[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3957 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3957

 To increase research, development, education, and technology transfer 
      activities related to water use efficiency and conservation 
   technologies and practices at the Environmental Protection Agency.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 24, 2007

 Mr. Matheson introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on Science and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To increase research, development, education, and technology transfer 
      activities related to water use efficiency and conservation 
   technologies and practices at the Environmental Protection Agency.

    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 ``Water Use Efficiency and 
Conservation Research Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Between 1950 and 2000, the United States population 
        increased nearly 90 percent. In that same period, public demand 
        for water increased 209 percent. Americans now use an average 
        of 100 gallons of water per person each day. This increased 
        demand has put additional stress on water supplies and 
        distribution systems, threatening both human health and the 
        environment.
            (2) Thirty six States are anticipating local, regional, or 
        statewide water shortages by 2013. In addition, climate change 
        related effects are expected to exacerbate already scarce water 
        resources in many areas of the country.
            (3) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's 2007 
        assessment states that water stored in glaciers and snow cover 
        is projected to decline, reducing water availability to one-
        sixth of the world's population that relies upon meltwater from 
        major mountain ranges. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate 
        Change also predicts droughts will become more severe and 
        longer lasting in a number of regions.
            (4) Water conservation should be a national goal and the 
        Environmental Protection Agency should work with 
        nongovernmental partners to achieve that goal. The 
        Environmental Protection Agency should support the research, 
        development, and dissemination of technologies and processes 
        that will achieve greater water use efficiency.
            (5) WaterSense is a voluntary public-private partnership 
        program established by the Environmental Protection Agency to 
        promote water efficiency by helping consumers identify water-
        efficient products and practices. The Environmental Protection 
        Agency estimates that if all United States households installed 
        water-efficient appliances, the country would save more than 
        3,000,000,000,000 gallons of water and more than 
        $17,000,000,000 per year.
            (6) The WaterSense program has developed a network of 
        partners, and therefore can disseminate the results of research 
        on technologies and processes that achieve greater water use 
        efficiency.

SEC. 3. RESEARCH PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Assistant Administrator for Research and 
Development of the Environmental Protection Agency (in this Act 
referred to as the ``Assistant Administrator'') shall establish a 
research and development program to promote water use efficiency and 
conservation, including--
            (1) technologies and processes that enable the collection, 
        treatment, and reuse of rainwater and greywater;
            (2) water storage and distribution systems; and
            (3) behavioral, social, and economic barriers to achieving 
        greater water use efficiency.
    (b) Considerations.--In planning and implementing the program the 
Assistant Administrator shall consider--
            (1) research needs identified by water resource managers, 
        State and local governments, and other interested parties; and
            (2) technologies and processes likely to achieve the 
        greatest increases in water use efficiency.

SEC. 4. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER.

    The Assistant Administrator, building on the results of the 
activities of the program established under section 3, shall--
            (1) facilitate the adoption of technology and processes to 
        increase water use, water efficiency, and conservation; and
            (2) collect and disseminate information on technologies and 
        processes to increase water use and conservation, including 
        information on--
                    (A) incentives and impediments to development and 
                commercialization;
                    (B) best practices; and
                    (C) anticipated increases in water use efficiency 
                resulting from the implementation of specific 
                technologies and processes.

SEC. 5. REPORT.

    Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
and once every 2 years thereafter, the Assistant Administrator shall 
transmit to Congress a report which details the progress being made by 
the Environmental Protection Agency with regard to--
            (1) research projects initiated by the Agency; and
            (2) outreach and communication activities conducted by the 
        Agency.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Assistant 
Administrator for carrying out this Act such sums as may be necessary 
for each of the fiscal years 2009 through 2013.
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