[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 118 (Monday, July 23, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H8196-H8197]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
BAY AREA REGIONAL WATER RECYCLING PROGRAM AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2007
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1526) to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater
Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Bay Area Regional Water
Recycling Program, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1526
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 ``Bay Area Regional Water
Recycling Program Authorization Act of 2007''.
SEC. 2. PROJECT AUTHORIZATIONS.
(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:
``SEC. 16XX. MOUNTAIN VIEW, MOFFETT AREA RECLAIMED WATER
PIPELINE PROJECT.
``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with
the City of Palo Alto, California, and the City of Mountain
View, California, is authorized to participate in the design,
planning, and construction of recycled water distribution
systems.
``(b) Cost Share.--The Federal share of the cost of the
project authorized by this section shall not exceed 25
percent of the total cost of the project.
``(c) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not provide funds
for the operation and maintenance of the project authorized
by this section.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000.
``SEC. 16XX. PITTSBURG RECYCLED WATER PROJECT.
``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with
the City of Pittsburg, California, and the Delta Diablo
Sanitation District, is authorized to participate in the
design, planning, and construction of recycled water system
facilities.
``(b) Cost Share.--The Federal share of the cost of the
project authorized by this section shall not exceed 25
percent of the total cost of the project.
``(c) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not provide funds
for the operation and maintenance of the project authorized
by this section.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $1,750,000.
``SEC. 16XX. ANTIOCH RECYCLED WATER PROJECT.
``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with
the City of Antioch, California, and the Delta Diablo
Sanitation District, is authorized to participate in the
design, planning, and construction of recycled water system
facilities.
``(b) Cost Share.--The Federal share of the cost of the
project authorized by this section shall not exceed 25
percent of the total cost of the project.
``(c) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not provide funds
for the operation and maintenance of the project authorized
by this section.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $2,250,000.
``SEC. 16XX. NORTH COAST COUNTY WATER DISTRICT RECYCLED WATER
PROJECT.
``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with
the North Coast County Water District, is authorized to
participate in the design, planning, and construction of
recycled water system facilities.
``(b) Cost Share.--The Federal share of the cost of the
project authorized by this section shall not exceed 25
percent of the total cost of the project.
``(c) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not provide funds
for the operation and maintenance of the project authorized
by this section.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $2,500,000.
``SEC. 16XX. REDWOOD CITY RECYCLED WATER PROJECT.
``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with
the City of Redwood City, California, is authorized to
participate in the design, planning, and construction of
recycled water system facilities.
``(b) Cost Share.--The Federal share of the cost of the
project authorized by this section shall not exceed 25
percent of the total cost of the project.
``(c) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not provide funds
for the operation and maintenance of the project authorized
by this section.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $1,100,000.
``SEC. 16XX. SOUTH SANTA CLARA COUNTY RECYCLED WATER PROJECT.
``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with
the South County Regional Wastewater Authority and the Santa
Clara Valley Water District, is authorized to participate in
the design, planning, and construction of recycled water
system distribution facilities.
``(b) Cost Share.--The Federal share of the cost of the
project authorized by this section shall not exceed 25
percent of the total cost of the project.
``(c) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not provide funds
for the operation and maintenance of the project authorized
by this section.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $7,000,000.
``SEC. 16XX. SOUTH BAY ADVANCED RECYCLED WATER TREATMENT
FACILITY.
``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with
the City of San Jose, California, and the Santa Clara Valley
Water District, is authorized to participate in the design,
planning, and construction of recycled water treatment
facilities.
``(b) Cost Share.--The Federal share of the cost of the
project authorized by this section shall not exceed 25
percent of the total cost of the project.
``(c) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not provide funds
for the operation and maintenance of the project authorized
by this section.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $8,250,000.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--The table of sections for
Public Law 102-575 is amended by inserting after the last
item relating to title XVI the following:
``Sec. 16xx. Mountain View, Moffett Area Reclaimed Water Pipeline
Project.
``Sec. 16xx. Pittsburg Recycled Water Project.
``Sec. 16xx. Antioch Recycled Water Project.
``Sec. 16xx. North Coast County Water District Recycled Water Project.
``Sec. 16xx. Redwood City Recycled Water Project.
``Sec. 16xx. South Santa Clara County Recycled Water Project.
[[Page H8197]]
``Sec. 16xx. South Bay Advanced Recycled Water Treatment Facility.''.
SEC. 3. SAN JOSE AREA WATER RECLAMATION AND REUSE PROJECT.
It is the intent of Congress that a comprehensive water
recycling program for the San Francisco Bay Area include the
San Jose Area water reclamation and reuse program authorized
by section 1607 of the Reclamation Projects Authorization and
Adjustment Act of 1992 (43 U.S.C. 390h-5).
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 legislation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Arizona?
There was no objection.
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I would first like to recognize Representative George Miller's hard
work and dedication to this legislation, and for his leadership in
California water policy.
This legislation would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
participate in seven important water supply projects as part of the Bay
Area Regional Water Recycling Program.
{time} 1230
The projects authorized by the enactment of H.R. 1526, as amended,
will eventually produce 37,600 acre feet of recycled water annually.
The water will be critical as California communities work to protect
their water supply from future droughts.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman George Miller for his hard work on
the legislation. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R.
1526, as amended.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, the chairman has adequately explained the bill. I note
that this is another water recycling bill which will make the $328
million funding backlog in the program worse because the majority did
not fully fund it in the Energy and Water appropriations bill.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr Speaker, this water recycling
legislation, H.R. 1526, enables local agencies across California's Bay-
Delta region to invest in sustainable and reliable new water supplies.
I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
The Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Authorization Act will
provide Federal assistance for an ambitious and forward-thinking
regional water recycling program that will reduce demand on the Bay-
Delta and drought-proof our regional municipal water supplies.
The legislation will assist efforts in Pittsburg, Antioch, Palo Alto,
Mountain View, Pacifica, South Santa Clara County, Redwood City, and
San Jose.
The city of Pittsburg and the Delta Diablo Sanitation District, in my
congressional district, have been leading the charge on this effort,
investing time, energy, and local funds in developing water recycling
projects to help meet regional water needs. Water recycling is good for
the environment and for local budgets.
In Pittsburg, for example, instead of using fresh water from the
Delta, recycled water will be applied to city parks, golf courses,
medians, and other green spaces. As the Contra Costa Times wrote about
the bill, ``There is no good reason to flush wastewater into rivers,
bays, estuaries, and the ocean if it can be treated and used again for
other purposes such as irrigating parks and golf courses.''
I want to thank Chairman Nick Rahall and Chairwoman Grace Napolitano,
and the staff of the Natural Resources Committee and the Subcommiteee
on Water and Power, for their assistance in this effort, and I
encourage my colleagues to support this bill.
Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, first all my thanks to Representative George
Miller for his leadership and vision for sponsoring this legislation
which I'm proud to be an original cosponsor of.
The legislation authorizes a total of seven new projects, including
two in my district: the Mountain View Moffett Area Recycled Water
Distribution Project and the Redwood City Recycled Water Project.
Since the 1990's a partnership of 17 local Bay Area governments,
water, and wastewater agencies, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the
California Department of Water Resources have worked to maximize water
recycling around the Bay under the auspices of the Bay Area Regional
Water Recycling Program (BARWRP). They have been found by the Bureau of
Reclamation to be feasible or close to achieving feasibility, and
they're now ready to move into construction with significant local
funding commitments consistent with the Bureau of Reclamation's Title
XVI water recycling program. Under the bill, the federal government may
provide up to 25% of the cost of the planning, designing, and building
each project, and the local sponsors will be responsible for securing
at least 75 percent.
Despite the significant investments that communities have already
made to these projects, they have not been able to secure federal funds
because of a lack of investment by the Bureau of Reclamation in the
Title XVI program and because of a lack of a specific Congressional
authorization for these projects. This legislation addresses the
question of authorization so that the funding may follow.
There's a clear federal interest in these water recycling projects
since other federal water projects already contribute significant
portions of the water supply to communities throughout the Bay Area.
Taken together, the projects authorized in H.R. 1526 will conserve
5,000 acre-feet of potable water per year in the near-term (the first
five years of operation) and more than 9,000 acre-feet per year over
the long term (10 to 15 years). This represents 9,000 acre-feet which
will not have to be extracted from the San Francisco Bay Delta, the
Hetch Hechy system, and other sensitive areas.
Mr. Speaker, in coming years water supplies in California are going
to be stretched and stressed by population growth, environmental
stress, and supply reductions in water caused by the loss of snow pack
due to global warming. If we're going to meet the challenge and relieve
the stress on the existing system, we're going to need projects like
these.
I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 1526.
Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. 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. 1526, 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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