[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1145 Reported in House (RH)]

                                                  Union Calendar No. 33
111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1145

                          [Report No. 111-76]

To implement a National Water Research and Development Initiative, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 24, 2009

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

                             April 21, 2009

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]
    [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on 
                           February 24, 2009]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To implement a National Water Research and Development Initiative, 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 ``National Water Research and 
Development Initiative Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL WATER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE.

    (a) Initiative and Purpose.--The President shall implement a 
National Water Research and Development Initiative (in this Act 
referred to as the ``Initiative''). The purpose of the Initiative is to 
improve the Federal Government's role in designing and implementing 
Federal water research, development, demonstration, data collection and 
dissemination, education, and technology transfer activities to address 
changes in water use, supply, and demand in the United States, 
including providing additional support to increase water supply through 
greater efficiency and conservation.
    (b) Interagency Committee.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 3 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the President shall establish, or 
        designate, an interagency committee to implement the Initiative 
        under subsection (a). The Office of Science and Technology 
        Policy shall chair the interagency committee.
            (2) Composition.--The interagency committee shall include a 
        representative from each agency that conducts research related 
        to water or has authority over resources that affect water 
        supply, as well as a representative from the Office of 
        Management and Budget.
            (3) Functions of the interagency committee.--The 
        interagency committee shall--
                    (A) develop a National Water Research and 
                Assessment Plan (in this Act referred to as the 
                ``plan'') in accordance with subsection (c) and in 
                coordination with State, local, and tribal governments;
                    (B) coordinate all Federal research, development, 
                demonstration, data collection and dissemination, 
                education, and technology transfer activities 
                pertaining to water;
                    (C) encourage cooperation among Federal agencies 
                and State, local, and tribal governments with respect 
                to water-related research, development, and 
                technological innovation activities to avoid 
                duplication of effort and to ensure optimal use of 
                resources and expertise;
                    (D) facilitate technology transfer, communication, 
                and opportunities for information exchange with non-
                governmental organizations, State and local 
                governments, tribal governments, industry, and other 
                members of the stakeholder community through the office 
                established in paragraph (4);
                    (E) provide guidance on outreach to minority 
                serving institutions that are eligible institutions 
                under section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 
                1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)) to encourage such 
                institutions to apply for funding opportunities 
                specified in the plan;
                    (F) encourage cooperation between Federal agencies, 
                State and local governments, and tribal governments to 
                develop standard methods for collecting, managing, and 
                disseminating data on water; and
                    (G) not later than 1 year after the date of 
                enactment of this Act and every 3 years thereafter--
                            (i) identify from each agency described in 
                        paragraph (2) the statutory or regulatory 
                        barriers preventing the use of any technology, 
                        technique, data collection method, or model 
                        that would contribute to greater availability 
                        of water resources in the United States through 
                        enhanced efficiency and conservation; and
                            (ii) submit a report of the findings from 
                        clause (i) to Congress.
            (4) National water initiative coordination office.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 3 months after the 
                date of enactment of this Act, the President shall 
                establish a National Water Initiative Coordination 
                Office (in this Act referred to as the ``Office''), 
                with full-time staff, to--
                            (i) provide technical and administrative 
                        support to the interagency committee;
                            (ii) serve as a point of contact on Federal 
                        water activities for government agencies, 
                        organizations, academia, industry, professional 
                        societies, and others to exchange technical and 
                        programmatic information; and
                            (iii) communicate with the public on the 
                        findings and recommendations of the interagency 
                        committee based on the activities conducted 
                        pursuant to the Initiative.
                    (B) Funding.--The operation of the Office shall be 
                supported by funds contributed from each agency 
                represented on the interagency committee.
    (c) National Water Research and Assessment Plan.--
            (1) Plan development.--The plan required under subsection 
        (b)(3)(A) shall establish the priorities for Federal water 
        research, including federally funded research, and assessment 
        for the 4-year period beginning in the year in which the plan 
        is submitted to Congress. In the development of the plan, the 
        interagency committee shall consider and utilize 
        recommendations and information from State, local, and tribal 
        governments and contained in reports that have addressed water 
        research needs, including the 2007 report issued by the 
        Subcommittee on Water Availability and Quality (SWAQ) of the 
        National Science and Technology Council's Committee on 
        Environment and Natural Resources and recommendations of the 
        National Academy of Sciences.
            (2) Specific requirements.--The plan shall--
                    (A) identify each current program and activity of 
                each Federal agency related to the Initiative;
                    (B) identify funding levels for the previous fiscal 
                year for each program and, if applicable, each activity 
                identified in subparagraph (A);
                    (C) set forth a strategy and a timeline to achieve 
                the outcomes described in subsection (d) and shall 
                describe--
                            (i) each activity required of each agency 
                        responsible for contributing to each such 
                        outcome;
                            (ii) the funding levels necessary to 
                        achieve each such outcome; and
                            (iii) the distribution of funds between 
                        each agency based on such agency's role in 
                        carrying out such activity;
                    (D) be subject to a 90-day public comment period 
                and shall address suggestions received and incorporate 
                public input received, as appropriate; and
                    (E) be submitted to Congress not later than 1 year 
                after the date of enactment of this Act.
    (d) Water Research Outcomes and Assessments.--The plan shall 
outline and direct agencies under the interagency committee to work to 
achieve the following outcomes:
            (1) Implementation of a National Water Census, which shall 
        include the collection of data on national water resources to 
        create a comprehensive database that includes information about 
        the quantity, availability, and quality of ground water and 
        surface water resources.
            (2) Development of a new generation of water monitoring 
        techniques.
            (3) Development of technologies for enhancing reliable 
        water supply, water reuse, and pollution prevention.
            (4) Development of innovative technologies and tools to 
        enhance water quality, including advanced water treatment and 
        water purification technologies.
            (5) Development of innovative technologies and tools to 
        enhance water-use efficiency and tools to encourage public 
        acceptance of such technologies and tools.
            (6) Development of tools and processes to facilitate 
        resolution of conflicts over water resources.
            (7) Development of information technology systems to 
        enhance water quality and supply.
            (8) Improvement of understanding of water-related ecosystem 
        services and ecosystem needs for water.
            (9) Improvement of hydrologic prediction models and their 
        applications.
            (10) Analyses of the energy required to provide reliable 
        water supplies and the water required to provide reliable 
        energy supplies throughout the United States.
            (11) Analyses of the social, behavioral, and economic 
        barriers to sustainable use of water resources in the United 
        States.
            (12) Assessment of national water availability and use.
            (13) Regional assessments of the status of water supplies 
        and evaluation of potential changes in such status due to 
        changes in land use, population size and distribution, and 
        economic activity.
            (14) Assessment of water quality, availability, and use in 
        rural areas, including--
                    (A) maintaining water quality and enhancing energy 
                efficiency of water treatment and delivery through the 
                use of technologies or practices developed to address 
                rural communities; and
                    (B) developing data and information to support 
                water planning and conservation.
    (e) Advisory Committee.--The President shall establish, or 
designate, an advisory committee to advise the interagency committee 
established under subsection (b).

SEC. 3. BUDGET COORDINATION.

    (a) In General.--The President shall provide guidance to each 
Federal agency participating in the Initiative with respect to the 
preparation of requests for appropriations for activities related to 
the plan.
    (b) Consideration in the President's Budget.--The President shall 
submit, at the time of the President's annual budget request to 
Congress, a description of those items in each agency's budget which 
are elements of the plan or help to achieve the outcomes of the plan.

SEC. 4. COORDINATION.

    The interagency committee shall coordinate the activities of the 
Initiative with the United States Global Change Research Program.

SEC. 5. ANNUAL REPORT.

    Concurrent with the annual submission of the President's budget to 
Congress, the President shall submit to Congress a report that 
describes the activities and results of the Initiative during the 
previous fiscal year and outlines the objectives for the next fiscal 
year. The report shall include detailed information on all programs and 
activities involved in the Initiative, including an analysis of 
progress towards achieving the outcomes listed in section 2(d).

SEC. 6. NATIONAL WATER PILOT TESTING FACILITY FEASIBILITY STUDY AND 
              REPORT.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) Requirement.--The Comptroller General of the United 
        States shall complete a study examining the feasibility and 
        practicality of creating a national water pilot testing 
        facility.
            (2) Contents.--The study shall--
                    (A) examine Federal programs and facilities that 
                currently engage in some form of water technology 
                testing;
                    (B) evaluate the practicality and identify the 
                potential costs of establishing a national water pilot 
                testing facility; and
                    (C) examine the efforts of Federal agencies to 
                establish testing facilities related to other 
                technologies, including wind and solar, and the lessons 
                learned from implementing these programs.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Comptroller General shall transmit to Congress a report 
on the key findings of the study conducted under subsection (a).

SEC. 7. DOE WATER TECHNOLOGIES FOR INCREASED ENERGY EFFICIENCY 
              ACTIVITIES.

    Section 452(c)(2) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 
2007 (Public Law 110-140; 42 U.S.C. 17111) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (2) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) through (F) as 
        subparagraphs (E) through (G), respectively; and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following:
                    ``(D) research to develop water efficient 
                technologies that increase energy efficiency, including 
                utilization of impaired water sources in production;''.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration for coordination and outreach activities 
conducted under this Act through the Office established in section 
2(b)(4)--
            (1) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
            (2) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and
            (3) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.
                                                  Union Calendar No. 33

111th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                               H. R. 1145

                          [Report No. 111-76]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To implement a National Water Research and Development Initiative, and 
                          for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                             April 21, 2009

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed