[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 17]
[House]
[Pages 24012-24013]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



    RECLAMATION WASTEWATER AND GROUNDWATER STUDY AND FACILITIES ACT 
                               AMENDMENT

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2115) to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater 
Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
participate in the design, planning, and construction of a project to 
reclaim and reuse wastewater within and outside of the service area of 
the Lakehaven Utility District, Washington.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2115

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. LAKEHAVEN, WASHINGTON, WASTEWATER RECLAMATION AND 
                   REUSE PROJECT.

       (a) Authorization.--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. 1635. LAKEHAVEN, WASHINGTON, WATER RECLAMATION AND 
                   REUSE PROJECT.

       ``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with 
     the Lakehaven Utility District, Washington, is authorized to 
     participate in the design, planning, and construction of, and 
     land acquisition for, a project to reclaim and reuse 
     wastewater, including degraded groundwaters, within and 
     outside of the service area of the Lakehaven Utility 
     District.
       ``(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.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections in section 2 
     of such Act is amended by inserting after the item relating 
     to section 1634 the following:

``Sec. 1635. Lakehaven, Washington, Water Reclamation and Reuse 
              Project.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Radanovich) and the gentleman from Washington (Mr. 
Smith) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Radanovich).
  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the bill H.R. 2115, as sponsored by the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Smith), would authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to 
add the Lakehaven Utility District reclamation projects to its current 
list of 25 specifically authorized projects under title XVI of the 
Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act.
  Lakehaven Utility District is proposing a water reclamation program 
that would result in the reduction or elimination of local secondary 
wastewater to the Puget Sound, conjunctive use of reclaimed water, 
groundwater and surface water, and enhancement of existing wetlands and 
fish habitat.
  Lakehaven has two secondary wastewater treatment plants currently 
discharging over 6 million gallons of water a day to the Puget Sound. 
They would use reclaimed water to manage groundwater levels, thereby 
enhancing the reliability of existing water supplies. The project would 
result in the construction of additional treatment systems at the 
district's two wastewater treatment plants and would further purify all 
or portions of the plant's secondary effluent.
  Lakehaven is also planning the construction of transmission and 
distribution pipeline systems to transport water to reuse areas where 
facilities will be developed to direct the water to the aquifer. This 
would be done

[[Page 24013]]

through injection wells, sub-surface infiltration galleries and land 
applications in areas that are currently wetland restoration project 
areas.
  The cost for these facilities is estimated to be $38 million. Under 
title XVI, the Federal portion of the cost of constructing facilities 
cannot exceed 25 percent, with a maximum of $20 million.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, first of all I want to thank 
the chairmen of the subcommittee and the full committee for bringing 
this issue through the committee and to the floor. It is an issue that 
is very, very important to my district.
  The Lakehaven Utility District is one of the largest utility 
districts that I represent and have some critical wastewater needs, as 
was mentioned. The projects that they have put forward are very 
innovative and show a great deal of promise in developing new 
technology to help us deal with wastewater, both in terms of recycling 
it and properly disposing of it.
  Some of the problems that we have in this country that do not get as 
much attention or are not as well noticed are some of the critical 
infrastructure problems. When most people think of infrastructure, they 
think of transportation, they think of airports, maybe they think of 
education; but wastewater treatment is one of the more critical 
infrastructure issues that our country faces, and we are facing a 
critical backlog of projects that need help and support.
  This bill would give us the authorizing language that we need in 
order to move forward in this project. We are fully aware of the fact 
we also have to get in line with the other 25 projects to try to get it 
appropriated, but this is the first necessary step in that process.
  I really want to compliment the Lakehaven Utility District and their 
commissioners, who have worked so hard on this project. I think they 
have been very forward-thinking, and the project they have put forward 
looked at new technologies and new ways to deal with wastewater in ways 
that hopefully will help become a model for the country and move 
forward.
  They are fully prepared to fund, obviously, a portion of this project 
and just need a little Federal help to make it happen.
  Again, I want to thank the chairman, I want to thank all the people 
on the committee, for allowing this to come forward, and, again, the 
folks in Lakehaven for doing the work.
  Lastly, I am going to take a personal moment. It is my wife's 
birthday today; and, unfortunately, she is back home in my district. So 
this is my only opportunity to say happy birthday to her in any sort of 
visual format. So, happy birthday.
  Again, I thank the chairman for bringing this bill up, and urge 
passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. RADANOVICH. 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 California (Mr. Radanovich) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2115.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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