[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 74 (Monday, May 7, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H4506]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EASTERN MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT RECYCLED WATER SYSTEM PRESSURIZATION
AND EXPANSION PROJECT
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 30) to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater
Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
participate in the Eastern Municipal Water District Recycled Water
System Pressurization and Expansion Project.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 30
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 ``Eastern Municipal Water
District Recycled Water System Pressurization and Expansion
Project''.
SEC. 2. PROJECT AUTHORIZATION.
(a) 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 after section 16XX
the following:
``SEC. 16XX. EASTERN MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT RECYCLED WATER
SYSTEM PRESSURIZATION AND EXPANSION PROJECT,
CALIFORNIA.
``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with
the Eastern Municipal Water District, California, may
participate in the design, planning, and construction of
permanent facilities needed to establish operational pressure
zones that will be used to provide recycled water in the
district.
``(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 or maintenance of the project
described in subsection (a).
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $12,000,000.
``(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 enactment of this section.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections in section 2
of Public Law 102-575 is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 16XX the following:
``Sec. 16XX. Eastern Municipal Water District Recycled Water System
Pressurization and Expansion Project, California.''.
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.
H.R. 30, as introduced by our colleague, Mr. Darrell Issa from
California, amends the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and
Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
participate in the Eastern Municipal Water District Recycled Water
System Pressurization and Expansion Project.
This legislation will provide limited financial assistance to the
district for the expansion of the Eastern Municipal Water District
pressure zone system, a critical part of their water recycling system.
The legislation will help the district maintain a stable, secure water
supply to strengthen the community's ability to attract business,
sustain its economy, protect its environment, and deal with the
community's needs.
I thank Mr. Issa for his hard work on this legislation, and I urge my
colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 30.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 30 recognizes the need to capture and treat waste runoff to meet
growing water supply needs in arid Southern California. The water
recycling project envisioned in this legislation will help drought-
proof the region and reduce its dependence on imported water from the
Colorado River.
I commend our colleague from California (Mr. Issa) for his continued
leadership and attention on developing new water supplies. I urge my
colleagues to support this important legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr.
Issa).
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, this bill is not new. In fact, this is the
second go-around for it, but that doesn't make it any easier. This
bill, like many in the last Congress, died in the Senate.
That's going to be different this time thanks to Chairman Rahall and
Ranking Member Young. They considered this, reviewed to see if there
were any significant changes, and quickly reported it out of committee.
I want to thank them for working on a bipartisan basis to do that early
on.
This is important to the people of Southern California. As the
gentlelady, who will speak, hopefully, next, will tell you, California
has water. Unfortunately, we don't capture enough, and it isn't where
we need it and when we need it.
H.R. 30 is designed to bring some of that availability by
significantly increasing our use of recycled water, both helping
maintain the aquifer and providing safe, clean water for a multitude of
uses for the people of Southern California. I urge the support of this
bill, and I will not mention the other body again, except to say that I
am looking forward to this early passage turning into an early
signature by the President.
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LAMBORN. 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. 30.
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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