[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 147 (Monday, December 4, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H11936]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      CARRIAGE OF NONPROJECT WATER BY THE MANCOS PROJECT, COLORADO

  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on Resources be discharged from further consideration of the Senate 
bill (S. 2594) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to contract 
with the Mancos Water Conservancy District to use the Mancos Project 
facilities for impounding, storage, diverting, and carriage of 
nonproject water for the purpose of irrigation, domestic, municipal, 
industrial, and any other beneficial purposes, and ask for its 
immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Nevada?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the Senate bill, as follows:

                                S. 2594

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. CARRIAGE OF NONPROJECT WATER BY THE MANCOS 
                   PROJECT, COLORADO.

       (a) Sale of Excess Water.--
       (1) In general.--In carrying out the Act of August 11, 1939 
     (commonly known as the ``Water Conservation and Utilization 
     Act'') (16 U.S.C. 590y et seq.), if storage or carrying 
     capacity has been or may be provided in excess of the 
     requirements of the land to be irrigated under the Mancos 
     Project, Colorado (referred to in this Act as the 
     ``project''), the Secretary of the Interior may, on such 
     terms as the Secretary determines to be just and equitable, 
     contract with the Mancos Water Conservancy District and any 
     of its member unit contractors for impounding, storage, 
     diverting, or carriage of nonproject water for irrigation, 
     domestic, municipal, industrial, and any other beneficial 
     purposes, to an extent not exceeding the excess capacity.
       (2) Interference.--A contract under paragraph (1) shall not 
     impair or otherwise interfere with any authorized purpose of 
     the project.
       (3) Cost considerations.--In fixing the charges under a 
     contract under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall take into 
     consideration--
       (A) the cost of construction and maintenance of the 
     project, by which the nonproject water is to be diverted, 
     impounded, stored, or carried; and
       (B) the canal by which the water is to be carried.
       (4) No additional charges.--The Mancos Water Conservancy 
     District shall not impose a charge for the storage, carriage, 
     or delivery of the nonproject water in excess of the charge 
     paid to the United States, except to such extent as may be 
     reasonably necessary to cover--
       (A) a proportionate share of the project cost; and
       (B) the cost of carriage and delivery of the nonproject 
     water through the facilities of the Mancos Water Conservancy 
     District.
       (b) Water Rights of United States Not Enlarged.--Nothing in 
     this Act enlarges or attempts to enlarge the right of the 
     United States, under existing law, to control any water in 
     any State.
  The Senate bill was ordered to be read a third time, was read the 
third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the 
table.

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