A bill to facilitate the use for irrigation and other purposes of water produced in connection with development of energy resources.

Summary: More Water, More Energy, and Less Waste Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner of Reclamation, the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to conduct a study to identify: (1) the obstacles to reducing the quantity of produced water (water from an underground source that is brought to the surface as part of the exploration for or development of oil, natural gas, coal-bed methane, or any other substance to be used as an energy source) and to increasing the extent to which produced water can be used for irrigation or other purposes without adversely affecting water quality or the environment; and (2) the actions that could reduce or eliminate such obstacles and the associated costs and benefits.

Directs the Secretary to provide financial assistance for the development of facilities, technologies, and processes to demonstrate the feasibility, effectiveness, and safety of: (1) optimizing energy resource production by reducing the quantity of produced water generated; or (2) increasing the extent to which produced water may be recovered and made suitable for specified purposes. Requires such assistance to be provided for at least one project in: (1) each of the Upper Basin States (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming); and (2) each of the Lower Basin States (Arizona, California, and Nevada). Prohibits such assistance from exceeding $1 million per project, from being used to pay more than 50% of the total project cost, or from being used for facility operation or maintenance.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE, FINDINGS, AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``More Water, More 
Energy, and Less Waste Act of 2007''.
    (b) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
            (1) development of energy resources, including oil, natural 
        gas, coalbed methane, and geothermal resources, frequently 
        results in bringing to the surface water extracted from 
        underground sources;
            (2) some of that produced water is used for irrigation or 
        other purposes, but most of the water is returned to the 
        subsurface or otherwise disposed of as waste;
            (3) reducing the quantity of produced water returned to the 
        subsurface and increasing the quantity of produced water that 
        is made available for irrigation and other uses--
                    (A) would augment water supplies;
                    (B) could reduce the costs to energy developers for 
                disposing of the water; and
                    (C) in some cases, could increase the efficiency of 
                energy development activities; and
            (4) it is in the national interest--
                    (A) to limit the quantity of produced water 
                disposed of as waste;
                    (B) to optimize the production of energy resources; 
                and
                    (C) to remove or reduce obstacles to use of 
                produced water for irrigation or other purposes in ways 
                that will not adversely affect water quality or the 
                environment.
    (c) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to optimize the production of energy resources--
                    (A) by minimizing the quantity of produced water; 
                and
                    (B) by facilitating the use of produced water for 
                irrigation and other purposes without adversely 
                affecting water quality or the environment; and
            (2) to demonstrate means of accomplishing those results.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Lower basin state.--The term ``Lower Basin State'' 
        means any of the States of--
                    (A) Arizona;
                    (B) California; and
                    (C) Nevada.
            (2) Produced water.--The term ``produced water'' means 
        water from an underground source that is brought to the surface 
        as part of the process of exploration for, or development of--
                    (A) oil;
                    (B) natural gas;
                    (C) coalbed methane; or
                    (D) any other substance to be used as an energy 
                source.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (4) Upper basin state.--The term ``Upper Basin State'' 
        means any of the States of--
                    (A) Colorado;
                    (B) New Mexico;
                    (C) Utah; and
                    (D) Wyoming.

SEC. 3. IDENTIFICATION OF PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS.

    (a) Study.--The Secretary, acting through the Commissioner of 
Reclamation, the Director of the United States Geological Survey, and 
the Director of the Bureau of Land Management shall conduct a study to 
identify--
            (1) the technical, economic, environmental, and other 
        obstacles to reducing the quantity of produced water;
            (2) the technical, economic, environmental, legal, and 
        other obstacles to increasing the extent to which produced 
        water can be used for irrigation and other purposes without 
        adversely affecting water quality or the environment;
            (3) the legislative, administrative, and other actions that 
        could reduce or eliminate the obstacles identified in 
        paragraphs (1) and (2); and
            (4) the costs and benefits associated with reducing or 
        eliminating the obstacles identified in paragraphs (1) and (2).
    (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Natural 
Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources of the Senate a report describing the results of 
the study under subsection (a).

SEC. 4. IMPLEMENTATION.

    (a) Grants.--Subject to the availability of appropriations, the 
Secretary shall provide financial assistance for the development of 
facilities, technologies, and processes to demonstrate the feasibility, 
effectiveness, and safety of--
            (1) optimizing energy resource production by reducing the 
        quantity of produced water generated; or
            (2) increasing the extent to which produced water may be 
        recovered and made suitable for use for irrigation, municipal, 
        or industrial uses, or other purposes without adversely 
        affecting water quality or the environment.
    (b) Limitations.--Assistance under this section--
            (1) shall be provided for--
                    (A) at least 1 project in each of the Upper Basin 
                States; and
                    (B) at least 1 project in at least 1 of the Lower 
                Basin States;
            (2) shall not exceed $1,000,000 for any project;
            (3) shall be used to pay not more than 50 percent of the 
        total cost of a project;
            (4) shall not be used for the operation or maintenance of 
        any facility; and
            (5) may be in addition to assistance provided by the 
        Federal Government pursuant to other provisions of law.

SEC. 5. CONSULTATION, ADVICE, AND COMMENTS.

    In carrying out this Act, including in preparing the report under 
section 3(b) and establishing criteria to be used in connection with an 
award of financial assistance under section 4, the Secretary shall--
            (1) consult with the Secretary of Energy, the Administrator 
        of the Environmental Protection Agency, and appropriate 
        Governors and local officials;
            (2)(A) review any relevant information developed in 
        connection with research carried out by others, including 
        research carried out pursuant to subtitle J of title IX of the 
        Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16371 et seq.); and
            (B) to the extent the Secretary determines to be advisable, 
        include that information in the report under section 3(b);
            (3) seek the advice of--
                    (A) individuals with relevant professional or 
                academic expertise; and
                    (B) individuals or representatives of entities with 
                industrial experience, particularly experience relating 
                to production of oil, natural gas, coalbed methane, or 
                other energy resources (including geothermal 
                resources); and
            (4) solicit comments and suggestions from the public.

SEC. 6. RELATION TO OTHER LAWS.

    Nothing in this Act supersedes, modifies, abrogates, or limits--
            (1) the effect of any State law or any interstate authority 
        or compact relating to--
                    (A) any use of water; or
                    (B) the regulation of water quantity or quality; or
            (2) the applicability or effect of any Federal law 
        (including regulations).

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated--
            (1) $1,000,000 to carry out section 3; and
            (2) $7,500,000 to carry out section 4.