[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 137 (Friday, October 27, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S11276]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         USE OF SOLANO PROJECT FACILITIES FOR NON-PROJECT WATER

                                 ______
                                 

                 LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY WATER SUPPLIES

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Energy 
Committee be discharged from the following bill and the Senate proceed 
to its consideration and the consideration of the following bill on the 
calendar: S. 1761 from the Energy Committee; Calendar No. 855, H.R. 
1235.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the bills by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1761) to direct the Secretary of the Interior, 
     through the Bureau of Reclamation, to conserve and enhance 
     water supplies of the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
       A bill (H.R. 1235) to authorize the Secretary of the 
     Interior to enter into contracts with the Solano County Water 
     Agency, California, to use Solano Project facilities for 
     impounding, storage, and carriage of non-project water for 
     domestic, municipal, industrial, and other beneficial 
     purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bills, 
en bloc.


                     Amendment No. 4352 to S. 1761

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Utah (Mr. Hatch) for Mr. Murkowski 
     proposes an amendment numbered 4352.
       Strike all after the enacting clause and insert:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Lower Rio Grande Valley 
     Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 2000''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) State.--The term ``State'' means the Texas Water 
     Development Board and any other authorized entity of the 
     State of Texas.
       (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner.
       (3) Commissioner.--The term ``Commissioner'' means the 
     Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation.
       (4) Counties.--The term ``counties'' means the counties in 
     the state of Texas in the Rio Grande Regional Water Planning 
     Area known as Region ``M'' as designated by the Texas Water 
     Development Board and the counties of Hudspeth and El Paso, 
     Texas.

     SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds the following:
       (a) Drought conditions over the last decade have made 
     citizens of the Lower Rio Grande Valley region of Texas aware 
     of the significant impacts a dwindling water supply can have 
     on a region.
       (b) As a result of the impacts, that region has devised an 
     integral water resource plan to meet the critical water needs 
     of the Lower Rio Grande Valley through the end of the year 
     2050.
       (c) Implementation of an integrated water resource plan to 
     meet the critical water needs of the Lower Rio Grande Valley 
     is in the national interest.
       (d) The Congress should authorize and provide Federal 
     technical and financial assistance to construct improved 
     irrigation canal delivery systems to help meet the critical 
     water needs of the Lower Rio Grande Valley through the end of 
     the year 2050.

     SEC. 4. LOWER RIO GRANDE WATER CONSERVATION AND IMPROVEMENT 
                   PROGRAM.

       (a) The Secretary is authorized to undertake a program to 
     improve the supply of water for the counties as provided in 
     this Act.
       (b) In cooperation with the State, water users in the 
     counties, and other non-Federal entities, the Secretary shall 
     conduct feasibility studies for the purpose of conserving and 
     transporting raw water, including the following:
       (1) Irrigation canals;
       (2) Pipelines;
       (3) Flow control structures;
       (4) Meters; and
       (5) All associated appurtenances.
       (c) If the Secretary determines that the following projects 
     satisfy the eligibility criteria in subsection (d)(1)-(3), 
     the Secretary, in cooperation with the State, water users in 
     the counties, and other non-Federal entities, is authorized 
     to conduct engineering work, infrastructure construction and 
     improvements for the purpose of conserving and transporting 
     raw water through the following projects:
       (1) in the Hidalgo County, Texas Irrigation District #1, a 
     pipeline project identified in the Melden & Hunt, Inc. 
     engineering study dated July 6, 2000 as the Curry Main 
     Pipeline Project;
       (2) in the Cameron County, Texas La Feria Irrigation 
     District #3, a distribution system improvement project 
     identified by the 1993 engineering study by Sigler, Winston, 
     Greenwood and Associates, Inc.;
       (3) in the Cameron County, Texas irrigation District #2 
     canal rehabilitation and pumping plant replacement as 
     identified as Job Number 48-05540-002 in a report by Turner 
     Collie & Braden, Inc. dated August 12, 1998, and
       (4) in the Harlingen Irrigation District Cameron #1 
     Irrigation District a project of meter installation and canal 
     lining as identified in a proposal submitted to the Texas 
     Water Development Board dated April 28, 2000.
       (d) Project Eligibility.--Within six months after the date 
     of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with 
     the State, shall develop criteria for determining eligible 
     projects under this Act. Such criteria shall include, but 
     need not be limited to the following requirements:
       (1) the project plan includes an engineer's estimate of the 
     amount of water to be conserved;
       (2) the design for the project includes a cost of project 
     to water saved ratio; and
       (3) there is a cost sharing agreement in place between all 
     relevant parties delineating the proportionate share of costs 
     to be paid on an annual basis.
       Within one year of the date a project is submitted to the 
     Secretary for approval, the Secretary shall determine whether 
     the project meets the criteria established pursuant to this 
     section.

     SEC. 5. COST SHARING.

       The non-Federal share of the costs of any activity carried 
     out under, or with assistance provided under, this Act shall 
     be 50 percent. Not more than 40 percent of the costs of such 
     an activity may be paid by the State and the remainder of the 
     non-Federal share may include in-kind contributions of goods 
     and services, and funds previously spent on feasibility and 
     engineering studies.

     SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to 
     carry out this Act such sums as may be necessary; but not to 
     exceed $7,500,000 for the purposes of section 4(c).
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment 
numbered 4352 to S. 1761 be agreed to, the bills be read a third time 
and passed, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that 
any statements relating to the bills be printed in the Record, with the 
above occurring en bloc.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 4352) was agreed to.
  The bill (S. 1761), as amended, was read the third time and passed.
  The bill (H.R. 1235) was passed.

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