[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 118 (Monday, July 23, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H8195]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 SANTA ROSA URBAN WATER REUSE PLAN ACT

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 716) to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater 
Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
participate in the Santa Rosa Urban Water Reuse Plan, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 716

       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 ``Santa Rosa Urban Water Reuse 
     Plan Act''.

     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 at the end the 
     following new section:

     ``SEC. 16__. CITY OF SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA, URBAN WATER 
                   REUSE PLAN.

       ``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with 
     the City of Santa Rosa, California, is authorized to 
     participate in the design, planning, and construction of 
     projects to implement the plan titled `Santa Rosa Urban Water 
     Reuse Plan'.
       ``(b) Cost Share.--The Federal share of the costs of the 
     projects authorized by this section shall not exceed 25 
     percent of the total cost. The Secretary shall credit the 
     City of Santa Rosa with the value of all expenditures made 
     before the date of the enactment of this section that are 
     used toward completion of projects that are compatible with 
     this section.
       ``(c) Limitations.--
       ``(1) Federal funds shall not be used for the operation or 
     maintenance of a project authorized by this section.
       ``(2) Funds authorized by this legislation shall not be 
     used for the development of new wetland areas.
       ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections in section 
     2 of Public Law 102-575 is amended by inserting after the 
     last item relating to title XVI the following:

``Sec. 16__. City of Santa Rosa, California, Urban Water Reuse Plan.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) and the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. 
McMorris Rodgers) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend and include extraneous 
material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, the purpose of H.R. 716, as amended, is to 
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the design 
and construction of the Santa Rosa Urban Water Reuse Plan. The water 
recycling facilities authorized by this legislation will result in 
significant improvements in water quality and water supply reliability 
in the Santa Rosa area.
  I commend the sponsor of this legislation, Ms. Woolsey, for her 
commitment in this important project.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman 
from California (Ms. Woolsey).
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 716.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Rahall for his leadership in 
bringing H.R. 716, the Santa Rosa Urban Water Reuse bill, to the floor. 
The Santa Rosa Urban Water Reuse bill is a huge step in the right 
direction for the City of Santa Rosa. It will help the city increase 
its reuse of wastewater as an alternative to releasing the water into 
the Russian River, where my district receives the great majority of our 
drinking water. The project is especially important in a region that 
remains arid for 6 months of the year and where droughts pose a genuine 
threat to humans and endangered species.
  Under the reuse plan, the City of Santa Rosa will use recycled water 
for landscape irrigation, allowing the city to conserve valuable water 
for human consumption and for watershed preservation and enhancement. 
It is essential that we find new ways to reuse wastewater and prevent 
further discharge into nearby waterways. This project can help the City 
of Santa Rosa by making great strides in its water reuse program and 
give the city an opportunity to help endangered species, and at the 
same time protect the Russian River from further discharge.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask for support of H.R. 1716, the Santa Rosa Urban 
Water Reuse bill.
  Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  The chairman and sponsor have adequately explained the bill. I 
applaud the amendment agreed to in committee that prohibits taxpayer 
dollars from being used to create unrelated wetlands in this project.
  However, given that the majority has not fully funded the title XVI 
program in the Energy and Water appropriations bill, I note that this 
bill makes the $328 million backlog problem worse.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 716, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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