[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 104 (Tuesday, July 15, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S9425]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. BOXER:

  S. 1413. A bill to authorize appropriations for conservation grants 

of the Environmental Protection Agency, to direct the Secretary of the 

Army and the Secretary of the Interior to conduct expedited feasibility 

studies of certain water projects in the State of California, and for 

other purposes; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, today I am introducing the California 

Affordable Quantity and Quality Water Act of 2003, CAL-AQQWA.

  Nowhere is the need for a comprehensive water policy that includes 

innovative recycling and reuse principles more urgently felt than in 

California. Water agencies and elected officials throughout the State 

are constantly planning, and struggling, to balance California's 

agricultural, municipal, industrial and environmental water needs.

  This challenge becomes all the more acute in the face of the State's 

declining Colorado River surplus allocation and growing population. 

California is facing an annual loss of about 800,000 acre feet from the 

Colorado River. And population forecasts project an additional 15 

million residents in California over the next 20 years.

  Unfortunately, funding to pursue and implement much-needed, 

environmentally beneficial water infrastructure projects is not readily 

available, and many good water management ideas are left languishing on 

the shelf. CAL-AQQWA can help move many of these ideas forward and into 

production.

  There are two sections in this bill. The first section authorizes 

expedited feasibility studies for 22 water projects in California. 

Funding priority would be given to projects that would provide 

environmental and other benefits. Costs for these studies would be 

shared between the local sponsors and the Federal Government.

  Studies in this bill explore a variety of innovative water supply 

strategies, including groundwater recharge; recycled water distribution 

for landscaping, wetlands restoration, agricultural use, industrial 

use, and general irrigation; surface water storage alternatives; 

groundwater storage; desalination; conservation; and groundwater 

demineralization. If fully implemented, these water projects may 

provide up to 630,000 acre feet of water per year in California. These 

additional acre feet would allow local authorities to decrease their 

dependence on imported water sources.

  The second section of this bill increases funding for the 

Environmental Protection Agency's Conservation Grant programs, 

including $2 billion in fiscal year 2004 for the drinking water state 

revolving loan program. EPA conservation grants provide funding for 

measures that include: urban conservation, low-flow toilets, water 

meter installation or retrofit, desalination projects, wastewater 

treatment system upgrades for compliance with Clean Water Act 

requirements, and groundwater recharge facilities projects.

  Water agencies and local officials throughout California are 

constantly struggling to meet all of our state's water needs. My hope 

is that this legislation will bring us closer to meeting the challenges 

facing our growing population by studying and expanding the proven 

benefits of water conservation and recycling.

  Let me conclude by noting that seven of the studies in the bill would 

be conducted by the Army Corps of Engineers. I support moving forward 

with additional Corps studies. But I also recognize we need to reform 

the Corps. As part of any reform effort for the Corps, I would like to 

see that costly or controversial Corps projects be subject to 

independent review; that any environmental harm caused by Corps 

projects be fully mitigated in a timely manner; that the public will 

have access to the information necessary to fully participate in the 

Corps' planning process; that the Corps' procedures for determining 

project costs and benefits will be modernized; and that Corps projects 

will be designed and operated in a manner that protects our precious 

natural resources.

  I encourage my colleagues to take a close look at this bill, and I 

ask for their support.

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