110 HR 1803 : To direct the Secretary of the Interior to U.S. House of Representatives 2007-10-23 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IIB 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1803 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES October 23, 2007 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources AN ACT To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a feasibility study to design and construct a four reservoir intertie system for the purposes of improving the water storage opportunities, water supply reliability, and water yield of San Vicente, El Capitan, Murray, and Loveland Reservoirs in San Diego County, California in consultation and cooperation with the City of San Diego and the Sweetwater Authority, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the San Diego Water Storage and Efficiency Act of 2007.

2.

Feasibility study, project development, cost share

(a)

In General

The Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter referred to as Secretary), in consultation and cooperation with the City of San Diego and the Sweetwater Authority, is authorized to undertake a study to determine the feasibility of constructing a four reservoir intertie system to improve water storage opportunities, water supply reliability, and water yield of the existing non-Federal water storage system. The feasibility study shall document the Secretary’s engineering, environmental, and economic investigation of the proposed reservoir and intertie project taking into consideration the range of potential solutions and the circumstances and needs of the area to be served by the proposed reservoir and intertie project, the potential benefits to the people of that service area, and improved operations of the proposed reservoir and intertie system. The Secretary shall indicate in the feasibility report required under subsection (d) whether the proposed reservoir and intertie project is recommended for construction. (b)

Federal Cost Share

The Federal share of the costs of the feasibility study shall not exceed 50 percent of the total study costs. The Secretary may accept as part of the non-Federal cost share, any contribution of such in-kind services by the City of San Diego and the Sweetwater Authority that the Secretary determines will contribute toward the conduct and completion of the study. (c)

Cooperation

The Secretary shall consult and cooperate with appropriate State, regional, and local authorities in implementing this section. (d)

Feasibility Report

The Secretary shall submit to Congress a feasibility report for the project the Secretary recommends, and to seek, as the Secretary deems appropriate, specific authority to develop and construct any recommended project. This report shall include— (1)good faith letters of intent by the City of San Diego and the Sweetwater Authority and its non-Federal partners to indicate that they have committed to share the allocated costs as determined by the Secretary; and (2)a schedule identifying the annual operation, maintenance, and replacement costs that should be allocated to the City of San Diego and the Sweetwater Authority, as well as the current and expected financial capability to pay operation, maintenance, and replacement costs.

3.

Federal Reclamation projects

Nothing in this Act shall supersede or amend the provisions of Federal Reclamation laws or laws associated with any project or any portion of any project constructed under any authority of Federal Reclamation laws.

4.

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $3,000,000 for the Federal cost share of the study authorized in section 2.

5.

Sunset

The authority of the Secretary to carry out any provisions of this Act shall terminate 10 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Passed the House of Representatives October 22, 2007. Lorraine C. Miller, Clerk