[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 161 (Thursday, December 15, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13661-S13662]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN:
  S. 2106. A bill to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater 
Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
participate in the Prado Basin Natural Treatment System Project, to 
authorize the Secretary to carry out a program to assist agencies in 
projects to construct regional brine lines in California, to authorize 
the Secretary to participate in the Lower Chino Dairy Area desalination 
demonstration and reclamation project, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Santa 
Ana River Water Supply Enhancement Act of 2005.
  This legislation authorizes Federal assistance through Title XVI for 
projects developed by local communities to reduce their dependence on 
water from the Colorado River. It helps California develop safer and 
more reliable water supplies.
  Congressman Gary Miller along with Congressmen Calvert, Dreier, 
Royce, Cox and Rohrabacher introduced similar legislation in the House. 
Their bill passed the House in October.
  The projects in this bill will increase the region's water supply by 
200,000 acre-feet annually and are prototypes for providing water 
supplies to new communities throughout the arid Western States.
  The Orange County Water District's Groundwater Replenishment System 
is an innovative approach to reuse water resources within one of the 
most populated counties in the Nation. Seventy-two thousand acre feet 
of reclaimed water will be produced annually for indirect potable use. 
This is enough water to meet the needs of more than 300,000 people each 
year. This bill authorizes $51.8 million for the groundwater 
replenishment system, just 10 percent of the actual cost of the 
project.
  Another project in the bill expands desalination facilities in the 
Chino Basin, providing a fourfold increase in the ability to desalinate 
groundwater

[[Page S13662]]

supplies. The Chino Basin groundwater desalters will be the primary 
drinking water supply for 40,000 new homes in Riverside and San 
Bernardino Counties.
  This legislation also authorizes $40 million to construct regional 
brine sewer lines that will enable our communities to safely dispose of 
the brine generated from the ``desalted'' groundwater supplies.
  In order to naturally treat the regions water and remove 
contamination from the Santa Anna River, I am also seeking Federal 
support for the construction of wetlands. This concept holds the 
promise of efficiently improving the quality of our groundwater 
supplies without costly control technologies.
  The creation of a Center for Technological Advancement of Membrane 
Technology will foster research efforts to improve membrane design and 
testing. Research conducted at this facility will help develop 
technologies to increase the stability of our water supply.
  I believe the ever-growing demand for water throughout Southern 
California can be satisfied through local supplies. Regional watershed 
plans, coordinating water use throughout multiple jurisdictions, are a 
critical tool to reach this goal. All of the projects in this 
legislation were developed on a regional basis and the Federal cost 
share of each project is less than 20 percent.
  I am pleased to introduce this legislation as it holds the key to 
providing a roadmap for other communities' efforts to meet the 
challenges posed by a scarce potable water supply.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2106

       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 ``Santa Ana River Water Supply 
     Enhancement Act of 2005''.

     SEC. 2. PRADO BASIN NATURAL TREATMENT SYSTEM 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:

     ``SEC. 1636. PRADO BASIN NATURAL TREATMENT SYSTEM PROJECT.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the 
     Orange County Water District, shall participate in the 
     planning, design, and construction of natural treatment 
     systems and wetlands for the flows of the Santa Ana River, 
     California, and its tributaries into the Prado Basin.
       ``(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 the operation and maintenance of the project 
     described in subsection (a).
       ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000.
       ``(e) Sunset of Authority.--This section shall have no 
     effect after the date that is 10 years after the date of the 
     enactment of this section.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections in section 
     2 of Public Law 102-575 is further amended by inserting after 
     the item relating to section 1634 the following:

``Sec. 1636. Prado Basin Natural Treatment System Project''.

     SEC. 3. REGIONAL BRINE LINES.

       (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 further amended by adding at the end 
     the following:

     ``SEC. 1637. REGIONAL BRINE LINES.

       ``(a) Southern California.--The Secretary, under Federal 
     reclamation laws and in cooperation with units of local 
     government, may assist agencies in projects to construct 
     regional brine lines to export the salinity imported from the 
     Colorado River to the Pacific Ocean as identified in--
       ``(1) the Salinity Management Study prepared by the Bureau 
     of Reclamation and the Metropolitan Water District of 
     Southern California; and
       ``(2) the Southern California Comprehensive Water 
     Reclamation and Reuse Study prepared by the Bureau of 
     Reclamation.
       ``(b) Agreements and Regulations.--The Secretary may enter 
     into such agreements and promulgate such regulations as are 
     necessary to carry out this section.
       ``(c) Cost Sharing.--The Federal share of the cost of a 
     project to construct regional brine lines described in 
     subsection (a) shall not exceed--
       ``(1) 25 percent of the total cost of the project; or
       ``(2) $40,000,000.
       ``(d) Limitation.--Funds provided by the Secretary shall 
     not be used for operation or maintenance of any project 
     described in subsection (a).
       ``(e) Sunset of Authority.--This section shall have no 
     effect after the date that is 10 years after the date of the 
     enactment of this section.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections in section 
     2 of Public Law 102-575 is further amended by inserting after 
     the item relating to section 1635 the following:

``Sec. 1637. Regional brine lines''.

     SEC. 4. LOWER CHINO DAIRY AREA DESALINATION DEMONSTRATION AND 
                   RECLAMATION 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 further amended by adding at the end 
     the following:

     ``SEC. 1638. LOWER CHINO DAIRY AREA DESALINATION 
                   DEMONSTRATION AND RECLAMATION PROJECT.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the 
     Chino Basin Watermaster, the Inland Empire Utilities Agency, 
     and the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority and acting 
     under the Federal reclamation laws, shall participate in the 
     design, planning, and construction of the Lower Chino Dairy 
     Area desalination demonstration and reclamation project.
       ``(b) Cost Sharing.--The Federal share of the cost of the 
     project described in subsection (a) shall not exceed--
       ``(1) 25 percent of the total cost of the project; or
       ``(2) $50,000,000.
       ``(c) Limitation.--Funds provided by the Secretary shall 
     not be used for operation or maintenance of the project 
     described in subsection (a).
       ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to 
     carry out this section.
       ``(e) Sunset of Authority.--This section shall have no 
     effect after the date that is 10 years after the date of the 
     enactment of this section.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections in section 
     2 of Public Law 102-575 is further amended by inserting after 
     the item relating to section 1636 the following:

``Sec. 1638. Lower Chino dairy area desalination demonstration and 
              reclamation project''.

     SEC. 5. CEILING INCREASE ON FEDERAL SHARE OF WATER 
                   RECLAMATION PROJECT.

       Section 1631(d) of the Reclamation Wastewater and 
     Groundwater Study and Facilities Act (43 U.S.C.390h-13(d)) is 
     amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1) by striking ``paragraph (2)'' and 
     inserting ``paragraphs (2) and (3)''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(3) The Federal share of the costs of the project 
     authorized by section 1624 shall not exceed the following:
       ``(A) $22,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.
       ``(B) $24,200,000 for fiscal year 2008.
       ``(C) $26,620,000 for fiscal year 2009.
       ``(D) $29,282,000 for fiscal year 2010.
       ``(E) $32,210,200 for fiscal year 2011.
       ``(F) $35,431,220 for fiscal year 2012.
       ``(G) $38,974,342 for fiscal year 2013.
       ``(H) $42,871,776 for fiscal year 2014.
       ``(I) $47,158,953 for fiscal year 2015.
       ``(J) $51,874,849 for fiscal year 2016.''.

     SEC. 6. CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT OF MEMBRANE 
                   TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
     establish at the Orange County Water District located in 
     Orange County, California, a center for the expressed 
     purposes of providing--
       (1) assistance in the development and advancement of 
     membrane technologies; and
       (2) educational support in the advancement of public 
     understanding and acceptance of membrane produced water 
     supplies.
       (b) Management of Center.--
       (1) Contracts.--In establishing the center, the Secretary 
     shall enter into contracts with the Orange County Water 
     District for purposes of managing such center.
       (2) Plan.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     enactment of this section, the Secretary, in consultation 
     with the Orange County Water District, shall jointly prepare 
     a plan, updated annually, identifying the goals and 
     objectives of the center.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to carry out subsections (a) and (b), $2,000,000, for each of 
     fiscal years 2006 through 2011. Such sums shall remain 
     available until expended.
       (d) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     enactment of this section and annually thereafter, the 
     Secretary, in consultation with the Orange County Water 
     District, shall provide a report to Congress on the status of 
     the center and its accomplishments.
       (e) Sunset of Authority.--This section shall have no effect 
     after the date that is 10 years after the date of the 
     enactment of this section.
                                 ______