Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 1999

Summary: Requires the Secretary, acting through the Commissioner and in cooperation with the Secretary of Agriculture, the counties, and other non-Federal entities, to: (1) assess alternative water supply options for the counties of Maverick, Kinney, Edwards, Val Verde, Terrell, Brewster, Presidio, Jeff  Davis, Hudspeth, and El Paso for alleviating water supply shortages and project water demands; and (2) submit recommendations to Congress regarding such alternatives which shall emphasize water management actions that encourage the incorporation of prudent, responsible, and economically feasible water conservation measures. Requires the Secretary to assess the feasibility of wastewater reuse for irrigation and groundwater recharge and other nonpotable purposes. Limits the Federal share of the cost of any such activity to 50 percent. Prohibits the Secretary from carrying out any activity except under an agreement with a non- Federal entity that has legal authority under the laws of the State to obligate funds or provide in- kind services for such activity, under which the non-Federal entity is obligated to provide the non-Federal share of the cost of the activity.
Authorizes appropriations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Lower Rio Grande Valley Water 
Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 1999''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) State.--The term ``State'' means the Texas Water 
        Development Board and any other authorized entity of the State 
        of Texas.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner.
            (3) Commissioner.--The term ``Commissioner'' means the 
        Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation.
            (4) Counties.--The term ``counties'' means the following 
        counties in the State of Texas: Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, 
        Willacy, Jim Hogg, Zapata, Webb, Maverick, Val Verde, Kinney, 
        Terrell, Brewster, Presidio, Jeff Davis, Hudspeth, and El Paso.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Drought conditions over the last decade have made 
        citizens of the Lower Rio Grande Valley region of Texas aware 
        of the significant impacts a dwindling water supply can have on 
        a region.
            (2) As a result of the impacts, that region has devised an 
        integrated water resource plan to meet the critical water needs 
        of the Lower Rio Grande Valley through the end of the year 
        2050.
            (3) Implementation of an integrated water resource plan to 
        meet the critical water needs of the Lower Rio Grande Valley is 
        in the national interest.
            (4) The Congress should authorize and provide Federal, 
        technical, and financial assistance to construct improved 
        irrigation canal delivery systems, implement an aggressive 
        water conservation program, and improve water management to 
        help meet the critical water needs of the Lower Rio Grande 
        Valley through the end of the year 2050.

SEC. 4. LOWER RIO GRANDE WATER CONSERVATION AND IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the Secretary 
of Agriculture, shall undertake a program to improve the supply of 
water for the counties through the following activities:
            (1) In cooperation with the State, water users in the 
        counties, and other non-Federal entities, conduct feasibility 
        studies, engineering work, and infrastructure construction and 
        improvements for the purpose of transporting raw water, 
        including the following:
                    (A) Irrigation canals.
                    (B) Pipelines.
                    (C) Flow control structures.
                    (D) Meters.
                    (E) All associated appurtenances.
            (2) In cooperation with the Secretary of Agriculture, the 
        State, water users in the counties, and other non-Federal 
        entities, enhance water conservation in the counties through 
        the installation of on-farm water application metering.
            (3) In cooperation with the Secretary of Agriculture, the 
        State, and other non-Federal entities, enhance water 
        conservation including on-farm installation of gated and poly-
        pipe.
            (4) In cooperation with the Secretary of Agriculture, the 
        State, water users in the counties, and other non-Federal 
        entities including institutions of higher education--
                    (A) develop educational programs and implement on-
                farm training in the use and application of state-of-
                the-art water application and conservation techniques; 
                and
                    (B) provide educational information regarding use 
                and application of such techniques to the Commissioners 
                of the International Boundary and Water Commission.
    (b) Project Eligibility Requirements.--A project shall not be 
eligible to be implemented under this section unless--
            (1) the project plan shows an estimate of the amount of 
        water that will be conserved as a result of the project; and
            (2) the design for the project includes a cost-of-project-
        to-water-developed ratio statement.
    (c) Determination of Project Eligibility.--The responsibility for 
determining project eligibility under subsection (b) shall be carried 
out by the State in consultation with the Commissioner.

SEC. 5. COST SHARING.

    The non-Federal share of the costs of any activity carried out 
under, or with assistance provided under, this Act shall be 40 percent 
of such costs. Not more than 30 percent of the costs of such an 
activity may be paid by the State. Provision of the remainder of the 
non-Federal share may include in-kind contributions of goods and 
services.

SEC. 6. STUDIES.

    (a) Alternative Water Supply Options.--
            (1) Study and recommendations.--The Secretary, in 
        cooperation with the Secretary of Agriculture, counties, and 
        other non-Federal entities, shall--
                    (A) assess alternative water supply options for the 
                Counties of Maverick, Kinney, Edwards, Val Verde, 
                Terrell, Brewster, Presidio, Jeff Davis, Hudspeth, and 
                El Paso, Texas, for the purpose of alleviating water 
                supply shortages and project water demands; and
                    (B) submit recommendations to the Congress 
                regarding such alternatives.
            (2) Emphasis on conservation measures.--Recommendations 
        under subsection (a) shall emphasize water management actions 
        that encourage the incorporation, by the counties referred to 
        in paragraph (1)(A) and irrigation districts in those counties, 
        of prudent and responsible water conservation measures to the 
        extent such measures are shown to be economically feasible.
    (b) Wastewater Reuse.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the 
Secretary of Agriculture, the counties referred to in paragraph (1)(A), 
the State, and other non-Federal entities, shall assess the feasibility 
of wastewater reuse for irrigation and groundwater recharge and other 
nonpotable purposes.
    (c) Cost Sharing.--
            (1) In general.--The Federal share of the cost of any 
        activity under this section shall not exceed 50 percent.
            (2) Agreement.--The Secretary may not carry out any 
        activity under this section except under an agreement with a 
        non-Federal entity that has legal authority under the laws of 
        the State to obligate funds or provide in-kind services for 
        such activity, under which the non-Federal entity is obligated 
        to provide the non-Federal share of the cost of the activity.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
out this Act $65,200,000.