[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 110 (Monday, September 18, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H7661-H7662]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1430
       COLUSA BASIN WATERSHED INTEGRATED RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ACT

  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1113) to assist in the development and implementation of 
projects to provide for the control of drainage, storm, flood and other 
waters as part of the water-related integrated resource management, 
environmental infrastructure, and resource protection and development 
projects in the Colusa Basin Watershed, California, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1113

       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 ``Colusa Basin Watershed 
     Integrated Resources Management Act''.

     SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF ASSISTANCE.

       The Secretary of the Interior (in this Act referred to as 
     the ``Secretary''), acting within existing budgetary 
     authority, may provide financial assistance to the Colusa 
     Basin Drainage District, California (in this Act referred to 
     as the ``District''), for use by the District or by local 
     agencies acting pursuant to section 413 of the State of 
     California statute known as the Colusa Basin Drainage Act 
     (California Stats. 1987, ch. 1399) as in effect on the date 
     of the enactment of this Act (in this Act referred to as the 
     ``State statute''), for planning, design, environmental 
     compliance, and construction required in carrying out 
     eligible projects in the Colusa Basin Watershed to--
       (1)(A) reduce the risk of damage to urban and agricultural 
     areas from flooding or the discharge of drainage water or 
     tailwater;
       (B) assist in groundwater recharge efforts to alleviate 
     overdraft and land subsidence; or
       (C) construct, restore, or preserve wetland and riparian 
     habitat; and
       (2) capture, as an incidental purpose of any of the 
     purposes referred to in paragraph (1), surface or stormwater 
     for conservation, conjunctive use, and increased water 
     supplies.

     SEC. 3. PROJECT SELECTION.

       (a) Eligible Projects.--A project shall be an eligible 
     project for purposes of section 2 only if it is--
       (1) consistent with the plan for flood protection and 
     integrated resources management described in the document 
     entitled ``Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement/
     Environmental Impact Report and Draft Program Financing Plan, 
     Integrated Resources Management Program for Flood Control in 
     the Colusa Basin'', dated May 2000; and
       (2) carried out in accordance with that document and all 
     environmental documentation requirements that apply to the 
     project under the laws of the United States and the State of 
     California.
       (b) Compatibility Requirement.--The Secretary shall ensure 
     that projects for which assistance is provided under this Act 
     are not inconsistent with watershed protection and 
     environmental restoration efforts being carried out under the 
     authority of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act 
     (Public Law 102-575; 106 Stat. 4706 et seq.) or the CALFED 
     Bay-Delta Program.

     SEC. 4. COST SHARING.

       (a) Non-Federal Share.--The Secretary shall require that 
     the District and cooperating non-Federal agencies or 
     organizations pay--
       (1) 25 percent of the costs associated with construction of 
     any project carried out with assistance provided under this 
     Act;
       (2) 100 percent of any operation, maintenance, and 
     replacement and rehabilitation costs with respect to such a 
     project; and
       (3) 35 percent of the costs associated with planning, 
     design, and environmental compliance activities.
       (b) Planning, Design, and Compliance Assistance.--Funds 
     appropriated pursuant to this Act may be made available to 
     fund 65 percent of costs incurred for planning, design, and 
     environmental compliance activities by the District or by 
     local agencies acting pursuant to the State statute, in 
     accordance with agreements with the Secretary.
       (c) Treatment of Contributions.--For purposes of this 
     section, the Secretary shall treat the value of lands, 
     interests in lands (including rights-of-way and other 
     easements), and necessary relocations contributed by the 
     District to a project as a payment by the District of the 
     costs of the project.

     SEC. 5. COSTS NONREIMBURSABLE.

       Amounts expended pursuant to this Act shall be considered 
     nonreimbursable for purposes of the Act of June 17, 1902 (32 
     Stat. 388;

[[Page H7662]]

     43 U.S.C. 371 et seq.), and Acts amendatory thereof and 
     supplemental thereto.

     SEC. 6. AGREEMENTS.

       Funds appropriated pursuant to this Act may be made 
     available to the District or a local agency only if the 
     District or local agency, as applicable, has entered into a 
     binding agreement with the Secretary--
       (1) under which the District or the local agency is 
     required to pay the non-Federal share of the costs of 
     construction required by section 4(a); and
       (2) governing the funding of planning, design, and 
     compliance activities costs under section 4(b).

     SEC. 7. REIMBURSEMENT.

       For project work (including work associated with studies, 
     planning, design, and construction) carried out by the 
     District or by a local agency acting pursuant to the State 
     statute in section 2 before the date amounts are provided for 
     the project under this Act, the Secretary shall, subject to 
     amounts being made available in advance in appropriations 
     Acts, reimburse the District or the local agency, without 
     interest, an amount equal to the estimated Federal share of 
     the cost of such work under section 4.

     SEC. 8. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary may enter into cooperative 
     agreements and contracts with the District to assist the 
     Secretary in carrying out the purposes of this Act.
       (b) Subcontracting.--Under such cooperative agreements and 
     contracts, the Secretary may authorize the District to manage 
     and let contracts and receive reimbursements, subject to 
     amounts being made available in advance in appropriations 
     Acts, for work carried out under such contracts or 
     subcontracts.

     SEC. 9. RELATIONSHIP TO RECLAMATION REFORM ACT OF 1982.

       Activities carried out, and financial assistance provided, 
     under this Act shall not be considered a supplemental or 
     additional benefit for purposes of the Reclamation Reform Act 
     of 1982 (96 Stat. 1263; 43 U.S.C. 390aa et seq.).

     SEC. 10. APPROPRIATIONS AUTHORIZED.

       Within existing budgetary authority and subject to the 
     availability of appropriations, the Secretary is authorized 
     to expend up to $25,000,000, plus such additional amount, if 
     any, as may be required by reason of changes in costs of 
     services of the types involved in the District's projects as 
     shown by engineering and other relevant indexes to carry out 
     this Act. Sums appropriated under this section shall remain 
     available until expended.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Petri). Pursuant to the rule, the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest) and the gentleman from American 
Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest).


                             General Leave

  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1113.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Maryland?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1113 introduced, by the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Ose), addresses issues associated with water management, flood 
control, drainage and subsistence occurring within the multicounty 
Colusa Basin in California.
  The bill intends to reduce the risk of damage to urban and 
agricultural areas from flooding or the discharge of drainage water. It 
will assist in groundwater recharge efforts, as well as provide funding 
for conservation, conjunctive use and increased water supplies.
  One of the prime objectives of local project proponents in seeking 
introduction of this legislation was to specifically identify a 
congressional priority for funding from within existing Federal 
programs. This authorization is not intended to expand Federal 
expenditure but is to prioritize existing spending. I would encourage 
my colleagues to vote for the legislation.
  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from California (Mr. Ose) to address some of his feelings 
on this legislation that affects his Congressional District.
  Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, oftentimes, I am reminded by others who are 
smarter than I, when an organization does what one is hoping it does, 
perhaps the best thing one can do is just sit down and be quiet. 
However, I did want to offer a few remarks on the passage of H.R. 1113.
  H.R. 1113 is a win-win for my district in that it provides the 
opportunity to complete work that was commenced under my predecessor's 
tenure. When Vic Fazio was here in the 105th Congress, he worked with 
Members on both sides of the aisle, the purpose of which was to bring 
some flood protection to the Colusa Basin and its residents. He was, I 
believe, able to get this package passed through the House twice, 
actually; but, unfortunately, it got caught in a time crunch at the end 
of the 105th and, as such, did not get signed by the President.
  We are back here today on the first step of the new travels of the 
new journey. We pass it here in the House. It will go on to the Senate 
from here. The essential components of this bill are that we provide 
flood protection for people in the Colusa Basin, hopefully averting up 
to an average of $5 million a year in flood damage that occurs on 
seasonal streams off the Pacific Coast range.
  It provides up to 10,000 acres of new wetlands and habitat for 
wildlife along the Pacific flyaway. It is supported by the Yolo, Glenn 
and Colusa Boards of Supervisors, the California Farm Bureau, local 
organizations like the Family Water Alliance, the Sacramento Valley 
Landowners Association, the Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District, and also 
by the municipalities such as Willows, Colusa and Orland.
  It is also somewhat of a unique vehicle in that the Colusa Basin 
Drainage District has entered into a memorandum of understanding 
somewhat unusual in this, laying out the parameters under which the 
10,000 acres of new wildlife and habitat area will be managed. It is 
unique in that sense.
  It is perhaps a vehicle we could mimic elsewhere in the country as we 
work to balance our needs between the demands of humans for flood 
protection and our needs to help in the environment and the like.
  Again, I want to express my appreciation to the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest) and the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. 
Faleomavaega) for allowing me to come and speak.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, the gentleman 
from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest) for his management of the legislation and 
on the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill authorizes a number of relatively small 
structures for water retention and watershed management in California's 
Colusa Basin. The bill, as amended, now requires a reasonable level of 
local cost sharing to help cover project planning, design and 
environmental compliance expenses. I thank the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Ose) for his sponsorship of this bill, and I urge my 
colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote aye on the 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Petri). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1113, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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