[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 30 (Monday, March 14, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H1375-H1376]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         LLAGAS RECLAMATION GROUNDWATER REMEDIATION INITIATIVE

  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 186) to authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation and in coordination 
with other Federal, State, and local government agencies, to 
participate in the funding and implementation of a balanced, long-term 
groundwater remediation program in California, and for other purposes, 
as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 186

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Llagas Reclamation 
     Groundwater Remediation Initiative''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       For the purposes of this Act:
       (1) Groundwater remediation.--The term ``groundwater 
     remediation'' means actions that are necessary to prevent, 
     minimize, or mitigate damage to groundwater.
       (2) Local water authority.--The term ``local water 
     authority'' means the Santa Clara Valley Water District.
       (3) Remediation fund.--The term ``Remediation Fund'' means 
     the California Basins Groundwater Remediation Fund 
     established pursuant to section 3(a).
       (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.

     SEC. 3. CALIFORNIA BASINS REMEDIATION.

       (a) California Basins Remediation.--
       (1) Establishment of remediation fund.--There shall be 
     established within the Treasury of the United States an 
     interest bearing account to be known as the California Basins 
     Groundwater Remediation Fund.
       (2) Administration of remediation fund.--The Remediation 
     Fund shall be administered by the Secretary of the Interior, 
     acting through the Bureau of Reclamation. The Secretary shall 
     administer the Remediation Fund in cooperation with the local 
     water authority.
       (3) Purposes of remediation fund.--
       (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the amounts 
     in the Remediation Fund, including interest accrued, shall be 
     used by the Secretary to provide grants to the local water 
     authority to reimburse the local water authority for the 
     Federal share of the costs associated with designing and 
     constructing groundwater remediation projects to be 
     administered by the local water authority.
       (B) Cost-sharing limitation.--
       (i) In general.--The Secretary may not obligate any funds 
     appropriated to the Remediation Fund in a fiscal year until 
     the Secretary has deposited into the Remediation Fund an 
     amount provided by non-Federal interests sufficient to ensure 
     that at least 35 percent of any funds obligated by the 
     Secretary for a project are from funds provided to the 
     Secretary for that project by the non-Federal interests.
       (ii) Non-federal responsibility.--Each local water 
     authority shall be responsible for providing the non-Federal 
     amount required by clause (i) for projects under that local 
     water authority. The State of California, local government 
     agencies, and private entities may provide all or any portion 
     of the non-Federal amount.
       (iii) Credits toward non-federal share.--For purposes of 
     clause (ii), the Secretary

[[Page H1376]]

     shall credit the appropriate local water authority with the 
     value of all prior expenditures by non-Federal interests made 
     after January 1, 2000, that are compatible with the purposes 
     of this section, including--

       (I) all expenditures made by non-Federal interests to 
     design and construct groundwater remediation projects, 
     including expenditures associated with environmental analyses 
     and public involvement activities that were required to 
     implement the groundwater remediation projects in compliance 
     with applicable Federal and State laws; and
       (II) all expenditures made by non-Federal interests to 
     acquire lands, easements, rights-of-way, relocations, 
     disposal areas, and water rights that were required to 
     implement a groundwater remediation project.

       (b) Compliance With Applicable Law.--In carrying out the 
     activities described in this section, the Secretary shall 
     comply with any applicable Federal and State laws.
       (c) Relationship to Other Activities.--Nothing in this 
     section shall be construed to affect other Federal or State 
     authorities that are being used or may be used to facilitate 
     remediation and protection of the Llagas groundwater 
     subbasin. In carrying out the activities described in this 
     section, the Secretary shall integrate such activities with 
     ongoing Federal and State projects and activities. None of 
     the funds made available for such activities pursuant to this 
     section shall be counted against any Federal authorization 
     ceiling established for any previously authorized Federal 
     projects or activities.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Remediation Fund $25,000,000. 
     Subject to the limitations in section 4, such funds shall 
     remain available until expended.

     SEC. 4. SUNSET OF AUTHORITY.

        This Act--
       (1) shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this 
     Act; and
       (2) is repealed effective as of the date that is 10 years 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Jones) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands 
(Mrs. Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones).


                             General Leave

  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. 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 the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from North Carolina?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  This legislation, authored by the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Pombo), distinguished chairman of the Committee on Resources, helps 
remediate the groundwater basin in Santa Clara, California.
  Chemicals, such as perchlorate, have been detected in over 500 wells 
around the communities of Morgan Hill and San Martin, California. As a 
result, more than 1,000 residents are now being supplied with bottled 
water.
  This bill provides a long-term solution to this growing problem. H.R. 
186 would provide up to $25 million in Federal funding to clean up 
groundwater near these communities over a 10-year period.

                              {time}  1415

  This funding mechanism is based on a practical working model 
currently under way in the San Gabriel Basin in southern California. 
Everyone agrees on the need for safe drinking water for our 
communities. This bill reflects this consensus and puts words into real 
action. I urge my colleagues to support this important 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, we support passage of H.R. 186, which 
will provide financial assistance for cleaning up contaminated drinking 
water supplies in the Santa Clara Valley area of southern California. I 
appreciate the support of the leadership demonstrated by the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Pombo) on this important matter.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Petri). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 186, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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