IIB 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1648

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 18, 2003

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources 

AN ACT

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain 

water distribution systems of the Cachuma Project, California, to the Carpinteria Valley Water District and the 

Montecito Water District.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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HR 1648 RFS 

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Carpinteria and 

3 Montecito Water Distribution Systems Conveyance Act of 

4 2003’’. 

5 SEC. 2. CONVEYANCE OF WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS 

6 OF THE CACHUMA PROJECT, CALIFORNIA. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Interior—

8 (1) may convey to the Carpinteria Valley Water 

9 District, located in Santa Barbara County, Cali10 fornia, all right, title, and interest of the United 

11 States in and to the Carpinteria Distribution System 

12 of the Cachuma Project, California, consistent with 

13 the terms and conditions set forth in the agreement 

14 entitled ‘‘Agreement Between the United States and 

15 the Carpinteria Valley Water District to Transfer 

16 Title to the Federally Owned Distribution System to 

17 the Carpinteria Valley Water District’’ (Agreement 

18 No. 00–XC–20–0364); and 

19 (2) may convey to the Montecito Water Dis20 trict, located in Santa Barbara County, California, 

21 all right, title, and interest of the United States in 

22 and to the Montecito Water Distribution System of 

23 the Cachuma Project, California, consistent with the 

24 terms and conditions set forth in the agreement en25 titled ‘‘Agreement Between the United States and 

26 the Montecito Water District to Transfer Title to 
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HR 1648 RFS 

1 the Federally Owned Distribution System to the 

2 Montecito Water District’’ (Agreement No. 01–XC–

3 20–0365). 

4 (b) LIABILITY.—Effective upon the date of convey5 ance of a distribution system under this section, the 

6 United States shall not be held liable by any court for 

7 damages of any kind arising out of any act, omission, or 

8 occurrence relating to the distribution system, except for 

9 damages caused by acts of negligence committed by the 

10 United States or by its employees or agents prior to the 

11 date of conveyance. Nothing in this section increases the 

12 liability of the United States beyond that provided in chap13 ter 171 of title 28, United States Code (popularly known 

14 as the Federal Tort Claims Act) on the date of the enact15 ment of this Act. 

16 (c) BENEFITS.—After conveyance of a water distribu17 tion system to the Carpinteria Valley Water District or 

18 the Montecito Water District under this section—

19 (1) such water distribution system shall not be 

20 considered to be a part of a Federal reclamation 

21 project; and 

22 (2) such water district shall not be eligible to 

23 receive any benefits with respect to any facility com24 prising that distribution system, except benefits that 

25 would be available to a similarly situated person 
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HR 1648 RFS 

1 with respect to such a facility that is not part of a 

2 Federal reclamation project.

Passed the House of Representatives November 17, 

2003. 

Attest: JEFF TRANDAHL, 

Clerk.