[House Report 109-625]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



109th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session                                                     109-625

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



 
      CITY OF OXNARD WATER RECYCLING AND DESALINATION ACT OF 2006

                                _______
                                

 September 6, 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. 2334]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill 
(H.R. 2334) 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 permanent facilities for the GREAT project to 
reclaim, reuse, and treat impaired water in the area of Oxnard, 
California, 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:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``City of Oxnard Water Recycling and 
Desalination Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. OXNARD, CALIFORNIA, WATER RECLAMATION, REUSE, AND TREATMENT 
                    PROJECT.

    (a) In General.--The Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study 
and Facilities Act (title XVI of Public Law 102-575; 43 U.S.C. 390h et 
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. __. OXNARD, CALIFORNIA, WATER RECLAMATION, REUSE, AND TREATMENT 
                    PROJECT.

    ``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the City 
of Oxnard, California, may participate in the design, planning, and 
construction of Phase I permanent facilities for the GREAT project to 
reclaim, reuse, and treat impaired water in the area of Oxnard, 
California.
    ``(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 
following:
          ``(1) The operations and maintenance of the project described 
        in subsection (a).
          ``(2) The construction, operations, and maintenance of the 
        visitor's center related to 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 the enactment of this section.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections in section 2 of the 
Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of 1992 is 
amended by inserting after the last item the following:

``Sec. ___. Oxnard, California, water reclamation, reuse, and treatment 
project.''.

                          Purpose of the Bill

    The purpose of H.R. 2334 is 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 permanent facilities for 
the GREAT project to reclaim, reuse, and treat impaired waters 
in the area of Oxnard, California.

                  Background and Need for Legislation

    The City of Oxnard, California, located 60 miles north of 
Los Angeles in western Ventura County, owns and operates a 
water supply system that provides water to most of its 200,000 
citizens. In addition to a growing population, this area in 
Ventura County has large agricultural and industrial sectors 
which need reliable sources of water. The Groundwater Recovery 
Enhancement and Treatment (GREAT) project would use a 
groundwater desalination facility and recycled water system to 
provide additional reliable water supplies to municipal and 
agricultural users throughout the region. In addition, this 
project would also help alleviate depressed groundwater levels.
    The City of Oxnard has worked with other local water 
providers, including Ocean View Municipal Water District, 
United Water Conservation District, Calleguas Municipal Water 
District and Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency, to 
develop the GREAT project. The desalination facility would 
desalt 15 million gallons of brackish groundwater per day for 
municipal consumption. In addition to providing needed water to 
the community, the brine byproducts from the desalination 
process would be used in the restoration of a local saltwater 
wetland. The water recycling portion of the GREAT program would 
treat wastewater for use in irrigation and groundwater 
injection.
    Phase one of the GREAT project includes design, planning 
and construction of both facilities as currently planned. 
Future phases may expand the service area of the project. As 
amended, H.R. 2334 authorizes federal assistance for phase one 
of the GREAT project. Phase I is expected to cost around $55 
million, making the federal share of 25 percent just under $14 
million. The City of Oxnard has already spent $15 million of 
local funds on conceptual design, environmental review and 
initial construction of the groundwater desalter.

                            Committee Action

    H.R. 2334 was introduced on May 12, 2005, by Congresswoman 
Lois Capps (D-CA). The bill was referred to the Committee on 
Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on 
Water and Power. On December 7, 2005, the Subcommittee held a 
hearing on the bill. On July 19, 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 in the nature of a substitute to clarify 
that federal funding is limited to only Phase I of the project 
and prevents federal funds from being used on the project's 
visitor's center. The amendment also placed 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 bill as the ``City of Oxnard Water 
Recycling and Desalination Act of 2006.''

Section 2. Oxnard, California, water reclamation, reuse, and treatment 
        project

    This section amends the Reclamation Wastewater and 
Groundwater Study and Facilities Act (Title XVI of Public Law 
102-575) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior, in 
cooperation with the City of Oxnard, California, to participate 
in the design, planning, and construction of Phase I of the 
GREAT project to reclaim, reuse, and treat impaired water in 
the Oxnard area. The federal share of the costs shall not 
exceed 25% of the total cost. As ordered reported, this section 
also specifies that federal funding is limited to only Phase I, 
prevents federal funds from being used on the project's 
visitor's center, and includes a 10-year sunset on the bill's 
authorization.

            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, clause 3 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 design, 
planning, and construction of permanent facilities for the 
GREAT project to reclaim, reuse, and treat impaired waters in 
the area of Oxnard, California.
    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. 2334--City of Oxnard Water Recycling and Desalination Act of 2006

    Summary: H.R. 2334 would authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior to participate in the design, planning, and 
construction of the first phase of a project to reclaim, reuse, 
and treat water near Oxnard, California, known as the GREAT 
project. The bill would limit the federal cost share of the 
project to 25 percent. In addition, H.R. 2334 would prohibit 
the Secretary from providing funds for the operation and 
maintenance of the project. The authority to implement this 
bill would terminate 10 years after the date of enactment.
    Assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts, CBO 
estimates that implementing H.R. 2334 would cost $15 million 
over the 2007-2011 period. Enacting the legislation would not 
affect direct spending or revenues.
    H.R. 2334 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA). 
The city of Oxnard, California, would benefit from the water 
projects authorized in the bill. Any costs it might incur, 
including matching funds, would result from complying with 
conditions for receiving federal assistance.
    Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated 
budgetary impact of H.R. 2334 is shown in the following table. 
The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 300 
(natural resources and environment).
    For this estimate, CBO assumes that H.R. 2334 will be 
enacted near the end of fiscal year 2006 and that the necessary 
amounts will be appropriated in installments over the 2007-2011 
period. According to the Bureau of Reclamation, the estimated 
cost of the first phase of the GREAT project is $57 million (at 
2006 prices). Based on the historical spending pattern for 
similar activities, CBO estimates that the federal government's 
cost for implementing this bill would be $15 million over the 
2007-2011 period, including adjustment for anticipated 
inflation.

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

Estimated authorization level......................................        3        3        3        3        4
Estimated outlays..................................................        2        3        3        3        4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 2334 
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as 
defined in UMRA. The city of Oxnard, California, would benefit 
from the water projects authorized in the bill. Any costs it 
might incur, including 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: Amy Petz.
    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


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 GROUNDWATER STUDIES

     * * * * * * *
Sec. ___. Oxnard, California, water reclamation, reuse, and treatment 
          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. __. OXNARD, CALIFORNIA, WATER RECLAMATION, REUSE, AND TREATMENT 
                    PROJECT.

    (a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the 
City of Oxnard, California, may participate in the design, 
planning, and construction of Phase I permanent facilities for 
the GREAT project to reclaim, reuse, and treat impaired water 
in the area of Oxnard, California.
    (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 following:
          (1) The operations and maintenance of the project 
        described in subsection (a).
          (2) The construction, operations, and maintenance of 
        the visitor's center related to 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 the enactment of this section.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                                  
