[House Report 109-442]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



109th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session                                                     109-442

======================================================================



 
               CENTRAL TEXAS WATER RECYCLING ACT OF 2006

                                _______
                                

 April 27, 2006.--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 H.R. 3418]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

  The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill 
(H.R. 3418) to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater 
Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior to participate in the Central Texas Water Recycling 
and Reuse Project, and for other purposes, having considered 
the same, report favorably thereon with an amendment and 
recommend that the bill as amended do pass.
  The amendment is as follows:
  Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following:

SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE.

  This Act may be cited as the ``Central Texas Water Recycling Act of 
2006''.

SEC. 2. PROJECT AUTHORIZATION.

  (a) In General.--The Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and 
Facilities Act (Public Law 102-575; 43 U.S.C. 390h et seq.) is amended 
by inserting after section 16__ the following new section:

``SEC. 16__. CENTRAL TEXAS WATER RECYCLING AND REUSE PROJECT.

  ``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the City of 
Waco and other participating communities in the Central Texas Water 
Recycling and Reuse Project is authorized to participate in the design, 
planning, and construction of permanent facilities to reclaim and reuse 
water in McLennan County, Texas.
  ``(b) Cost Share.--The Federal share of the costs of the project 
described in subsection (a) shall not exceed 25 percent of the total 
cost.
  ``(c) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not provide funds for the 
operation and maintenance of the project described in subsection (a).
  ``(d) Sunset of Authority.--The authority of the Secretary to carry 
out any provisions of this section shall terminate 10 years after the 
date of enactment of this section.''.
  (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections in section 2 of Public 
Law 102-575 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
16__ the following:

``Sec. 16__. Central Texas Water Recycling and Reuse Project.''.

                          Purpose of the Bill

    The purpose of H.R. 3418 is to amend the Reclamation 
Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to 
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the 
Central Texas Water Recycling and Reuse Project, and for other 
purposes.

                  Background and Need for Legislation

    Central Texas cities are experiencing rapid population 
growth and increased water demand. With water treatment plants 
approaching capacity, area water planners have done initial 
studies for constructing the McLennan County/Waco Regional 
Satellite and Reuse Project. Located in the Flat Creek Drainage 
Area near Lake Waco, the project will be used to treat and 
recycle wastewater generated by the City of Waco and six 
neighboring communities. The project's overall cost is 
estimated to be approximately $25 million. Under H.R. 3418, the 
federal share of the project will not exceed 25 percent (or 
$6.25 million) of the overall cost of the project. McLennan 
County estimates that the project could provide up to 10 
million gallons per day of reused water. Along with decreasing 
the strain on older treatment plants in the area and reducing 
effluent flows into Lake Waco, the water recycling project will 
help meet future demands, providing reclaimed water for golf 
courses, landscaping, and other industrial uses.

                            Committee Action

    H.R. 3418 was introduced on July 25, 2005, by Congressman 
Chet Edwards (D-TX). The bill was referred to the Committee on 
Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on 
Water and Power. On October 6, 2005, the Subcommittee held a 
hearing on the bill. On March 29, 2006, the Full Resources 
Committee met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee on Water 
and Power was discharged from further consideration of the bill 
by unanimous consent. Congressman George Radanovich (R-CA) 
offered an amendment to place a 10-year sunset on the bill's 
authorization. The amendment was adopted by unanimous consent. 
The bill, as amended, was then ordered favorably reported to 
the House of Representatives by unanimous consent.

                      Section-by-Section Analysis


                        SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This section cites the short title of the bill as the 
``Central Texas Water Recycling Act of 2006.''

                   SECTION 2. PROJECT AUTHORIZATION.

    This section amends the Reclamation Wastewater and 
Groundwater Study and Facilities Act (Public Law 102-575) to 
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate with the 
City of Waco and other participating communities in the design, 
planning, and construction of permanent facilities to reclaim 
and reuse water in McLennan County, Texas. As amended, this 
section also specifies that the federal cost share of the 
project cannot exceed 25 percent, prohibits federal funds for 
project operations and maintenance, and limits the federal 
authorization of this project to ten years.

            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 amend the Reclamation Wastewater 
and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the 
Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Central Texas 
Water Recycling and Reuse Project, 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:

H.R. 3418--Central Texas Water Recycling Act of 2006

    Summary: H.R. 3418 would authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior to participate in the design, planning, and 
construction of facilities to recycle water in McLennan County, 
Texas. The bill would limit the federal share of this project 
to 25 percent of its total cost.
    Assuming appropriation of the necessary funds, CBO 
estimates that implementing H.R. 3418 would cost $5 million 
over the 2007-2011 period and an additional $1 million after 
that period. Enacting this legislation would not affect direct 
spending or revenues. H.R. 3418 contains no intergovernmental 
or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates 
Reform Act (UMRA) and would impose no costs on state, local, or 
tribal governments.
    Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated 
budgetary Impact of H.R. 3418 is shown in the following table. 
The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 300 
(natural resources and environment).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
                                                                    --------------------------------------------
                                                                       2007     2008     2009     2010     2011
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION

Estimated Authorization Level......................................        1        1        1        1        1
Estimated Outlays..................................................        1        1        1        1        1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that H.R. 
3418 will be enacted near the start of fiscal year 2007 and 
that the necessary amounts will be appropriated in equal 
installments over the 2007-2012 period.
    The Bureau of Reclamation has not yet reviewed any of the 
planning documents for the Central Texas Water Recycling 
Project. According to the nonfederal partner for this project, 
the city of Waco, Texas, the total estimated cost of the 
project is $25 million. For this estimate, CBO assumes the 
federal share of the project would be $6 million. Based on 
historical spending patterns of similar projects, CBO estimates 
that implementing this bill would cost $5 million over the 
2007-2011 period and an additional $1 million after that 
period.
    Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 3418 
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as 
defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or 
tribal governments. The bill would authorize the Secretary of 
the Interior to design, plan, and construct a system for 
recycling water that would benefit local governments 
participating in the Central Texas Water Recycling and Reuse 
Project. Any costs they might incur to provide matching funds 
would result from complying with conditions for receiving 
federal assistance.
    Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Julie Middleton; 
Impact on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Lisa Ramirez-
Branum; Impact on the Private Sector: Craig Cammarata.
    Estimate 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 Made by the Bill, as Reported

  In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (new matter is 
printed in italic and existing law in which no change is 
proposed is shown in roman):

     RECLAMATION PROJECTS AUTHORIZATION AND ADJUSTMENT ACT OF 1992


                          (Public Law 102-575)

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

  This Act may be cited as the ``Reclamation Projects 
Authorization and Adjustment Act of 1992''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITION AND TABLE OF CONTENTS.

  For purposes of this Act, the term ``Secretary'' means the 
Secretary of the Interior.

                            TABLE OF CONTENTS

Sec. 1. Short title.
     * * * * * * *

       TITLE XVI--RECLAMATION WASTEWATER AND GROUND WATER STUDIES

Sec. 1601. Short title.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

Sec. 16__. Central Texas Water Recycling and Reuse Project.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


       TITLE XVI--RECLAMATION WASTEWATER AND GROUNDWATER STUDIES

SEC. 1601. SHORT TITLE.

  This title may be referred to as the ``Reclamation Wastewater 
and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act''.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 16__. CENTRAL TEXAS WATER RECYCLING AND REUSE PROJECT.

  (a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the 
City of Waco and other participating communities in the Central 
Texas Water Recycling and Reuse Project is authorized to 
participate in the design, planning, and construction of 
permanent facilities to reclaim and reuse water in McLennan 
County, Texas.
  (b) Cost Share.--The Federal share of the costs of the 
project described in subsection (a) shall not exceed 25 percent 
of the total cost.
  (c) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not provide funds for 
the operation and maintenance of the project described in 
subsection (a).
  (d) Sunset of Authority.--The authority of the Secretary to 
carry out any provisions of this section shall terminate 10 
years after the date of enactment of this section.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                                  
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