[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 146 (Wednesday, October 14, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12530-S12531]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CANADIAN RIVER PROJECT PREPAYMENT ACT

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill (H.R. 3687) to authorize 
prepayment of amounts due under a water reclamation project contract 
for the Canadian River Project, Texas, which had been reported from the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, with an amendment on page 4 
to strike ``shall have the right'' and insert in lieu thereof ``may be 
permitted'', as follows:

                               H.R. 3687

       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 ``Canadian River Project 
     Prepayment Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       For the purposes of this Act:
       (1) The term ``Authority'' means the Canadian River 
     Municipal Water Authority, a conservation and reclamation 
     district of the State of Texas.
       (2) The term ``Canadian River Project Authorization Act'' 
     means the Act entitled ``An Act to authorize the 
     construction, operation, and maintenance by the Secretary of 
     the Interior of the Canadian River reclamation project, 
     Texas'', approved December 29, 1950 (chapter 1183; 64 Stat. 
     1124).
       (3) The term ``Project'' means all of the right, title and 
     interest in and to all land and improvements comprising the 
     pipeline and related facilities of the Canadian River Project 
     authorized by the Canadian River Project Authorization Act.
       (4) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the 
     Interior.

     SEC. 3. PREPAYMENT AND CONVEYANCE OF PROJECT.

       (a) In General.--(1) In consideration of the Authority 
     accepting the obligation of the Federal Government for the 
     Project and subject to the payment by the Authority of the 
     applicable amount under paragraph (2) within the 360-day 
     period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, 
     the Secretary shall convey the Project to the Authority, as 
     provided in section 2(c)(3) of the Canadian River Project 
     Authorization Act (64 Stat. 1124).
       (2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the applicable amount 
     shall be--
       (A) $34,806,731, if payment is made by the Authority within 
     the 270-day period beginning on the date of enactment of this 
     Act; or
       (B) the amount specified in subparagraph (A) adjusted to 
     include interest on that amount since the date of the 
     enactment of this Act at the appropriate Treasury bill rate 
     for an equivalent term, if payment is made by the Authority 
     after the period referred to in subparagraph (A).
       (3) If payment under paragraph (1) is not made by the 
     Authority within the period specified in paragraph (1), this 
     Act shall have no force or effect.
       (b) Financing.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed to 
     affect the right of the Authority to use a particular type of 
     financing.

[[Page S12531]]

     SEC. 4. RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING OPERATIONS.

       (a) In General.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed as 
     significantly expanding or otherwise changing the use or 
     operation of the Project from its current use and operation.
       (b) Future Alterations.--If the Authority alters the 
     operations or uses of the Project it shall comply with all 
     applicable laws or regulations governing such alteration at 
     that time.
       (c) Recreation.--The Secretary of the Interior, acting 
     through the National Park Service, shall continue to operate 
     the Lake Meredith National Recreation Area at Lake Meredith.
       (d) Flood Control.--The Secretary of the Army, acting 
     through the Corps of Engineers, shall continue to prescribe 
     regulations for the use of storage allocated to flood control 
     at Lake Meredith as prescribed in the Letter of Understanding 
     entered into between the Corps, the Bureau of Reclamation, 
     and the Authority in March and May 1980.
       (e) Sanford Dam Property.--The Authority [shall have the 
     right] may be permitted to occupy and use without payment of 
     lease or rental charges or license or use fees the property 
     retained by the Bureau of Reclamation at Sanford Dam and all 
     buildings constructed by the United States thereon for use as 
     the Authority's headquarters and maintenance facility. 
     Buildings constructed by the Authority on such property, or 
     past and future additions to Government constructed 
     buildings, shall be allowed to remain on the property. The 
     Authority shall operate and maintain such property and 
     facilities without cost to the United States.

     SEC. 5. RELATIONSHIP TO CERTAIN CONTRACT OBLIGATIONS.

       (a) Payment Obligations Extinguished.--Provision of 
     consideration by the Authority in accordance with section 
     3(b) shall extinguish all payment obligations under contract 
     numbered 14-06-500-485 between the Authority and the 
     Secretary.
       (b) Operation and Maintenance Costs.--After completion of 
     the conveyance provided for in section 3, the Authority shall 
     have full responsibility for the cost of operation and 
     maintenance of Sanford Dam, and shall continue to have full 
     responsibility for operation and maintenance of the Project 
     pipeline and related facilities.
       (c) General.--Rights and obligations under the existing 
     contract No. 14-06-500-485 between the Authority and the 
     United States, other than provisions regarding repayment of 
     construction charge obligation by the Authority and 
     provisions relating to the Project aqueduct, shall remain in 
     full force and effect for the remaining term of the contract.

     SEC. 6. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAWS.

       Upon conveyance of the Project under this Act, the 
     Reclamation Act of 1902 (82 Stat. 388) and all Acts 
     amendatory thereof or supplemental thereto shall not apply to 
     the Project.

     SEC. 7. LIABILITY.

       Except as otherwise provided by law, effective on the date 
     of conveyance of the Project under this Act, the United 
     States shall not be liable under any law for damages of any 
     kind arising out of any act, omission, or occurrence relating 
     to the conveyed property.

  The Committee amendment was rejected.
  The bill (H.R. 3687) was passed.

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