I 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1709 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 27, 2005 

Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of 

such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

AN ACT 

To provide favorable treatment for certain projects in response to Hurricane Katrina, with respect to revolving 

loans under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, 

and for other purposes. 

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Gulf Coast Emergency 

5 Water Infrastructure Assistance Act’’. 
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1 SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF STATE. 

2 In this Act, the term ‘‘State’’ means— 

3 (1) the State of Alabama; 

4 (2) the State of Louisiana; and 

5 (3) the State of Mississippi. 

6 SEC. 3. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN LOANS. 

7 (a) DEFINITION OF ELIGIBLE PROJECT.—In this 

8 section, the term ‘‘eligible project’’ means a project— 

9 (1) to repair, replace, or rebuild a publicly10 owned treatment works (as defined in section 212 of 

11 the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 

12 1292)), including a privately-owned utility that prin13 cipally treats municipal wastewater or domestic sew14 age, in an area affected by Hurricane Katrina or a 

15 related condition; or 

16 (2) that is a water quality project directly re17 lated to relief efforts in response to Hurricane 

18 Katrina or a related condition, as determined by the 

19 State in which the project is located. 

20 (b) ADDITIONAL SUBSIDIZATION.— 

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 

22 for the 2-year period beginning on the date of enact23 ment of this Act, a State may provide additional 

24 subsidization to an eligible project that receives 

25 funds through a revolving loan under section 603 of 
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1 the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 

2 1383), including— 

3 (A) forgiveness of the principal of the re4 volving loan; or 

5 (B) a zero-percent interest rate on the re6 volving loan. 

7 (2) LIMITATION.—The amount of any addi8 tional subsidization provided under paragraph (1) 

9 shall not exceed 30 percent of the amount of the 

10 capitalization grant received by the State under sec11 tion 602 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act 

12 (33 U.S.C. 1382) for the fiscal year during which 

13 the subsidization is provided. 

14 (c) EXTENDED TERMS.—For the 2-year period be15 ginning on the date of enactment of this Act, a State may 

16 extend the term of a revolving loan under section 603 of 

17 that Act (33 U.S.C. 1383) for an eligible project described 

18 in subsection (b), if the extended term— 

19 (1) terminates not later than the date that is 

20 30 years after the date of completion of the project 

21 that is the subject of the loan; and 

22 (2) does not exceed the expected design life of 

23 the project. 

24 (d) PRIORITY LISTS.—For the 2-year period begin25 ning on the date of enactment of this Act, a State may 
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1 provide assistance to an eligible project that is not in2 cluded on the priority list of the State under section 216 

3 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 

4 1296). 

5 SEC. 4. PRIORITY LIST. 

6 For the 2-year period beginning on the date of enact7 ment of this Act, a State may provide assistance to a pub8 lic water system that is not included on the priority list 

9 of the State under section 1452(b)(3)(B) of the Safe 

10 Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–12(b)(3)(B)), if the 

11 project— 

12 (1) involves damage caused by Hurricane 

13 Katrina or a related condition; and 

14 (2) is in accordance with section 1452(b)(3)(A) 

15 of that Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–12(b)(3)(A)). 

16 SEC. 5. TESTING OF PRIVATELY-OWNED DRINKING WATER 

17 WELLS. 

18 On receipt of a request from a homeowner, the Ad19 ministrator of the Environmental Protection Agency may 

20 conduct a test of a drinking water well owned or operated 
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1 by the homeowner that is, or may be, contaminated as a 

2 result of Hurricane Katrina or a related condition. 

Passed the Senate September 27, 2005. 

Attest: EMILY J. REYNOLDS, 

Secretary.