[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 127 (Tuesday, September 16, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H8230-H8231]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECLAMATION PROJECTS AUTHORIZATION AND ADJUSTMENT ACT OF 1992 AMENDMENT

  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1284) to amend the Reclamation Projects Authorization and 
Adjustment Act of 1992 to increase the Federal share of the costs of 
the San Gabriel Basin demonstration project.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1284

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

     SECTION 1. INCREASE IN FEDERAL SHARE OF SAN GABRIEL BASIN 
                   DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.

       Section 1631(d)(2) of the Reclamation Projects 
     Authorization and Adjustment Act of 1992 (43 U.S.C. 390h-13) 
     is amended--
       (1) by striking ``In the case'' and inserting ``(A) Subject 
     to subparagraph (B), in the case''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(B) In the case of the San Gabriel Basin demonstration 
     project authorized by section 1614, the Federal share of the 
     cost of such project may not exceed the sum determined by 
     adding--
       ``(i) the amount that applies to that project under 
     subparagraph (A); and
       ``(ii) $12,500,000.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Calvert) and the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. 
Napolitano) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1284, introduced by my colleague and friend, the 
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano), increases the authorized 
Federal cost ceilings for the San Gabriel Basin demonstration project 
by $12.5 million. Local project sponsors have expressed a desire to 
expand the demonstration program, which treats contaminated groundwater 
and then delivers the effluent to nearby localities to justify the 
Federal cost ceiling increase.
  This bill will help lessen Southern California's dependence on 
foreign water and project groundwater quality. It is a good bill. I 
urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I once again thank my colleague and friend, the chairman 
of the subcommittee, the gentleman from California (Chairman Calvert), 
on this issue, because this is an important issue for the Southern 
California area.
  I rise today in support of my legislation, H.R. 1284, to increase the 
spending cap imposed on the San Gabriel Basin demonstration project. I 
want to thank my colleagues on the other side, the gentleman from 
California (Chairman Dreier), the gentleman from California (Chairman 
Calvert), and the gentleman from California (Chairman Pombo), for their 
continued assistance to me and other Members who are also working to 
ensure a clean and reliable water supply for their communities.
  May I also thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis), who 
could not be here to speak to her support on this issue, as two of her 
cities we are proposing are in her district.
  H.R. 1284, if enacted, would simply allow the cities of Industry, El 
Monte and South El Monte, located and adjacent to my district in 
Southeast Los Angeles County, to have the ability to request an 
additional $12.5 million in funding for assistance from the U.S. Bureau 
of Reclamation for cleanup of volatile organic compounds, otherwise 
known as DOCs, once they are able to secure their 75 percent matching 
funds.
  Earlier this year, the Subcommittee on Water and Power held a hearing 
on the bill, and witnesses representing the local municipalities and 
water agencies from the San Gabriel Valley, home to

[[Page H8231]]

approximately 1.7 million residents, clearly established that there is 
a clear and compelling need to extend the funding for this very 
successful program.
  This is part of the San Gabriel Basin, home to one of the country's 
largest Superfund sites, spanning 170 square miles. It has been 
contaminated by a number of substances over the past 5 decades as a 
result of manufacturing and agriculture activities and other components 
that we are now finding, such as perchloric, affecting our drinking 
water supply.
  Unfortunately, the funding level for this critical basin program was 
capped at $38 million in 1996, before these three communities were able 
to establish their case to Congress. This is all part and parcel of 
that Superfund site cleanup.
  A majority of the unfunded projects to date are in the southern part 
of the basin, and that includes these three cities of Industry, El 
Monte, and South El Monte. These projects are conjunctive-use projects 
and could be funded under the existing Bureau of Reclamation's 
demonstration project only if the 1996 budget cap is raised.
  Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from California (Chairman Pombo), the 
gentleman from California (Chairman Calvert), and every California 
delegation member who serves on the House Committee on Resources 
understands the need for California to live up to our agreement with 
the other Colorado River Basin States and ultimately take no more than 
4.4 million acre feet of water from the Colorado River per year.
  Continuing effective aquifer cleanup activities, which H.R. 1284 
allows, combined with water conservation, recycling, desalination, 
above and underground storage, will allow the State of California to 
meet the commitment to the 4.4 plan by the year 2016.
  I would also like to express my most sincere appreciation to the 
ranking member, the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), and the 
former ranking member of the Committee on Resources, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. George Miller), for their continued support for the 
Bureau's title 16 water reclamation and recycling projects.
  I certainly urge my colleagues to pass this issue. It is an important 
issue for all of California and the rest of the Nation.
  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1284, which amends 
the San Gabriel Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act 
of 1992. This bill will increase the Federal cost share for the San 
Gabriel Basin groundwater cleanup project.
  During the project's onset in 1992, the Federal Government was 
authorized to pay 2.5 percent of the cost of projects to cleanup local 
water supplies. In 1996 the funding level for the program was capped at 
$38 million, funding only a portion of the projects that had been 
designed. As a result of the cap, projects in the southern portion of 
the basin were not funded, including the El Monte Operable Unit and the 
South El Monte Operable Unit in my district. Since the cap was put in 
place, the Southern Operable Units have been working with EPA to 
develop groundwater cleanup plans. Now, we need money to make the 
cleanup happen.
  Cleanup literally means the difference between healthy and unhealthy 
families. This area is contaminated with perchlorate, trichloroethene 
and other chlorinated solvents known as ``volatile organic compounds'' 
or VOCs. Each of these contaminants can cause serious health 
complications. Perchlorate increases chances of cancer and can induce 
thyroid problems. Trichloroethene has been shown to make people more 
susceptible to lung and liver tumors. VOCs are harmful to the central 
nervous system, the kidneys and the liver and can cause a higher risk 
of cancer, especially leukemia.
  The pollution that these communities have sustained has not only 
impacted their health and environment, but also their economy. 
Unemployment in the area is as high as 10 percent in some areas. 
According to the U.S. Census, 26 percent of the residents live in 
poverty. It has been difficult to attract businesses and jobs to the 
area. One of the factors preventing those businesses and jobs from 
coming to the area is the pollution.
  When the cap was put in place, these areas lost the chance to access 
Federal funds to clean up their environment, protect their health and 
help their economy. Now we have the opportunity to make a difference in 
this region by helping them accomplish these much-needed goals. I urge 
adoption of this legislation and yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1284, 
a bill that amends the Reclamation Projects Authorization and 
Adjustment Act of 1992 to increase the Federal share of the cost of the 
San Gabriel Basin demonstration project.
  The San Gabriel Basin Demonstration Project was originally authorized 
in 1992 under the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's Title XVI program. This 
initiated the Federal-local partnership for this project, which is an 
integral component in cleaning up the San Gabriel Valley's drinking 
water supply.
  The San Gabriel Demonstration Project is unique among the projects 
authorized by Title XVI in that it does not focus on water reclamation 
or reuse. Rather, the project will remove harmful contaminants, 
including volatile organic compounds, for the San Gabriel Valley 
Superfund site in order to provide the Valley with a safe supply of 
drinking water. The project further involves monitoring of water wells, 
construction of treatment facilities, and development of systems to 
convey, pump, and store water.
  H.R. 1284, championed by my good friend, neighbor, and colleague, 
Congresswoman Grace Napolitano, recognizes the critical funding needs 
for this project's sustainability and success. By increasing the 
ceiling of this authorization by $12.5 million, the Federal 
Government's commitment to safe drinking water supply in our region 
will continue.
  I commend Chairman Ken Calvert and his Subcommittee on Water and 
Power for moving this bill through the committee process, and urge my 
colleagues to vote for this measure.
  Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1284.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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