59–006 

110TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 110–221 

TO PROVIDE FOR A FEASIBILITY STUDY OF ALTERNATIVES TO AUGMENT 

THE WATER SUPPLIES OF THE CENTRAL OKLAHOMA MASTER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT AND CITIES SERVED BY THE DISTRICT 

JULY 10, 2007.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of 

the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. RAHALL, from the Committee on Natural Resources, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 1337] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the 

bill (H.R. 1337) to provide for a feasibility study of alternatives to 

augment the water supplies of the Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District and cities served by the District, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with an amendment and 

recommend that the bill as amended do pass. 

The amendment is as follows: 

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: 

SECTION 1. CENTRAL OKLAHOMA MASTER CONSERVATORY DISTRICT FEASIBILITY STUDY. 

(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 

(1) Thunderbird Lake, located on Little River in central Oklahoma, was constructed in 1965 by the Bureau of Reclamation for flood control, water supply, 

recreation, and fish and wildlife purposes; 

(2) the available yield of Thunderbird Lake is allocated to the Central Oklahoma Master Conservatory District, which supplies municipal and industrial 

water supplies to the cities of Norman, Midwest City, and Del City, Oklahoma; 

and 

(3) studies conducted by the Bureau during fiscal year 2003 indicate that the 

District will require additional water supplies to meet the future needs of the 

District, including through— 

(A) the drilling of additional wells; 

(B) the implementation of a seasonal pool plan at Thunderbird Lake; 

(C) the construction of terminal storage to hold wet-weather yield from 

Thunderbird Lake; 

(D) a reallocation of water storage; and 

(E) the importation of surplus water from sources outside the basin of 

Thunderbird Lake. 

(b) STUDY.—Beginning no later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this 

Act, the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation shall conduct a feasibility 


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study of alternatives to augment the water supplies of the Central Oklahoma Master Conservatory District and cities served by the District, including recommendations of the Commissioner, if any. 

(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated 

to the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation $900,000 to conduct the study 

under subsection (b). 

PURPOSE OF THE BILL

The purpose of H.R. 1337 is to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to prepare a feasibility study of alternatives to augment the 

water supplies of the Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District and cities served by the District. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

The Bureau of Reclamation’s Norman Project provides a supplemental municipal water supply for the cities of Norman, Del City, 

and Midwest City, Oklahoma. The project also provides flood protection to lands south and east of the project area, and significant 

recreation benefits. Principal features are Norman Dam on Little 

River about 13 miles east of Norman, two pumping plants, and 

pressure pipelines to serve the three cities. No irrigation features 

or power development are included in the project. 

The Bureau of Reclamation received funding several years ago to 

conduct a preliminary investigation (‘‘Appraisal Investigation’’) of 

opportunities to supplement the available water supplies from the 

Norman Project. The study found that prolonged water supply 

shortages could be expected as the population continues to grow 

unless improvements to the water system are made. 

H.R. 1337 would authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to conduct 

a more detailed (‘‘Feasibility Level’’) study of a proposed project to 

secure and import nearby water supplies and construct additional 

pipeline and pumping plant capacity. 

COMMITTEE ACTION

H.R. 1337 was introduced on March 6, 2007 by Rep. Tom Cole 

(R–OK). The bill was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on Water 

and Power. In the 109th Congress, the Subcommittee held a hearing on almost identical legislation in the form of H.R. 4987. On 

April 19, 2007 the Subcommittee met to mark up the bill. The bill 

was approved without amendment and was then forwarded to the 

full Committee. On June 27, 2007, the full Natural Resources Committee met to consider the bill. Rep. Tom Cole (R–OK) offered an 

amendment to increase the appropriations authorized in the bill to 

$900,000. The amendment was approved by a voice vote of the 

Committee and the bill as amended was ordered favorably reported 

to the House of Representatives by voice vote. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District feasibility study 

Section 1 states that Congress finds that the Central Oklahoma 

Master Conservatory District will require additional water supplies 

and that $900,000 is authorized to conduct a study to determine alternatives to augment water supplies for the District. 


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COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII 

of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee on 

Natural Resources’ oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in the body of this report. 

CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

Article I, section 8 of the Constitution of the United States 

grants Congress the authority to enact this bill. 

COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII

1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of 

the House of Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B) of that rule provides 

that this requirement does not apply when the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. 

2. Congressional Budget Act. As required by clause 3(c)(2) of rule 

XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 

308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this bill does not 

contain any new budget authority, spending authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures. 

3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by 

clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or objective 

of this bill is to provide for a feasibility study of alternatives to 

augment the water supplies of the Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District and cities served by the District. 

4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate. Under clause 

3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 

section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate for this bill from the 

Director of the Congressional Budget Office: 

H.R. 1337—A bill to provide for a feasibility study of alternatives 

to augment the water supplies of the Central Oklahoma Master 

Conservancy District and cities served by the District 

H.R. 1337 would authorize the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to 

conduct a feasibility study of alternatives to augment the water 

supplies of the Central Oklahoma Master Conservatory District 

and cities served by the District. Assuming appropriation of the authorized amount, CBO estimates that BOR would spend $900,000 

over the 2008–2012 period to complete the study. Enacting the legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues. 

The legislation contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 

mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and 

would impose no costs of state, local, or tribal governments. 

On May 29, 2007, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for S. 175, 

a bill to provide for a feasibility study of alternatives to augment 

the water supplies of the Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy 

District and cities served by the district, as ordered reported by the 

Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on May 23, 

2007. The two bills are identical, as are the CBO cost estimates. 


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The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Tyler Kruzich and 

David Reynolds. This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, 

Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104–4

This bill contains no unfunded mandates. 

EARMARK STATEMENT

H.R. 1337 does not contain any congressional earmarks, limited 

tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in clause 9(d), 9(e), 

or 9(f) of rule XXI. 

PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW

This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or tribal law. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing law. 

Æ 


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