[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 184 (Tuesday, December 4, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H14095-H14096]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               NORTH BAY WATER REUSE PROGRAM ACT OF 2007

  Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 236) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
create a Bureau of Reclamation partnership with the North Bay Water 
Reuse Authority and other regional partners to achieve objectives 
relating to water supply, water quality, and environmental restoration, 
as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 236

       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 ``North Bay Water Reuse 
     Program Act of 2007''.

     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:

     ``SEC. 16__. NORTH BAY WATER REUSE PROGRAM.

       ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means a 
     member agency of the North Bay Water Reuse Authority of the 
     State located in the North San Pablo Bay watershed in--
       ``(A) Marin County;
       ``(B) Napa County;
       ``(C) Solano County; or
       ``(D) Sonoma County.
       ``(2) Water reclamation and reuse project.--The term `water 
     reclamation and reuse project' means a project carried out by 
     the Secretary and an eligible entity in the North San Pablo 
     Bay watershed relating to--
       ``(A) water quality improvement;
       ``(B) wastewater treatment;
       ``(C) water reclamation and reuse;
       ``(D) groundwater recharge and protection;
       ``(E) surface water augmentation; or
       ``(F) other related improvements.

[[Page H14096]]

       ``(3) State.--The term `State' means the State of 
     California.
       ``(b) North Bay Water Reuse Program.--
       ``(1) In general.--Contingent upon a finding of 
     feasibility, the Secretary, acting through a cooperative 
     agreement with the State or a subdivision of the State, is 
     authorized to enter into cooperative agreements with eligible 
     entities for the planning, design, and construction of water 
     reclamation and reuse facilities and recycled water 
     conveyance and distribution systems.
       ``(2) Coordination with other federal agencies.--In 
     carrying out this section, the Secretary and the eligible 
     entity shall, to the maximum extent practicable, use the 
     design work and environmental evaluations initiated by--
       ``(A) non-Federal entities; and
       ``(B) the Corps of Engineers in the San Pablo Bay Watershed 
     of the State.
       ``(3) Phased project.--A cooperative agreement described in 
     paragraph (1) shall require that the North Bay Water Reuse 
     Program carried out under this section shall consist of 2 
     phases as follows:
       ``(A) First phase.--During the first phase, the Secretary 
     and an eligible entity shall complete the planning, design, 
     and construction of the main treatment and main conveyance 
     systems.
       ``(B) Second phase.--During the second phase, the Secretary 
     and an eligible entity shall complete the planning, design, 
     and construction of the sub-regional distribution systems.
       ``(4) Cost sharing.--
       ``(A) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of the 
     first phase of the project authorized by this section shall 
     not exceed 25 percent of the total cost of the first phase of 
     the project.
       ``(B) Form of non-federal share.--The non-Federal share may 
     be in the form of any in-kind services that the Secretary 
     determines would contribute substantially toward the 
     completion of the water reclamation and reuse project, 
     including--
       ``(i) reasonable costs incurred by the eligible entity 
     relating to the planning, design, and construction of the 
     water reclamation and reuse project; and
       ``(ii) the acquisition costs of land acquired for the 
     project that is--

       ``(I) used for planning, design, and construction of the 
     water reclamation and reuse project facilities; and
       ``(II) owned by an eligible entity and directly related to 
     the project.

       ``(C) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not provide funds 
     for the operation and maintenance of the project authorized 
     by this section.
       ``(5) Effect.--Nothing in this section--
       ``(A) affects or preempts--
       ``(i) State water law; or
       ``(ii) an interstate compact relating to the allocation of 
     water; or
       ``(B) confers on any non-Federal entity the ability to 
     exercise any Federal right to--
       ``(i) the water of a stream; or
       ``(ii) any groundwater resource.
       ``(6) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated for the Federal share of the total cost of 
     the first phase of the project authorized by this section 
     $25,000,000, to remain available until expended.''.
       (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__. North Bay water reuse program.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Mrs. Napolitano) and the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. 
McMorris Rodgers) 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.
  This legislation, introduced by our colleague from California, 
Representative Mike Thompson, authorizes the Secretary of the Interior 
to provide limited financial assistance for planning, design, and 
construction of the North Bay Water Reuse Program in Northern 
California. This is an innovative regional water recycling project that 
will allow North Bay Water Reuse Authority and many of the other 
regional partners to improve water supplies and water quality and to 
implement environmental restoration work.
  Similar legislation was introduced by Congressman Thompson in the 
109th Congress, and I certainly want to thank Representative Thompson 
for his hard work on this important legislation, and my co-chair, Mrs. 
McMorris Rodgers.
  Mr. Speaker, this measure receives strong bipartisan support, and we 
strongly support this noncontroversial bill. I urge my colleagues to 
support H.R. 236, 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, Chairwoman Grace Napolitano has done a great job of 
describing this bill. We have no objection and applaud the effort of 
those that have been involved in passing it.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no requests for time, so 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. 236, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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