[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2071 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2071

  To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of water 
                 resources in the State of New Mexico.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 26, 2007

  Mrs. Wilson of New Mexico introduced the following bill; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of water 
                 resources in the State of New Mexico.

    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 ``New Mexico Aquifer Assessment Act of 
2007''.

SEC. 2. NEW MEXICO WATER RESOURCES STUDY.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the 
Director of the United States Geological Survey (referred to in this 
Act as the ``Secretary''), in coordination with the State of New Mexico 
(referred to in this Act as the ``State''), shall, in accordance with 
this Act and any other applicable law, conduct a study of water 
resources in the State, including the following:
            (1) A survey of groundwater resources, including an 
        analysis of--
                    (A) aquifers in the State, including the quantity 
                of water in the aquifers;
                    (B) the availability of groundwater resources for 
                human use;
                    (C) the salinity of groundwater resources;
                    (D) the potential of the groundwater resources to 
                recharge;
                    (E) the interaction between groundwater and surface 
                water;
                    (F) the susceptibility of the aquifers to 
                contamination; and
                    (G) any other relevant criteria.
            (2) A characterization of surface and bedrock geology, 
        including the effect of the geology on groundwater yield and 
        quality.
    (b) Study Areas.--The study carried out under subsection (a) shall 
include the Salt Basin, the Tularosa Basin, and the middle Rio Grande 
Aquifer in the State.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources 
of the House of Representatives a report that describes the results of 
the study.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act.
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