[House Report 108-369]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
108th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 108-369
======================================================================
TUALATIN RIVER BASIN WATER SUPPLY ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2003
_______
November 17, 2003.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Pombo, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 625]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill
(S. 625) to authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to conduct
certain feasibility studies in the Tualatin River Basin in
Oregon, and for other purposes, having considered the same,
report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that
the bill do pass.
PURPOSE OF THE BILL
The purpose of S. 625 is to authorize the Bureau of
Reclamation to conduct certain feasibility studies in the
Tualatin River Basin in Oregon, and for other purposes.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
This Act provides authority to the Secretary of the
Interior to conduct a feasibility study to determine
alternatives available for developing additional water
resources in the Tualatin River Basin. The Tualatin River
watershed drains 711 square miles in northwestern Oregon. The
watershed has seen a number of changes in recent years that
influence water resources management.
According to an Integrated Water Resources Management
Strategy developed in 1997 by the Tualatin Basin Water Supply
Partnership, there is region-wide consensus on the need to
develop additional water sources, and various efforts aimed at
such developments are underway. This area has a population of
approximately 470,000 people, and has almost doubled its
population in the last 20 years. Demand for water in the
Tualatin Basin is expected to double by the year 2050, which
means the basin will need an additional 50,000 acre-feet per
year. The Strategy identified the need for a Feasibility Study
to study the impacts and benefits of a range of water source
options to meet the long-term water resource needs for drinking
water, agricultural irrigation, water quality, and instream
flow.
The total cost of completing the Feasibility Study
(Planning Report/Final Environmental Impact Statement) is
estimated to be $6.87 million. The majority of funds, $3.8
million (55%), will be provided by local water resource
agencies. The request for federal funding assistance is $2.9
million (45%).
COMMITTEE ACTION
S. 625 was introduced by Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR). On
June 16, 2003, the Senate passed the bill with an amendment by
unanimous consent. S. 625 was then referred to the Committee on
Resources and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on Water
and Power. On October 15, 2003, the Subcommittee held a hearing
on the bill. On October 29, 2003, the Full Committee met to
consider the bill. The Subcommittee was discharged from further
consideration of the bill by unanimous consent. No amendments
were offered and the bill was favorably reported to the House
of Representatives by unanimous consent.
SECTION-BY-SECTION
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the ``Tualatin River Basin Water
Supply Enhancement Act of 2003.''
Section 2. Authorization to conduct feasibility studies
This section describes the objectives of the feasibility
study are to (1) identify ways to meet future water needs for
multiple water use purposes; (2) identify water conservation
opportunities and water storage measures; (3) identify measures
to improve water quality, enhance the environment, and protect
species; and (4) evaluate basin-wide and integrated water
resource management options. The federal share of the costs
shall not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of total, which
shall be non-reimbursable and non-returnable.
Section 3. Authorization of appropriations
This section authorizes such funds as necessary to carry
out the purposes of the Act.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Resources' oversight findings and recommendations
are reflected in the body of this report.
CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT
Article I, section 8 of the Constitution of the United
States grants Congress the authority to enact this bill.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII
1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the
rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and
a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be
incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B)
of that rule provides that this requirement does not apply when
the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted
cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
2. Congressional Budget Act. As required by clause 3(c)(2)
of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and
section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this
bill does not contain any new budget authority, spending
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in
revenues or tax expenditures.
3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or
objective of this bill is to authorize the Bureau of
Reclamation to conduct certain feasibility studies in the
Tualatin River Basin in Oregon, and for other purposes.
4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate. Under clause
3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives and section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act
of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate
for this bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, November 10, 2003.
Hon. Richard W. Pombo,
Chairman, Committee on Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 625, the Tualatin
River Basin Water Supply Enhancement Act of 2003.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Lanette J.
Walker.
Sincerely,
Douglas Holtz-Eakin,
Director.
Enclosure.
S. 625--Tualatin River Basin Water Supply Enhancement Act of 2003
S. 625 would authorize the Secretary of the Interior,
through the Bureau of Reclamation, to conduct a feasibility
study of the Tualatin River Basin water supply. The study would
identify ways to meet future water supply needs and to improve
water quality, as well as water conservation and storage
measures.
Based on information from the bureau, CBO estimates that
the total cost of the feasibility study would be $7 million.
Under the act, 50 percent of the cost would be paid by the
federal government. To date, the bureau has spent about
$200,000 on initial parts of the study. CBO estimates that
implementing S. 625 would cost an additional $3 million over
the 2004-2008 period, assuming the availability of appropriated
funds. Enacting S. 625 would not affect direct spending or
revenues.
S. 625 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
Any state or local government choosing to participate in this
study would do so voluntarily.
On May 29, 2003, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for S. 625
as ordered reported by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources
Committee on May 21, 2003. The language of the two versions of
the legislation and the two cost estimates are identical.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Lanette J.
Walker. This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104-4
This bill contains no unfunded mandates.
PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW
This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or
tribal law.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing
law.