[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 123 (Monday, October 4, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H7965]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1445
AUTHORIZING SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO PARTICIPATE IN BROWNSVILLE
PUBLIC UTILITY BOARD WATER RECYCLING AND DESALINIZATION PROJECT
Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 2960) to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater
Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
participate in the Brownsville Public Utility Board water recycling and
desalinization project.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 2960
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. BROWNSVILLE PUBLIC UTILITY BOARD WATER RECYCLING
AND DESALINIZATION PROJECT.
(a) In General.--The Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater
Study and Facilities Act (Public Law 102-575, title XVI; 43
U.S.C. 390h et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
``SEC. 163__. BROWNSVILLE PUBLIC UTILITY BOARD WATER
RECYCLING AND DESALINIZATION PROJECT.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the
Brownsville Public Utility Board, may participate in the
design, planning, and construction of facilities to reclaim,
reuse, and treat impaired waters in the Brownsville, Texas,
area.
``(b) Cost Sharing.--The Federal share of the cost of the
project described in subsection (a) shall not exceed 25
percent of the total cost of the project.
``(c) Limitation.--Funds provided by the Secretary shall
not be used for operation and maintenance of the project
described in subsection (a).''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections in section
2 of Public Law 102-575 is amended by inserting after the
last item relating title XVI the following:
``Sec. 163_. Brownsville Public Utility Board water recycling and
desalinization project.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Petri). Pursuant to the rule, the
gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin
Islands (Mrs. Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons).
General Leave
Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2960, the bill now
under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Nevada?
There was no objection.
Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 2960, authored by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ortiz), amends
the Bureau of Reclamation's Title XVI Program to authorize the
Secretary of the Interior, in cooperation with the Brownsville Public
Utility Board, to participate in the design, planning, and construction
of facilities to reclaim, reuse, and treat impaired waters in the
Brownsville, Texas, area. The Federal cost-share for the project will
not exceed 25 percent of the total projected cost.
This bill will help ensure delivery of high-quality drinking water
for the residents of the Brownsville area. By developing nontraditional
water supplies, the community is reducing stress on the over-utilized
Rio Grande while providing safe and dependable water supplies for
future generations, and I therefore urge adoption of this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
(Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend
her remarks.)
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by commending my
friend and colleague on the Committee on Resources, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Ortiz), for introducing this bill and for working hard to
secure its passage.
The community leaders in the Brownsville, Texas, area also deserve
recognition for the decision to use water desalinization and water
recycling as tools to stabilize their water supplies and reduce the
impact of drought. We strongly support this legislation.
Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2960, a bill I
introduced that will amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater
Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
participate in the Brownsville Public Utility Board water recycling and
desalinization project.
I would like to thank Chairman Pombo, Ranking Member Rahall, as well
as Water and Power Subcommittee Chairman Calvert and Ranking Member
Napolitano, for their valuable support on this legislation.
This bill was considered in the House Resources Committee and was
passed with no dissent. It will essentially allow the Brownsville PUB
to participate in water recycling and desalinization project funding
authorized by the Secretary of the Interior.
This bill, H.R. 2960, makes the Brownsville Public Utilities Board
(PUB) eligible for a Federal share of Title 16 funding for design,
planning, and construction of facilities to reclaim, reuse, and treat
impaired waters in the Brownsville area.
PUB's water supply plan has several components including: reclaiming
brackish groundwater (not obligated under the Mexican water treaty)
through desalinization, and building a pipeline to transport treated
sewage for irrigation. This is an important bill for Brownsville and
the PUB because it will make them eligible for grants to do the
essential work of reclaiming waters that are currently unusable in the
South Texas area.
Given our current water situation, and the ongoing water debt with
Mexico, Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley must use all our
creativity to find new sources of water for the next century to attend
to all the needs of future water users. South Texas has seen an amazing
amount of growth, a dynamic we expect to continue for decades to come.
The more varied, and more creative, we are in finding new water
sources, the more successful we will be in attracting new industry to
sustain the growth of our Valley economy.
I ask my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 2960.
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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