[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 902 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 902

   To facilitate the use for irrigation and other purposes of water 
      produced in connection with development of energy resources.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 7, 2007

   Mr. Udall of Colorado (for himself, Mr. Edwards, and Mr. Pearce) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                           Natural 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 2007''.
    (b) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Development of energy resources, including oil, natural 
        gas, coalbed methane, and geothermal resources, 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) It is in the national interest to remove or reduce 
        obstacles to use of produced water for irrigation or other 
        purposes in ways that will not adversely affect water quality 
        or the environment.
    (c) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to facilitate the use of 
produced water for irrigation and other purposes without adversely 
affecting water quality or the environment, 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.--The Secretary, acting through the Commissioner of 
Reclamation and the Director of the United States Geological Survey, 
shall conduct a study to identify--
            (1) the technical, economic, environmental, legal, and 
        other obstacles to increasing the extent to which produced 
        water can be used for irrigation and other purposes without 
        adversely affecting water quality or the environment; and
            (2) the legislative, administrative, and other actions that 
        could reduce or eliminate such obstacles.
    (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. IMPLEMENTATION.

    (a) Grants.--Within existing authorities and subject to the 
availability of funds appropriated for the purpose, the Secretary shall 
provide financial assistance for 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 without adversely affecting water quality or the environment.
    (b) Limitations.--Assistance under this section--
            (1) shall be provided for--
                    (A) at least one project in one of the Upper Basin 
                States other than New Mexico;
                    (B) at least one project in either New Mexico or 
                one of the Lower Basin States other than California;
                    (C) at least one project in California; and
                    (D) at least one project in Texas;
            (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;
            (4) shall not be used for operation or maintenance of any 
        facility; and
            (5) may be in addition to assistance provided by the United 
        States pursuant to other provisions of law.

SEC. 5. CONSULTATION, ADVICE, AND COMMENTS.

    In implementing this Act, including preparation of the report 
required by section 3 and the establishment of criteria to be used in 
connection with award of financial assistance pursuant to section 4, 
the Secretary shall--
            (1) consult with the Secretary of Energy, the Administrator 
        of the Environmental Protection Agency, and appropriate 
        Governors and local officials;
            (2) review any relevant information developed in connection 
        with research carried out by others, including research carried 
        out pursuant to section 999 of Public Law 109-58, and to the 
        extent the Secretary considers advisable include such 
        information in the report required by section 3;
            (3) seek the advice of individuals with relevant 
        professional or academic expertise and of companies or 
        individuals with industrial experience, particularly experience 
        related to production of oil, natural gas, or other energy 
        resources, including geothermal resources; and
            (4) solicit comments and suggestions from the public.

SEC. 6. RELATION TO OTHER LAWS.

    Nothing in this Act shall be construed as superseding, modifying, 
abrogating, or limiting--
            (1) the effect of any State law or any interstate authority 
        or compact with regard to any use of water or the regulation of 
        water quantity or quality; or
            (2) the applicability or effect of any Federal law or 
        regulation.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated--
            (1) $1,000,000 to implement section 3; and
            (2) $5,000,000 to implement section 4.
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