[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 178 (Thursday, December 20, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2369-E2370]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 H.R. 3178, WATER INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY AND RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 18, 2001

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that ``H.R. 3178, 
Water Infrastructure Security and Research Development Act'' and the 
Development of Anti-Terrorism Tools for Water Infrastructure was 
brought to the floor today.
  Mr. Speaker, the nation's water supply and water quality 
infrastructure have long been recognized as being potentially 
vulnerable to terrorist attacks of various types, including physical 
disruption, bioterrorism/chemical contamination, and cyber attack. 
Interest in such problems has increased since the September 11, 2001 
attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Damage or 
destruction to these systems by terrorist attack could disrupt the 
delivery of vital human services, threatening public health and the 
environment, or possibly causing loss of life.
  Water infrastructure systems include surface and ground water sources 
of untreated water for municipal, industrial, agricultural, and 
consumer needs; dams, reservoirs, aqueducts, and pipes that contain and 
transport raw water; treatment facilities that remove contaminants; 
finished water reservoirs; systems that distribute water to users; and 
wastewater collection and treatment facilities. Across the country, 
these systems comprise more than 75,000 dams and reservoirs, thousands 
of miles of pipes and aqueducts, 168,000 public drinking water 
facilities, and about 16,000 publicly owned wastewater treatment 
facilities. Ownership and management are both public and private; the 
federal government has responsibility for hundreds of dams and 
diversion structures, but the vast majority of the nation's water 
infrastructure is either privately owned or owned by non-federal units 
of government.
  Mr. Speaker, the federal government has built hundreds of water 
projects over the years, primarily dams and reservoirs for irrigation 
development and flood control, with municipal and industrial water use 
as an incidental, self-financed, project purpose. Because of the size 
and scope of many of these facilities, they are critically entwined 
with the nation's overall water supply, transportation, and electricity 
infrastructure. Threats resulting in physical destruction to any of 
these systems could include disruption of operating or distribution 
system components, power or telecommunications systems, electronic 
control systems, and actual damage to reservoirs and pumping stations. 
A loss of flow and pressure would cause problems for water customers 
and also would drastically hinder firefighting efforts. Bioterrorism or 
chemical threats could deliver massive contamination by small amounts 
of microbiological agents or toxic chemicals and could endanger the 
public health of thousands.
  Water supply was one of eight critical infrastructure systems 
identified in President Clinton's 1998 Presidential Decision Directive 
as part of a coordinated national effort to achieve

[[Page E2370]]

the capability to protect the nation's critical infrastructure from 
intentional acts that would diminish them.
  Mr. Speaker, since September 11, the nation's drinking water 
utilities have been on a heightened state of alert to protect against 
the potential disruption of water service and biological and chemical 
contamination of drinking water supplies. Fortunately, before September 
11, the water supply community was already at work with the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation 
and other federal agencies to develop methods and tools to protect 
water system facilities and consumers. Several drinking water 
organizations and EPA are currently sponsoring various research and 
development projects addressing water system security issues. These 
projects include tools for assessing vulnerabilities, preparations for 
response and recovery in the event of an attack, understanding the 
impact of potential biological and chemical agents, and training of 
water system personnel on security issues.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleagues on the Science 
Committee for supporting my amendment on H.R. 3178. The amendment I 
offered, which was passed in the Committee is to ensure that the grants 
awarded under this bill are made to meet the needs of water supply 
systems of various sizes and are provided to geographically, socially 
and economically diverse recipients.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill is critical in protecting one of our nation's 
most precious resources--the water supply. As indicated, protecting our 
water supply is important to the future of this nation and ensuring 
that our children are protected from any terrorist act. H.R. 3178, I 
believe has the greatest potential to ensure the safety of our water 
systems.

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