79–010

Calendar No. 746

106TH CONGRESS REPORT

2d Session " ! SENATE 106–369

REAUTHORIZATION OF THE

WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH ACT OF 1984

AUGUST 25, 2000.—Ordered to be printed

Filed, under authority of the order of the Senate of July 26, 2000

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire, from the Committee on

Environment and Public Works, submitted the following

REPORT

[to accompany S. 2297]

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was

referred the bill (S. 2297) to reauthorize 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originally enacted in 1964.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 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 panel 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 programs and that it considers the priorities

and funding recommendations 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. 2297 continues the partnership between the Federal Government and non-Federal water resources researchers, a partnership

that is centered at the university community. Specifically, S. 2297

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 effecting 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 2000 are $9 million and $3 million. The actual appropriation for the programs in fiscal year 2000 was $4.062

million and $1 million, respectively.

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Reauthorization of the Water Resources Research Act of

1984

S. 2297 authorizes the Section 104(b) institutional grants program at $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2001; $10,000,000 for fiscal years

2002 and 2003; and $12,000,000 for fiscal years 2004 and 2005, for

a total of $53,000,000.

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S. 2297 authorizes the Section 104(g) competitive grants at $3

million for fiscal year 2001, $4 million for fiscal years 2002 and

2003, and $6 million for each of fiscal years 2004 and 2005, for a

total of $23,000,000.

HEARINGS

No hearings were held on the bill.

ROLLCALL VOTES

Section 7(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate and

the rules of the Committee on Environment and Public Works require that any rollcall votes taken during consideration of legislation be noted in the report on that legislation. At the business

meeting of the Committee on Environment and Public Works on

April 13, 2000, a rollcall vote was taken for the bill, and S. 2297

was ordered reported by a vote of 18–0.

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. 2297 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:

U.S. CONGRESS, CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, Washington, DC, April 27, 2000.

Hon. ROBERT C. SMITH, Chairman,

Committee on Environment and Public Works,

U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 2297, a bill to reauthorize

the Water Resources Research Act of 1984.

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Megan Carroll, who can

be reached at 226–2860.

Sincerely,

DAN L. CRIPPEN.

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CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

S. 2297, A bill to reauthorize the Water Resources Research Act of

1984, As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on April 13, 2000

Summary

S. 2297 would reauthorize the Water Resources Research Act

through 2005. Under that act, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

provides grants for research and education to water resources research and technology institutes located in each of the 50 States,

the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. The bill would authorize the appropriation of $76 million over the 2001–2005 period

for the USGS to continue those grant programs.

CBO estimates that implementing S. 2297 would cost $72 million

over the 2001–2005 period, assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts. The bill would not affect direct spending orreceipts;

therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply. S. 2297 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined

in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would impose

no costs on State, local, or tribal governments.

Estimated Cost to the Federal Government

For purposes of this estimate, CBO assumes that the authorized

amounts will be appropriated and that outlays will follow the historical spending patterns for these grant programs. The estimated

impact of S. 2297 is shown in the following table. The costs of this

legislation fall within budget function 300 (natural resources and

the environment).

By Fiscal Year, in Millions of Dollars

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION

Spending Under Current Law

Budget Authority1 ................................................................... 5 0 0 0 0 0

Estimated Outlays .................................................................. 4 1 0 0 0 0

Proposed Changes

Authorization Level ................................................................. 0 12 14 14 18 18

Estimated Outlays .................................................................. 0 10 13 14 17 18

Spending Under S. 2297

Authorization Levels ............................................................... 5 12 14 14 18 18

Estimated Outlays .................................................................. 4 11 13 14 17 18

1The 2000 level is the amount appropriated for that year for USGS grants under the Water Resources Research Act.

Pay-As-You-Go Considerations: None.

Intergovernmental and Private-Sector Impact

S. 2297 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on State,

local, or tribal governments. Any costs to match Federal grants authorized by this bill would be incurred voluntarily.

Estimate Prepared By: Federal Costs: Megan Carroll (226–2860);

Impact on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Victoria Held

Hall (225–3220); Impact on the Private Sector: Patrice Gordon

(226–2940).

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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 øblack brackets¿, new matter is printed in italic, existing

law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman:

WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH ACT OF 1984

PUBLIC LAW 98–242, 98TH CONGRESS

An ACT To authorize an ongoing program of water resources research, and for other

purposes

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the

United States of America in Congress assembled,

TITLE I

SEC. 101. This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Water Resources Research Act of 1984’’.

* * * * * * *

SEC. 104. (a) * * *

* * * * * * *

(f)(1) For the purpose of carrying out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated to the øSecretary the sum of $5,000,000 fiscal year 1996, $7,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1997 and 1998,

and $9,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1999 and 2000.¿ the Secretary $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, to remain available until expended.

* * * * * * *

(g)(1) There is further authorized to be appropriated to the øSecretary of the Interior the sum of $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years

1996 through 2000¿ the Secretary $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, to be available 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 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 made available under this subsection shall remain

available until expended.

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