I

103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 2736

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

JULY 26, 1993

Mr. COLEMAN (for himself, Mr. PETE GEREN of Texas, Mr. BRYANT, Mr.

SKEEN, Mr. TEJEDA, Mr. ORTIZ, Mr. TORRES, Mr. STENHOLM, Mr.

CHAPMAN, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. RICHARDSON, Mr. FILNER, Ms. EDDIE

BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. BROOKS, Mr. HUNTER, Mr.

SARPALIUS, Mr. FROST, Mr. PASTOR, and Mr. LAUGHLIN) introduced the

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Public Works and

Transportation

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 1993’’.
2

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1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

2 Congress finds that—

3 (1) there is currently a severe lack of potable

4 water and waste water treatment facilities in the

5 southwest region of the United States;

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

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

8 (3) this pollution presents a grave threat to

9 public health, due to the proliferation of infectious

10 diseases under such conditions.

11 SEC. 3. GRANTS TO COLONIAS.

12 Title II of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act

13 (33 U.S.C. 1281–1299 et seq.) is amended by adding the

14 following new section:

15 ‘‘SEC. 220. GRANTS TO COLONIAS.

16 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other pro17 vision of law, the Administrator is authorized to make

18 grants to each of the States of Texas, New Mexico, Ari19 zona, and California for waste water treatment for—

20 ‘‘(1) a colonia of such State that meets the re21 quirements of subsection (b); and

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

23 subdivision of such State acting on behalf of a

24 colonia that meets the requirements of subsection

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

2 the requirements of this subsection is a community that—

3 ‘‘(1) is determined to be a colonia on the basis

4 of objective criteria, which may include the lack of

5 a potable water supply, lack of adequate sewage sys6 tems, or lack of decent, safe, and sanitary housing;

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

8 kilometers of the international boundary between

9 Mexico and the United States; and

10 ‘‘(3) was in existence as a colonia before No11 vember 27, 1990.

12 ‘‘(c) USE OF GRANT.—A grant made under this sec13 tion may be used for the planning, design, and construc14 tion, including the extension, improvement, alteration, or

15 reconstruction of facilities for the treatment of waste

16 water or the disposal of waste water by surface or under17 ground methods, or both.

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

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

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

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

22 are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section

23 such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years beginning

24 after September 30, 1993.’’.

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