[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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