[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 118 (Wednesday, September 20, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H6793-H6794]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


     WICHITA PROJECT EQUUS BEDS DIVISION AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2005

  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the Senate bill (S. 1025) to amend the Act entitled ``An Act 
to provide for the construction of the Cheney division, Wichita Federal 
reclamation project, Kansas, and for other purposes'' to authorize the 
Equus Beds Division of the Wichita Project.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 1025

       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 ``Wichita Project Equus Beds 
     Division Authorization Act of 2005''.

     SEC. 2. EQUUS BEDS DIVISION.

       The Act entitled ``An Act to provide for the construction 
     of the Cheney division, Wichita Federal reclamation project, 
     Kansas, and for other purposes'' (Public Law 86-787; 74 Stat. 
     1026) is amended by adding the following new section:

     ``SEC. 10. EQUUS BEDS DIVISION.

       ``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary of the Interior may 
     assist in the funding and implementation of the Equus Beds 
     Aquifer Recharge and Recovery Component which is a part of 
     the `Integrated Local Water Supply Plan, Wichita, Kansas' 
     (referred to in this section as the `Equus Beds Division'). 
     Construction of the Equus Beds Division shall be in 
     substantial accordance with the plans and designs.
       ``(b) Operation, Maintenance, and Replacement.--Operation, 
     maintenance, and replacement of the Equus Beds Division, 
     including funding for those purposes, shall be the sole 
     responsibility of the City of Wichita, Kansas. The Equus Beds 
     Division shall be operated in accordance with applicable laws 
     and regulations.
       ``(c) Agreements.--The Secretary of the Interior may enter 
     into, or agree to amendments of, cooperative agreements and 
     other appropriate agreements to carry out this section.
       ``(d) Administrative Costs.--From funds made available for 
     this section, the Secretary of the Interior may charge an 
     appropriate share related to administrative costs incurred.
       ``(e) Plans and Analyses Consistent With Federal Law.--
     Before obligating funds for design or construction under this 
     section, the Secretary of the Interior shall work 
     cooperatively with the City of Wichita, Kansas, to use, to 
     the extent possible, plans, designs, and engineering and 
     environmental analyses that have already been prepared by the 
     City for the Equus Beds Division. The Secretary of the 
     Interior shall assure that such information is used 
     consistent with applicable Federal laws and regulations.
       ``(f) Title; Responsibility; Liability.--Nothing in this 
     section or assistance provided under this section shall be 
     construed to transfer title, responsibility, or liability 
     related to the Equus Beds Division (including portions or 
     features thereof) to the United States.
       ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated as the Federal share of the total cost of 
     the Equus Beds Division, an amount not to not exceed 25 
     percent of the total cost or $30,000,000 (January, 2003 
     prices), whichever is less, plus or minus such amounts, if 
     any, as may be justified by reason of ordinary fluctuations 
     in construction costs as indicated by engineering cost 
     indexes applicable to the type of construction involved 
     herein, whichever is less. Such sums shall be 
     nonreimbursable.
       ``(h) Termination of Authority.--The authority of the 
     Secretary of the Interior to carry out any provision of this 
     section shall terminate 10 years after the date of enactment 
     of this section.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Jones) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina.


                             General Leave

  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. 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 North Carolina?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  S. 1025, introduced by Senator Pat Roberts and supported by our 
Kansas colleague Todd Tiahrt, authorizes the Secretary of the Interior 
to assist in the funding and implementation of an aquifer recharge 
program near the city of Wichita.
  The Equus Beds aquifer has supplied water to Wichita for over 60 
years, but groundwater levels continue to decline. The bill's project 
will use excess water flows from the Little Arkansas River to recharge 
the aquifer and would provide significant new water storage capacity 
for area water consumers. This enhanced aquifer recharge and storage 
concept will help impede saline water intrusion and enhance the 
region's long-term water needs.
  I urge support of the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, Mr. Jones has explained very well this bill. We have no 
objection to passage of S. 1025. The Committee on Resources approved 
similar legislation in the 108th Congress. The Federal cost-share for 
this project is not excessive, and the project itself will have a 
beneficial effect on local groundwater supplies.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like 
to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. 
Tiahrt).
  Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from 
North Carolina. He has not only been a good leader, but a great friend, 
and I appreciate his yielding the time and the work he has done in 
favor of this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in favor of the Wichita Project Equus Beds 
Division Authorization Act, S. 1025. The bill authorizes the Equus Beds 
aquifer recharge project in south-central Kansas and will help meet the 
water needs of nearly 500,000 people in the State. This is an 
environmentally sound project, and it will help ensure local residents, 
agricultural irrigators, and industrial businesses have access to clean 
water for decades.

                              {time}  1645

  I want to thank Chairman Pombo for his leadership in assisting me 
over the past few years on this important water project. Both he and 
the staff on the House Resources Committee have been very good to work 
with.
  Chairman Pombo has helped ensure authorization for the needed 
recharge of the Equus Beds aquifer, and ensured that it was done right 
away. I appreciate my colleague and good friend, Senator Pat Roberts, 
for his championing this effort in the authorization bill in the 
Senate. He got the job done in the other body. Now it is time to finish 
the process in the House today.
  Because the House has already approved authorization language 
contained in S. 1025 last year, passage of this bill today will be the 
final step needed to send it to the President for his signature.
  I should also thank the city of Wichita officials for their effort in 
helping move this project forward. Their vision to ensure the greater 
Wichita area has a sustainable source of water both now and in the 
future is why this project started. Wichita's water supply projects 
administrator, Gerry Blain, has been great to work with. Gerry has been 
especially helpful to me and my staff in navigating the details of the 
recharge project. I appreciate his dedication to public service.
  The Equus Beds aquifer recharge project involves taking floodwater 
from the Little Arkansas River and depositing that excess water into 
the aquifer through water supply wells, after going through a 
filtration system. Since the 1950s, the water levels in the aquifer 
have dropped 40 feet because of water rights and pumping excesses. The 
aquifer's natural recharge rate of 6 inches per year will not keep up.
  Due to this overusage, saltwater from the Southwest and oil field 
brine from the Northwest have threatened the aquifer. When the 
aquifer's levels were higher, the elevated levels created a natural 
barrier to keep the contamination at bay.
  But now that the water levels have dropped, the natural barrier is no 
longer there. If the aquifer is not replenished, the maximum chloride 
levels will eventually exceed what is permitted in both agricultural 
and municipal usage. This aquifer recharge project is a win-win project 
for all of the communities that depend on its water.
  The city of Wichita and surrounding municipalities benefit because 
water can be safely stored to meet short-term

[[Page H6794]]

and long-term water supply needs. Agricultural irrigators benefit 
because the risk of saltwater contamination is reduced. Without this 
natural barrier, an elevated water level in the aquifer, the water 
would eventually become contaminated to the point where it would not be 
suitable even for use on crops. Irrigators should see reduced costs 
associated with pumping, since the water levels of the aquifer will 
rise.
  The Little Arkansas River and its ecosystem will also benefit. During 
the times of drought, a natural discharge from Equus Beds' aquifer into 
the river will occur, creating a more stable base flow.
  Under S. 1025 the city of Wichita will be required to maintain and 
operate the recharge project, which ensures the Federal Government will 
not bear the cost associated with this ongoing operation.
  Recharging the Equus Beds is the most cost-efficient means to provide 
water for the communities in south central Kansas. And it is the best 
option available to keep salt and oil field brine out of its critical 
water supply without greatly restricting water usage. So I urge my 
colleagues to join me today in supporting S. 1025.
  Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. 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 North Carolina (Mr. Jones) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 1025.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________