[Senate Report 109-90]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 139
109th Congress Report
SENATE
1st Session 109-90
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WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH ACT
AMENDMENTS OF 2005
_______
June 27, 2005.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Inhofe, from the Committee on Environment and Public Works,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[to accompany S. 1017]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was
referred a bill (S. 1017) to reauthorize grants for the water
resources research and technology institutes established under
the Water Resources Research Act of 1984, having considered the
same, reports favorably thereon and recommends that the bill do
pass.
General Statement and Background
The Water Resources Research Act (42 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.)
was originally enacted in 1964. The Act authorizes a program of
water-related research and training of scientists and engineers
to enter fields of water research and management. The program
is administered by Institutes at each of the 54 land grant
colleges in each of the 50 States, and in the Virgin Islands,
Guam, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The program is
under the general guidance of the Secretary of the Interior.
These Institutes award grant funds for research projects. The
strength of the Institutes is their location within the
university community, where a multitude of disciplines can be
concentrated on water problems, offering new and innovative
approaches. Funds are distributed to the Institutes in every
State, assuring the widest possible geographic search for new
information. The grants must be matched by two non-Federal
dollars for each Federal dollar.
In administering the water resources research program, the
Secretary of the Department of the Interior, through the U.S.
Geological Survey, distributes appropriated funds equally among
the Institutes. The Institutes, in turn, award research funds
through a competitive, peer review process. Each Institute
maintains one or more advisory panels comprised of local,
State, and Federal water officials, representatives from water
user groups, and other interested parties. Annually, these
groups develop research priorities for their States and review
the allocation of funds among various competing projects. In
this way, each Institute is able to focus grants on the most
pressing water problems and issues affecting their State. This
program has worked well.
However, since the research agenda for this program is
established by each State to meet its individual needs, the
Department should continue the cooperative relationship with
each State water resources research program and consider the
priorities and funding recommendation of the State advisory
panels. The Department shall maintain a level of funding for
the institutional grants at each Institute sufficient to
maintain the basic infrastructure for efficient State,
regional, and national research coordination, collaboration,
education and information transfer.
S. 1017 continues the partnership between the Federal
Government and non-Federal water resources researchers, a
partnership that is centered at the university community.
Specifically, S. 1017 extends the authorization for the State
water resources research institutes to provide grants and
address water resources management problems, such as the
quantity and quality of water supplies, the sources of water
contaminants and methods of remediation, and the training of
research scientists, engineers and technicians. The Institute-
sponsored research funding, authorized by Section 104(b),
requires a match of two non-Federal dollars for each Federal
dollar.
The Interstate Research Grants program, Section 104(g), is
reauthorized in this bill. The Interstate Research Grants
provide competitive Federal grants focusing on regional and
interstate water resources problems beyond those affecting a
single State and must be matched by at least one non-Federal
dollar to each Federal dollar. By continuing and enhancing
these collaborative efforts, the Institutes can better address
critical issues on long-term water planning and supply that may
exceed the resources of any one State.
The authorized funding levels for the Section 104(b) and
104(g) programs in fiscal year 2005 are $12 million and $6
million, respectively. The fiscal year 2005 appropriation for
both programs totaled $6.049 million.
Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1. Short title.
This section provides that this Act may be cited as the
``Water Resources Research Act Amendments of 2005.''
Sec. 2. Water resources research.
S. 1017 authorizes the Section 104(b) institutional grants
program at $12,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 through
2008 and $13,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 and 2010,
for a total of $52,000,000.
S. 1017 authorizes the Section 104(g) competitive grants
program at $6 million for each of fiscal years 2006 through
2008 and $7 million for each of fiscal years 2009 and 2010, for
a total of $32,000,000.
Legislative History
Senator Chafee, with Senators Clinton, Inhofe, Jeffords,
Vitter, Baucus, Murkowski, Enzi, Corzine, Lautenberg and Crapo,
introduced S. 1017 on May 12, 2005, and it was referred to the
Committee on Environment and Public Works. The committee met on
June 8, 2005, to consider the bill. The bill was ordered
reported on June 8, 2005.
Hearings
No hearings were held on the bill.
Rollcall Votes
The Committee on Environment and Public Works met to
consider S. 1017 on June 8, 2005. The bill was ordered reported
favorably to the Senate by voice vote.
Regulatory Impact
In compliance with Section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee makes the following
evaluation of the regulatory impact of the bill. The bill does
not create any additional regulatory burdens.
Mandates Assessment
In compliance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
(Public Law 104-4), the committee makes the following
evaluation of the Federal mandates contained in the reported
bill. S. 1017 imposes no Federal intergovernmental mandates on
State, local or tribal governments.
Cost of Legislation
Section 403 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment
Control Act requires that a statement of the cost of the
reported bill, prepared by the Congressional Budget Office, be
included in the report. That statement follows:
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S. 1017, Water Resources Research Act Amendments of 2005, As ordered
reported by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public
Works on June 8, 2005.
Summary
S. 1017 would authorize the appropriation of $94 million
over the 2006-2010 period to carry out the Water Resources
Research Act of 1984. Under that act, the U.S. Geological
Survey (USGS) provides grants to research and technology
institutes at American colleges and universities for research
and education on water resources. Funding for those grants
expires at the end of fiscal year 2005.
Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO
estimates that implementing S. 1017 would cost $14 million in
fiscal year 2006 and $87 million through 2010. The remaining $7
million authorized would be spent in 2011. Enacting the bill
would not affect direct spending or revenues. S. 1017 contains
no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in
the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA). Any costs to State,
local, or tribal governments would result from complying with
conditions for receiving Federal aid.
Estimated Cost to the Federal Government
For this estimate, CBO assumes that the authorized amounts
will be appropriated for each year and that outlays will follow
the historical spending patterns for these grant programs. The
estimated impact of S. 1017 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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
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SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
Spending for Research Institutes Under Current Law..............
Budget Authority\1\......................................... 6 0 0 0 0 0
Estimated Outlays........................................... 6 1 0 0 0 0
Proposed Changes................................................
Authorization Level......................................... 0 18 18 18 20 20
Estimated Outlays........................................... 0 14 16 18 19 20
Spending for Research Institutes Under S. 1017..................
Authorization Level\1\...................................... 6 18 18 18 20 20
Estimated Outlays........................................... 6 15 16 18 19 20
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\The 2005 level is the amount appropriated for that year for USGS grants under the Water Resources Research
Act.
Intergovernmental and Private-sector Impact
S. 1017 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 reauthorize grants
for the 2006-2010 period for water resources research and
technology institutes established under the Water Resources
Research Act of 1984. This reauthorization would update the
level of grant money available, and while State and local
governments may incur some costs to match Federal funds, those
costs would be incurred voluntarily.
Estimate Prepared By: Federal Costs: Deborah Reis;
Intergovernmental Impact: Ian Rudge and Lisa Ramirez-Branum;
Impact on the Private Sector: Craig Cammarata.
Estimate Approved By: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with section 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the bill
as reported are shown as follows: Existing law proposed to be
omitted is enclosed in [black brackets], new matter is printed
in italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown
in roman:
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[42 U.S.C. 10303]
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH ACT OF 1984
Sec. 10303. Water Resources Research and Technology
Institutes.
(a) * * *
* * * * * * *
(f) Authorization of appropriations [in general].--
[(1) For the purpose of carrying out this section,
there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary
the sum of $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2001, $10,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2002 and 2003, and $12,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2004 and 2005, such sums to
remain available until expended.]
(1) In general.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section, to remain
available until expended--
(A) $12,000,000 for each of fiscal years
2006 through 2008; and
(B) $13,000,000 for each of fiscal years
2009 and 2010.
[(2) Any]
(2) Failure to obligate funds.--Any sums
appropriated under this subsection but which fail to be
obligated by the close of the fiscal year for which
they were appropriated shall be transferred by the
Secretary and available for obligation during the
succeeding fiscal year under the terms of subsection
(g) of this section.
(g) Additional appropriations where research focused on
water problems of interstate nature.--
[(1) There]
(1) In general.--There is further authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior the sum
of [$3,000,000 for fiscal year 2001, $4,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2002 and 2003, and $6,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2004 and 2005] $6,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 2006 through 2008 and $7,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2009 and 2010 only for
reimbursement of the direct cost expenses of additional
research or synthesis of the results of research by
institutes which focuses on water problems and issues
of a regional or interstate nature beyond those of
concern only to a single State and which relate to
specific program priorities identified jointly by the
Secretary and the institutes. [Such]
(2) Non-federal matching funds.--The funds when
appropriated shall be matched on a not less than
dollar-for-dollar basis by funds made available to
institutes or groups of institutes, by States or other
non-Federal sources. [Funds]
(3) Availability of funds.--Funds made available
under this subsection shall remain available until
expended.
[(2)] (4) Research funds made available under this
subsection shall be made on a competitive basis subject
to the merit of the proposal, the need for the
information to be produced, and the opportunity such
funds will provide for training of water resources
scientists or professionals.
* * * * * * *