[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H9205-H9206]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         DAM SAFETY ACT OF 2006

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the Senate bill (S. 2735) to amend the National Dam Safety Program 
Act to reauthorize the national dam safety program, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 2735

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

     SECTION 1. DAM SAFETY.

       (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Dam 
     Safety Act of 2006''.
       (b) National Dam Inventory.--Section 6 of the National Dam 
     Safety Program Act (33 U.S.C. 467d) is amended to read as 
     follows:

     ``SEC. 6. NATIONAL DAM INVENTORY.

       ``The Secretary of the Army shall maintain and update 
     information on the inventory of dams in the United States. 
     Such inventory of dams shall include any available 
     information assessing each dam based on inspections completed 
     by either a Federal agency or a State dam safety agency.''.
       (c) National Dam Safety Program.--
       (1) Duties.--Section 8(b)(1) of the National Dam Safety 
     Program Act (33 U.S.C. 467f(b)(1)) is amended by striking 
     ``and target dates to'' and inserting ``performance measures, 
     and target dates toward effectively administering this Act in 
     order to''.
       (2) Assistance for state dam safety programs.--Section 
     8(e)(2)(A) of the National Dam Safety Program Act (33 U.S.C. 
     467f(e)(2)(A)) is amended--
       (A) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking 
     ``substantially'';
       (B) by redesignating clauses (iv) through (x) as clauses 
     (v) through (xi), respectively;
       (C) by inserting after clause (iii) the following:
       ``(iv) the authority to require or perform periodic 
     evaluations of all dams and reservoirs to determine the 
     extent of the threat to human life and property in case of 
     failure;''; and
       (D) in clause (vii) (as redesignated by subparagraph (B)), 
     by inserting ``install and monitor instrumentation,'' after 
     ``remedial work,''.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 13 of the 
     National Dam Safety Program Act (33 U.S.C. 467j) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ``$6,000,000 for each 
     of fiscal years 2003 through 2006'' and inserting 
     ``$6,500,000 for fiscal year 2007, $7,100,000 for fiscal year 
     2008, $7,600,000 for fiscal year 2009, $8,300,000 for fiscal 
     year 2010, and $9,200,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
       (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``$500,000 for each 
     fiscal year'' and inserting ``$650,000 for fiscal year 2007, 
     $700,000 for fiscal year 2008, $750,000 for fiscal year 2009, 
     $800,000 for fiscal year 2010, and $850,000 for fiscal year 
     2011'';
       (3) in subsection (c), by striking ``$1,500,000 for each of 
     fiscal years 2003 through 2006'' and inserting ``$1,600,000 
     for fiscal year 2007, $1,700,000 for fiscal year 2008, 
     $1,800,000 for fiscal year 2009, $1,900,000 for fiscal year 
     2010, and $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
       (4) in subsection (d), by striking ``$500,000 for each of 
     fiscal years 2003 through 2006'' and inserting ``$550,000 for 
     fiscal year 2007, $600,000 for fiscal year 2008, $650,000 for 
     fiscal year 2009, $700,000 for fiscal year 2010, and $750,000 
     for fiscal year 2011''; and
       (5) in subsection (e), by striking ``$600,000 for each of 
     fiscal years 2003 through 2006'' and inserting ``$700,000 for 
     fiscal year 2007, $800,000 for fiscal year 2008, $900,000 for 
     fiscal year 2009, $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, and 
     $1,100,000 for fiscal year 2011''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska.

                              {time}  0045

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 2735, known as the Dam Safety Act of 2006, 
reauthorizes the National Dam Safety Program for 5 years, through 
fiscal year 2011, and makes a number of improvements to the national 
inventory of dams.
  I want to thank Mr. Kuhl of New York for his dedication to the 
National Dam Safety Program. He has been a steadfast proponent of 
reauthorization and deserves credit for strengthening the program.
  The National Dam Safety Program is administered by FEMA and was 
established to improve safety around dams. The program provides grants 
to State dam safety agencies to assist them in improving their 
regulatory programs, training, and research, and to create a national 
inventory of dams in existence.
  With the passage of S. 2736 today, we clear the bill for the 
President and ensure authorization of this successful program through 
the year 2011. I support the bill and encourage my colleagues to do the 
same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. OBERSTAR asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, the structural integrity of dams 
throughout the United States has been a concern of the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure and its predecessors going back to 
the Rivers and Harbors Committee in the very beginning of this Nation. 
We have repeatedly visited the issue of dam safety and enacted dam 
safety programs in years past, reauthorizing in 1996, and this 
legislation is an update of the 1996 legislation.
  The Corps of Engineers, at the direction of our committee and through 
the reauthorization we provided, working with the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, has identified 79,777 public and private dams in the 
United States of which 11,811 are high-hazard dams. What is troubling 
to us on the committee is that the number of high-hazard dams has 
increased by over 20 percent in the last 6 years. Clearly action has to 
be taken. We have had 125 failures between 1999 and 2004.
  This legislation will put FEMA on alert, put the Corps of Engineers 
on alert, raise visibility of these issues and provide the tools 
necessary to take action to protect citizens living below these 
structures from catastrophic failure that can wipe out whole 
communities.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 2735, the National Dam 
Safety Program Act, which reauthorizes and amends the National Dam 
Safety Program. The National Dam Safety Program is a partnership of the 
States, Federal agencies, and other stakeholders to encourage 
individual and community responsibility for dam safety.
  The purpose of the National Dam Safety Program is to ``reduce the 
risks to life and property from dam failure in the United States 
through the establishment and maintenance of an effective national dam 
safety program to

[[Page H9206]]

bring together the expertise and resources of the Federal and non-
Federal communities in achieving national dam safety hazard 
reduction.''
  S. 2735 reauthorizes the National Dam Safety Program through fiscal 
year 2011. The dam safety program, administered by the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), provides grants to state regulatory 
agencies, funds research projects aimed at improving dam safety, and 
trains safety officials and dam operators.
  Of the 79,777 public and private dams in the United States, there are 
currently 11,811 High Hazard dams across the country. If one of these 
dams fails, it could cost lives and damage the economy and the 
environment. From 2000 to 2006, the number of hazard dams increased by 
almost 20 percent.
  These dams can pose a significant threat. Between 1999 and 2004, 
States reported 1,090 dam safety incidents including 125 failures. 
Deficient or unsafe dams mean that these dams have been identified as 
having hydrologic or structural deficiencies that make them susceptible 
to a failure triggered by a large storm event, an earthquake, 
progressive deterioration, or inadequate maintenance. Currently, States 
have identified approximately 3,400 dams as being deficient or unsafe--
an increase of 33 percent since 1998.
  Since the creation of the National Dam Safety Program in 1996, dam 
safety inspections have increased significantly. In addition, the 
Program has provided funding to increase the amount and the quality of 
dam safety research and has increased the amount of direct assistance 
for training state officials and providing technical seminars and 
workshops.
  Presently, many states lack the financial resources to effectively 
carry out the program and many State regulatory programs lack the 
support they require at a time when these critical program funds are 
truly needed. Clearly, there is a need for this program, the funds it 
provides, and the technical support it offers States.
  Mr. Speaker, I support the bill and urge its approval.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend 
the rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 2735.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds of those voting having 
responded in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the Senate 
bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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