[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 88 (Monday, July 10, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H4922-H4923]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
MADERA WATER SUPPLY ENHANCEMENT ACT
Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 3897) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior, acting
through the Bureau of Reclamation to enter into a cooperative agreement
with the Madera Irrigation District for purposes of supporting the
Madera Water Supply and Groundwater Enhancement Project, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 3897
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 ``Madera Water Supply
Enhancement Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
(a) The term ``District'' means the Madera Irrigation
District, Madera, California.
(b) The term ``Project'' means the ``Madera Water Supply
and Enhancement Project''.
(c) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the
United States Department of the Interior.
SEC. 3. STUDY AND REPORT.
(a) Study.-- Pursuant to the Reclamation Act of 1902 (32
Stat. 388) and Acts amendatory thereof and supplemental
thereto, the Secretary, acting through the Commissioner of
the Bureau of Reclamation, and in consultation and
cooperation with the District, is authorized to conduct a
study to determine the feasibility of constructing the
Project.
(b) Report.--
(1) Transmission.--Upon completion of the study authorized
by subsection (a), the Secretary shall transmit to the
Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a
report containing the results of the study, together with
recommendations regarding any recommendation to construct the
project.
(2) Use of available materials.--In developing the report
under this section, the Secretary shall make use of reports
and any other relevant information supplied by the District.
(3) Deadline.--No later than December 30, 2006, the
Secretary shall complete the report and transmit the report
to Congress pursuant to subsection (b)(2).
(c) Cost Share.--
(1) Federal share.--The Federal share of the costs of the
feasibility study authorized by this section shall not exceed
50 percent of the total cost of the study.
(2) In-kind contribution for non-federal share.--The
Secretary may accept as part of the non-Federal cost share
the contribution of such in-kind services by the District as
the Secretary determines will contribute to the conduct and
completion of the study.
SEC. 4. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT.
All planning, design, and construction of the Project
authorized by this Act shall be undertaken in accordance with
a cooperative agreement between the Secretary and the
District for the Project. Such cooperative agreement shall
set forth in a manner acceptable to the Secretary and the
District the responsibilities of the District for
participating in the study and related environmental review,
including, but not limited to:
(1) preparation of an assessment of the need for the
project;
(2) preparation of feasibility and reconnaissance studies;
(3) environmental review;
(4) engineering and design;
(5) construction; and
(6) the administration of contracts pertaining to any of
the foregoing.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION FOR THE MADERA WATER SUPPLY AND
ENHANCEMENT PROJECT.
(a) Authorization of Construction.--Upon submission of
feasibility report described in section 3 and a statement by
the Secretary that the project is feasible, the Secretary,
acting pursuant to the Federal reclamation laws (Act of June
17, 1902; 32 Stat. 388), and Acts amendatory thereof or
supplementary thereto, as far as those laws are not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, is authorized
to enter into a cooperative agreement through the Bureau with
the District for the support of the design, and construction
of the Project.
(b) Cost Share.--The Federal share of the capital costs of
the Project shall not exceed 25 percent of the total cost.
Capital costs incurred by the District prior to the date of
the enactment of this Act shall be considered a portion of
the non-Federal cost share.
(c) In-Kind Services.--In-kind services performed by the
District shall be considered a part of the local cost share
to complete the Project authorized by subsection (a).
(d) Credit for Non-Federal Work.--The District shall
receive credit toward the non-Federal share of the cost of
the Project for--
(1) reasonable costs incurred by the District as a result
of participation in the planning, design, and construction of
the Project; and
(2) for the fair market value of lands used or acquired by
the District for the Project.
(e) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not provide funds for
the operation or maintenance of the Project authorized by
this section. The operation and maintenance of the Project
shall be the sole responsibility of the District.
(f) Plans and Analyses Consistent With Federal Law.--Before
obligating funds for design or construction under this
section, the Secretary shall work cooperatively with the
District to use, to the extent possible, plans, designs, and
engineering and environmental analyses that have already been
prepared by the District for the Project. The Secretary shall
ensure that such information as is used is consistent with
applicable Federal laws and regulations.
(g) Title; Responsibility; Liability.--Nothing in this
section or the assistance provided under this section shall
be construed to transfer title, responsibility or liability
related to the Project to the United States.
(h) Authorization of Appropriation.--There is authorized
such sums as may be appropriated to carry out this section.
SEC. 6. SUNSET.
The authority of the Secretary to carry out any provisions
of this Act shall terminate 10 years after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Radanovich) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr.
Pallone) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days 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 California?
There was no objection.
Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
H.R. 3897, introduced by myself, authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation
to participate in the study, design, and construction of the Madera
Water Supply and Enhancement Project. This important water bank project
in my congressional district will help improve the water supply in
California's San Joaquin Valley.
The over-13,000-acre ranch where the water bank is located is well
suited for this project. The soils on and underneath the land are ideal
for percolating water from the surface to the aquifer for storage. In
addition, the land is valuable habitat for numerous species and
contains large sections of the region's native grasslands.
Funding for this project is under way. Madera Irrigation District,
which will operate and maintain this project, issued $37.5 million in
bonds to purchase the property. Also, the fiscal year 2006 Energy and
Water Appropriations measure allocated $200,000 to conduct a study on
the feasibility of the water bank.
[[Page H4923]]
With increasing demands on its limited water supply, the San Joaquin
Valley is falling behind in creating additional water sources. The
Madera Water Supply and Enhancement Project will enable water users to
store excess river flows in a nearby aquifer. This stored water bank
would then be used during dry years and could prove critical to meeting
demands.
I urge my colleagues to support this legislation to expand water
supply opportunities in the San Joaquin Valley.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
(Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, we on this side of the aisle have no
objection to the passage of H.R. 3897. The majority has adequately
explained this legislation, and I would simply note that the
groundwater development project that would be authorized by the
enactment of this bill could substantially improve water supply
reliability in California's Central Valley.
Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam 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 California (Mr. Radanovich) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3897, 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.
The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A Bill to
authorize the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of
Reclamation to enter into a cooperative agreement with the Madera
Irrigation District for purposes of supporting the Madera Water Supply
Enhancement Project.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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