[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 119 (Wednesday, September 4, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H9957-H9958]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         FORT PECK RURAL COUNTY WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM ACT OF 1996

  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 1467) to authorize the construction of the Fort Peck 
Rural County Water Supply system, to authorize assistance to the Fort 
Peck Rural County Water District, Inc., a nonprofit corporation, for 
the planning, design, and construction of the water supply system, and 
for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 1467

       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 ``Fort Peck Rural County Water 
     Supply System Act of 1996''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       For the purposes of this Act:
       (1) Construction.--The term ``construction'' means such 
     activities associated with the actual development or 
     construction of facilities as are initiated on execution of 
     contracts for construction.
       (2) District.--The term ``District'' means the Fort Peck 
     Rural County Water District, Inc., a nonprofit corporation in 
     Montana.
       (3) Feasibility study.--The term ``feasibility study'' 
     means the study entitled ``Final Engineering Report and 
     Alternative Evaluation for the Fort Peck Rural County Water 
     District'', dated September 1994.

[[Page H9958]]

       (4) Planning.--The term ``planning'' means activities such 
     as data collection, evaluation, design, and other associated 
     preconstruction activities required prior to the execution of 
     contracts for construction.
       (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (6) Water supply system.--The term ``water supply system'' 
     means the Fort Peck Rural County Water Supply System, to be 
     established and operated substantially in accordance with the 
     feasibility study.

     SEC. 3. FEDERAL ASSISTANCE FOR WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM.

       (a) In General.--Upon request of the District, the 
     Secretary shall enter into a cooperative agreement with the 
     District for the planning, design, and construction by the 
     District of the water supply system. Title to this project 
     shall remain in the name of the District.
       (b) Service Area.--The water supply system shall provide 
     for safe and adequate rural water supplies under the 
     jurisdiction of the District in Valley County, northeastern 
     Montana (as described in the feasibility study).
       (c) Amount of Federal Contribution.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (3), under the 
     cooperative agreement, the Secretary shall pay the Federal 
     share of--
       (A) costs associated with the planning, design, and 
     construction of the water supply system (as identified in the 
     feasibility study); and
       (B) such means as are necessary to defray increases in the 
     budget.
       (2) Federal share.--The Federal share referred to in 
     paragraph (1) shall be 75 percent and shall not be 
     reimbursable.
       (3) Total.--The amount of Federal funds made available 
     under the cooperative agreement shall not exceed the amount 
     of funds authorized to be appropriated under section 4.
       (4) Limitations.--Not more than 5 percent of the amount of 
     Federal funds made available to the Secretary under section 4 
     may be used by the Secretary for activities associated with--
       (A) compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
     of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and
       (B) oversight of the planning, design, and construction by 
     the District of the water supply system.

     SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
     Act $5,800,000. This authorization shall terminate after a 
     period of 5 complete fiscal years after the date of enactment 
     of this Act unless the Congress has appropriated funds for 
     the construction purposes of this Act. This authorization 
     shall be extended 1 additional year if the Secretary has 
     requested such appropriation. The funds authorized to be 
     appropriated may be increased or decreased by such amounts as 
     are justified by reason of ordinary fluctuations in 
     development costs incurred after October 1, 1994, as 
     indicated by engineering cost indices applicable to the type 
     of construction project authorized under this Act. All costs 
     which exceed the amounts authorized by this Act, including 
     costs associated with the ongoing energy needs, operation, 
     and maintenance of this project shall remain the 
     responsibility of the District.

     SEC. 5. CACHUMA PROJECT, BRADBURY DAM, CALIFORNIA.

       The prohibition against obligating funds for construction 
     until 60 days from the date that the Secretary of the 
     Interior transmits a report to the Congress in accordance 
     with section 5 of the Reclamation Safety of Dams Act of 1978 
     (43 U.S.C. 509) is waived for the Cachuma Project, Bradbury 
     Dam, California.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Doolittle] and the gentleman from California [Mr. 
Miller] each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California [Mr. Doolittle].
  (Mr. DOOLITTLE asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1467. This bill would authorize 
appropriations of $5.8 million for construction of a rural water supply 
distribution facility for areas around Fort Peck Lake in north-central 
Montana. The project includes upgrading an existing water treatment 
plant and installing water distribution pipelines. Currently, 95 
percent of the residents of Valley County must haul their drinking 
water. In addition, this area receives more than 280,000 visits each 
year from recreational users at Fort Peck Reservoir, and a reliable 
supply of good quality drinking water is needed to serve these people.
  In September 1994, the Bureau of Reclamation and HKM Associates 
completed a final engineering report for the Fort Peck County Rural 
County Water District. The report examined 15 alternatives and 
recommended 1 that would construct a new intake in the reservoir and 
water treatment facility near Duck Creek. The reservoir is considered 
to be the best source of water for a municipal system because the water 
is of good quality and requires only conventional treatment.
  The Federal cost-share on the project would be 75 percent. All costs 
for operation and maintenance, as well as ongoing energy needs, would 
be the responsibility of the District, and title to the facilities will 
remain with the District. The bill contains a provision that terminates 
project authorization 5 complete fiscal years after enactment if the 
project has not received construction appropriations by then, except 
that the authorization shall be extended by 1 additional fiscal year if 
the Secretary of the Interior has requested an appropriation for 
construction.
  The last section of the bill will allow safety-of-dams work to 
proceed expeditiously at the Cachuma Project, Bradbury Dam, California.
  This bill was noncontroversial during the Resources Committee markup. 
It is our understanding that the State of Montana and the entire 
Montana delegation strongly support the project and this legislation. I 
urge my colleagues to support passage of this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  (Mr. MILLER of California asked and was given permission to revise 
and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MILLER of California. I rise in support of this bill, Mr. 
Speaker, and want to acknowledge the gentleman from Montana, Mr. Pat 
Williams, for the work he did on this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1467, which would authorize 
appropriations for the construction of a rural water supply 
distribution facility for areas around Fort Peck Lake in north-central 
Montana. Most residents of the area now must have their drinking water 
delivered by tank truck.
  The bill as amended would strictly limit Federal expenditures for 
upgrading the water supply system, and I urge my colleagues to support 
S. 1467.
  S. 1467 as amended also waives the statutory 60-day congressional 
waiting period for approval of a Bureau of Reclamation dam safety 
report for the Cachuma Project in California. I have no objections to 
this provision of the bill.
  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Doolittle] that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 1467, as amended.
  The question was taken; (and two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill, as amended, was 
passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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