[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 18306-18307]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 RANCHO CALIFORNIA WATER DISTRICT RECYCLED WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY 
                              ACT OF 2007

  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1725) to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater 
Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
participate in the Rancho California Water District Southern Riverside 
County Recycled/Non-Potable Distribution Facilities and 
Demineralization/Desalination Recycled Water Treatment and Reclamation 
Facility Project.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1725

       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 ``Rancho California Water 
     District Recycled Water Reclamation Facility 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 after section 16__ 
     the following:

     ``SEC. 16__. RANCHO CALIFORNIA WATER DISTRICT PROJECT, 
                   CALIFORNIA.

       ``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with 
     the Rancho California Water District, California, may 
     participate in the design, planning, and construction of 
     permanent facilities for water recycling, demineralization, 
     and desalination, and distribution of non-potable water 
     supplies in Southern Riverside County, California.
       ``(b) Cost Sharing.--The Federal share of the cost of the 
     project described in subsection (a) shall not exceed 25 
     percent of the total cost of the project or $20,000,000, 
     whichever is less.
       ``(c) Limitation.--Funds provided by the Secretary under 
     this section shall not be used for operation or maintenance 
     of the project described in subsection (a).''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of items in section 2 of 
     Public Law 102-575 is amended by inserting after the item 
     relating to section 16__ the following:

``Sec. 16__. Rancho California Water District Project, California.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes) and the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SARBANES. 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 
gentleman from Maryland?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  The purpose of H.R. 1725, as introduced by our colleague from 
California (Mrs. Bono), is to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and 
Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior to participate in an important water supply project for 
Southern Riverside County in California.
  H.R. 1725 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, in cooperation 
with the Rancho California Water District, to participate in the 
design, planning and construction of permanent facilities for water 
recycling, demineralization, desalination and distribution of non-
potable water supplies in Southern Riverside County. When completed, 
the project will significantly enhance scarce water resources in Rancho 
California by quadrupling recycled water supplies.
  H.R. 1725 seeks to help communities in Southern Riverside County as 
they try to drought-proof their water supplies.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1725.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COLE of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1725 and 
yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 1725, introduced by our colleague, Mary Bono of California, 
authorizes funds to complete a three-stage plan for water recycling in 
Riverside County, California, Mr. Speaker.
  This legislation would help ease the county's dependency on imported 
water and will help drought-proof this arid region of southern 
California.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. COLE of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield such time as 
she may consume to the distinguished gentlelady from California (Mrs. 
Bono).
  Mrs. BONO. Mr. Speaker, I would first like to take this opportunity 
to thank Chairman Rahall and Ranking Member Young for their support of 
H.R. 1725, the Rancho California Water District, or RCWD, Recycled 
Water Reclamation Facility Act of 2007.
  Thanks to the speed with which they were able to move this bill 
through regular order, with the help of Subcommittee Chairman 
Napolitano and Ranking Member McMorris Rodgers, we are now able to 
consider this legislation in the full House.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1725, which I introduced in March of this year, 
authorizes funding to begin implementation of the RCWD regional 
Integrated Resources Plan. The legislation directly affects water usage 
for an area of the Nation that continues to experience rapid population 
growth. Riverside County, where RCWD operates, is California's fourth 
largest county and experienced a population increase of 76 percent from 
1980 to 1990. By the year 2000, this county's population was at over 
1.5 million residents.
  In particular, RCWD serves the City of Temecula, parts of the City of 
Murrieta and the surrounding area, which is represented by both myself 
and Congressman Darrell Issa. Southwest Riverside County continues to 
grow quickly, with numerous military families and those who commute

[[Page 18307]]

to both Los Angeles and San Diego. Coupled with this residential 
growth, the area is also home to a strong agricultural industry. 
Citrus, avocados and wine grape fields dot the area and bring with them 
jobs, crop revenues and, not to mention, some extremely good wine.
  H.R. 1725 also enjoys the support from the surrounding water 
districts, including Eastern and Western Municipal Water Districts and 
Metropolitan Water District, which provides drinking water to nearly 18 
million people throughout southern California.
  The funding authorized in my legislation will take significant steps 
toward enacting the Integrated Resource Plan that has a total cost of 
around $103 million. The results of this plan are primarily three 
things: an expansion of local recycled water resources; a dependable 
conversion of water used in the agriculture sector to a recycled and 
raw water system; and a facility to desalinate recycled water for 
agricultural use.
  Put in more simple terms, the benefits to the area are clear: As this 
part of Riverside County continues to see more residential growth, the 
IRP project will free up enough treated water to supply up to 70,000 
households. The capability to reuse over 16,000 acre-feet of recycled 
water will be in place, keeping the local agricultural sector vibrant 
and maximizing local water storage.
  It is also important to note that, in May, the local water districts 
completed a year-long feasibility study which, in part, indicated a 
gross savings of $789 million in purchased water costs over the 30 
years after the project is completed. The savings to the area and 
modernization of local water infrastructure is something crucial for 
this part of my district.
  As you know, the value of thoughtful water usage in this area of 
southern California is extremely high. The strong support this 
legislation received within the Natural Resources Committee shows a 
bipartisan understanding other Members have of improving water delivery 
to both residential and agricultural users.
  Once again, I would like to thank the chairman, the ranking member, 
their staff, and my own Chris Foster, for all of their help.
  I ask for the support of Members from both sides of the aisle on H.R. 
1725, the legislation I'm proud to have authored.
  Mr. COLE of Oklahoma. 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 Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1725.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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