[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 74 (Monday, May 7, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H4505-H4506]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CITY OF OXNARD WATER RECYCLING AND DESALINATION ACT OF 2007
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 1737) to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and
Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the
Interior to participate in the design, planning, and construction of
permanent facilities for the GREAT project to reclaim, reuse, and treat
impaired waters in the area of Oxnard, California.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1737
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``City of Oxnard Water
Recycling and Desalination Act of 2007''.
SEC. 2. OXNARD, CALIFORNIA, WATER RECLAMATION, REUSE, AND
TREATMENT PROJECT.
(a) In General.--The Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater
Study and Facilities Act (title XVI of Public Law 102-575; 43
U.S.C. 390h et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. __. OXNARD, CALIFORNIA, WATER RECLAMATION, REUSE, AND
TREATMENT PROJECT.
``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with
the City of Oxnard, California, may participate in the
design, planning, and construction of Phase I permanent
facilities for the GREAT project to reclaim, reuse, and treat
impaired water in the area of Oxnard, California.
``(b) Cost Share.--The Federal share of the costs of the
project described in subsection (a) shall not exceed 25
percent of the total cost.
``(c) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not provide funds
for the following:
``(1) The operations and maintenance of the project
described in subsection (a).
``(2) The construction, operations, and maintenance of the
visitor's center related to the project described in
subsection (a).
``(d) 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.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections in section 2
of the Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act
of 1992 is amended by inserting after the last item the
following:
``Sec. __. Oxnard, California, water reclamation, reuse, and treatment
project.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
California (Mrs. Napolitano) and the gentleman from Colorado (Mr.
Lamborn) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.
General Leave
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 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
gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I would like to commend foremost my colleague from California (Mrs.
Capps) again for the hard work and dedication to this great piece of
legislation for her district.
The purpose of H.R. 1737 is to authorize the Secretary of the
Interior to participate in the design and planning and construction of
permanent facilities for the Groundwater Recovery Enhancement Treatment
project, the GREAT project.
H.R. 1737, when enacted, authorizes limited Federal financial
assistance to develop a facility that will reclaim, reuse and treat
impaired water in the Oxnard, California, area. It is my hope that the
administration will understand the significance of this very critical
litigation for Oxnard as the shining example of the role water
recycling plays in balancing our water management portfolio.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1737.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
This legislation will help meet the City of Oxnard, California, water
supply needs through the year 2030 and will reduce the city's
dependence on imported water. A provision in the bill ensures that no
Federal taxpayer dollars will be used to construct or operate a nearby
visitor center connected to this water project. We have no objection to
this bill and urge its adoption.
Mrs. CAPPS. I rise in strong support of H.R. 1737, the City of Oxnard
Water Recycling and Desalination Act.
First, I want to thank the chairman of the Natural Resources
Committee, Mr. Rahall, and chairwoman or the Subcommittee on Water and
Power, Mrs. Napolitano, as well as the ranking members of the full
Committee and Subcommittee for expediting the consideration of this
legislation and for bringing H.R. 1737 before us today. This bill was
passed by the House of Representatives last year but was never acted on
by the Senate.
H.R. 1737 would authorize a proposed regional water resources
project--the Groundwater Recovery Enhancement and Treatment or GREAT
Program--located in my congressional district. As you know many
communities today are faced with the difficult task of providing
reliable and safe water to their customers. The City of Oxnard is no
exception.
Oxnard is on of California's fastest growing cities and is facing an
ever growing crisis: it's running out of affordable water. The water
needs for the city's agricultural and industrial base, together with
its growing population, has exceed its local water resources. As a
result, over 50 percent of its water has to be Imported from outside
sources.
However, through a series of local, state and federal restrictions
the amount of imported water available to the city is shrinking, while
the cost of that water is rising. Recognizing these challenges, Oxnard
developed the GREAT Program to address its long term water needs.
The GREAT Program elements include:
A new regional groundwater desalination facility to serve potable
water customers in Oxnard and adjacent communities;
A recycled water system to serve agricultural water users, and added
protection against seawater intrusion and saltwater contamination; and
A wetlands restoration and enhancement component that efficiently
reuses the brine discharges from both the groundwater desalination and
recycled water treatment facilities.
Implementation of the GREAT Program will provide many significant
regional benefits.
First, the new desalination project will serve ratepayers in Oxnard
and adjacent communities, guaranteeing sufficient water supplies for
the area.
Second, Oxnard's current water infrastructure delivers approximately
30 million gallons of treated wastewater per day to an ocean outfall.
The GREAT Program will utilize the resource currently wasted to the
ocean and treat it so that it can be reused by the agricultural water
users in the area.
During the non-growing season, it will inject the resource into to
the ground to serve as a barrier against seawater intrusion and
saltwater contamination. To alleviate severely depressed groundwater
levels, this component also includes pumping groundwater into the
aquifer to enhance groundwater recharge.
Finally, the brine produced as a by-product of the desalination and
recycling plants will provide a year-round supply of nutrient rich
water to the existing wetlands at Ormond Beach.
Mr. Speaker, I commend the Natural Resources Committee for trying to
find innovative and effective ways of extending water supplies in the
West. In my view, the City of Oxnard Water Recycling and Desalination
Act offers such a creative solution. It will reduce the consumption of
groundwater for agricultural and industrial purposes, cut imported
water delivery requirements, and improve local reliability of high
quality water deliveries.
Again, I would like to thank the Natural Resources Committee for
supporting this bill, and urge its immediate passage.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano) that the House suspend
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1737.
[[Page H4506]]
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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