21–917

Calendar No. 139

109TH CONGRESS REPORT

1st Session " ! SENATE 109–90

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

REPORT

[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originally enacted in 1964.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 waterrelated 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
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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.’’
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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 esti- mates 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

SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION

Spending for Research Institutes Under Current Law.

Budget Authority1 ................................................................... 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 Level1 ................................................................ 6 18 18 18 20 20

Estimated Outlays .................................................................. 6 15 16 18 19 20

1The 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.
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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:

[42 U.S.C. 10303]

WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH ACT OF 1984

SEC. 10303. WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

INSTITUTES.

(a) * * *

* * * * * * *

(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS øIN GENERAL¿.— ø(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.

ø(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.—

ø(1) There¿

(1) IN GENERAL.—There is further authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior the sum of ø$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
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and which relate to specific program priorities identified jointly

by the Secretary and the institutes. øSuch¿

(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. øFunds¿

(3) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Funds made available under

this subsection shall remain available until expended.

ø(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.

* * * * * * *

Æ