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104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 556

To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to make grants to address

waste water needs of the residents of colonias in the southwest region

of the United States, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 18, 1995

Mr. COLEMAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

A BILL

To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to make grants to address waste water needs

of the residents of colonias in the southwest region of

the United States, 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 ‘‘Colonia Waste Water

5 Treatment Act of 1995’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

7 Congress finds that—
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1 (1) there is currently a severe lack of potable

2 water and waste water treatment facilities in the

3 southwest region of the United States;

4 (2) the lack of facilities has caused the pollution

5 of the region’s rivers and ground water; and

6 (3) this pollution presents a grave threat to

7 public health, due to the proliferation of infectious

8 diseases under such conditions.

9 SEC. 3. GRANTS TO COLONIAS.

10 Title II of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act

11 (33 U.S.C. 1281–1299) is amended by adding the follow12 ing new section:

13 ‘‘SEC. 220. GRANTS TO COLONIAS.

14 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other pro15 vision of law, the Administrator is authorized to make

16 grants to each of the States of Texas, New Mexico, Ari17 zona, and California for waste water treatment for—

18 ‘‘(1) a colonia of such State that meets the re19 quirements of subsection (b); and

20 ‘‘(2) a county, municipality, or other political

21 subdivision of such State acting on behalf of a

22 colonia that meets the requirements of subsection

23 (b).

24 ‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE COLONIAS.—A colonia which meets

25 the requirements of this subsection is a community that—
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1 ‘‘(1) is determined to be a colonia on the basis

2 of objective criteria, which may include the lack of

3 a potable water supply, lack of adequate sewage sys4 tems, or lack of decent, safe, and sanitary housing;

5 ‘‘(2) is located in the United States within 100

6 kilometers of the international boundary between

7 Mexico and the United States; and

8 ‘‘(3) was in existence as a colonia before No9 vember 27, 1992.

10 ‘‘(c) USE OF GRANT.—A grant made under this sec11 tion may be used for the planning, design, and construc12 tion, including the extension, improvement, alteration, or

13 reconstruction of facilities for the treatment of waste

14 water or the disposal of waste water by surface or under15 ground methods, or both.

16 ‘‘(d) GRANT AMOUNT.—The amount of a grant made

17 under this section shall not exceed 100 percent of the costs

18 of the project that is the subject of the grant.

19 ‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

20 are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section

21 such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years beginning

22 after September 30, 1995.’’.

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