exceed the expected design life of the 
        project.
    (d) Priority Lists.--For the 2-year period beginning on the date of 
enactment of this Act, a State may provide assistance to an eligible 
project that is not included on the priority list of the State under 
section 216 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 
1296).

SEC. 4. PRIORITY LIST.

    For the 2-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this 
Act, a State may provide assistance to a public water system that is 
not included on the priority list of the State under section 
1452(b)(3)(B) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-
12(b)(3)(B)), if the project--
            (1) involves damage caused by Hurricane Katrina or a 
        related condition; and
            (2) is in accordance with section 1452(b)(3)(A) of that Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 300j-12(b)(3)(A)).

SEC. 5. TESTING OF PRIVATELY-OWNED DRINKING WATER WELLS.

    On receipt of a request from a homeowner, the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency may conduct a test of a drinking water 
well owned or operated
by the homeowner that is, or may be, contaminated as a result of 
Hurricane Katrina or a related condition.

            Passed the Senate September 27, 2005.

            Attest:

                                             EMILY J. REYNOLDS,

                                                             Secretary.