[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 55 (Thursday, March 29, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4186-S4187]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN:
  S. 1054. A bill to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater 
Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
participate in the Inland Empire regional recycling project and in the 
Cucamonga Valley Water District recycling project; to the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation 
to authorize water recycling and other water supply projects by the 
Inland Empire Utilities Agency and the Cucamonga Valley Water District. 
These projects will produce approximately 95,000 acre-feet of new water 
annually in one of the most rapidly growing regions in the United 
States, reducing the need for imported water from the Colorado River 
and northern California through the California Water Project.
  The federal investment required is limited to approximately 10 
percent of the projects' cost, or about $30 million.
  This legislation is intended to be the companion to H.R. 122, 
sponsored by David Dreier, Grace Napolitano, Ken Calvert, Joe Baca, and 
Gary Miller.
  This legislation has broad support and has already passed the House, 
and in fact similar legislation to H.R. 122 also passed the House of 
Representatives in each of the previous two Congresses.
  It is time for this legislation to pass the Senate as well and be 
enacted into law. Environmental groups such as the Mono Lake Committee, 
Environmental Defense, Clean Water and Natural Resources Defense 
Council strongly support the water recycling and groundwater 
remediation projects in this bill. Business leaders such as Southern 
Cal Edison and Building Industry Association also support these 
projects.
  The Inland Empire Regional Water Recycling Initiative would authorize 
two project components. The first will be constructed by the Inland 
Empire Utilities Agency--IEUA--and will produce approximately 90,000 
acre feet of new water annually. The second of these projects, to be 
constructed by the Cucamonga Valley Water District--CVWD--will produce 
an additional 5,000 acre feet of new water annually.
  The Inland Empire Regional Water Recycling Initiative has the support 
of all member agencies of IEUA, as well as the water agencies 
downstream in Orange County. IEUA encompasses approximately 242 square 
miles and serves the cities of Chino, Chino Hills, Fontana--through the 
Fontana Water Company--Ontario, Upland, Montclair, Rancho Cucamonga--
through the Cucamonga Valley Water District--and the Monte Vista Water 
District.
  I want to say a few words about the importance of water recycling 
projects.
  The development of recycled water can bring significant amounts of 
water ``on line'' in a relatively short period of time. Recycled water 
provides our State and region with the ability to ``stretch'' existing 
water supplies significantly and in so doing, minimize conflict and 
address the many needs that exist. According to the State of 
California's Recycled Water Task Force, water recycling is a critical 
part of California's water future with an estimated 1.5 million acre-
feet of new supplies being developed over the next 25 years.
  Water recycling is also a bipartisan initiative in California, as 
witnessed by the many Republican and Democratic House cosponsors of the 
House versions of the bill I introduce today.
  Water recycling also has significant greenhouse gas reduction 
benefits. The greenhouse gas emission reductions attributed to local 
development and use of recycled water within Inland Empire Utilities 
Agency's service area is roughly 100,000 tons of CO2 
equivalents per year.
  With only a small percentage of the total recycled water available 
being used in Southern California, approximately 10 percent, there is a 
huge potential for additional energy savings and greenhouse gas 
reductions from aggressive development of recycled water supplies.
  California is not the only State engaged in water recycling. Today, 
water recycling is an essential water supply element in Albuquerque, 
Phoenix, Denver, Salt Lake City, Tucson, EI Paso, San Antonio, 
Portland, and other western metropolitan areas.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill to help meet the West's 
water supply needs and to reduce our dependence on the Colorado River. 
I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1054

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

     SECTION 1. INLAND EMPIRE AND CUCAMONGA VALLEY RECYCLING 
                   PROJECTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Inland 
     Empire Regional Water Recycling Initiative''.
       (b) 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. 1639. INLAND EMPIRE REGIONAL WATER RECYCLING PROJECT.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the 
     Inland Empire Utilities Agency, may participate in the 
     design, planning, and construction of the Inland Empire 
     regional water recycling project described in the report 
     submitted under section 1606(c).
       ``(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 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.--The authority of the Secretary 
     to carry out any provisions of this section shall terminate 
     10 years after the date of the enactment of this section.

     ``SEC. 1640. CUCAMONGA VALLEY WATER RECYCLING PROJECT.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the 
     Cucamonga Valley Water District, may participate in the 
     design, planning, and construction of the Cucamonga

[[Page S4187]]

     Valley Water District satellite recycling plants in Rancho 
     Cucamonga, California, to reclaim and recycle approximately 2 
     million gallons per day of domestic wastewater.
       ``(b) Cost Sharing.--The Federal share of the cost of the 
     project described in subsection (a) shall not exceed 25 
     percent of the capital cost of the project.
       ``(c) Limitation.--Funds provided by the Secretary shall 
     not be used for 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, $10,000,000.
       ``(e) Sunset of Authority.--The authority of the Secretary 
     to carry out any provisions of this section shall terminate 
     10 years after the date of the enactment of this section.''.
       (c) Conforming Amendments.--The table of sections in 
     section 2 of the Reclamation Projects Authorization and 
     Adjustment Act of 1992 (43 U.S.C. prec. 371) is amended by 
     inserting after the item relating to section 1638 the 
     following:

``1639. Inland Empire Regional Water Recycling Program.
``1640. Cucamonga Valley Water Recycling Project.''.
                                 ______