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103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 2546

To authorize appropriations for the provision of financial assistance to protect

public health, the environment, and water quality along the United

States-Mexico border.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 28, 1993

Mr. DE LA GARZA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Public Works and Transportation

A BILL

To authorize appropriations for the provision of financial

assistance to protect public health, the environment, and

water quality along the United States-Mexico border.

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 ‘‘Good Neighbor Envi5 ronmental Assistance Act of 1993’’.

6 SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

7 The purpose of this Act is to protect the economy,

8 public health, environment, and water quality of the Unit9 ed States-Mexico border area which is endangered and is
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1 being polluted by raw or partially treated sewage, effluent,

2 or other pollutants.

3 SEC. 3. CONSTRUCTION ASSISTANCE.

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Upon approval of the necessary

5 plans and specifications, the Administrator is authorized

6 to provide financial assistance to the Secretary of State,

7 acting through the American Section of the International

8 Boundary and Water Commission, or any other Federal

9 agency, any other appropriate commission, entity, or bor10 der State designated by the President. Such financial as11 sistance shall be for the construction of projects—

12 (1) consisting of wastewater treatment works to

13 protect the residents and surrounding areas from

14 pollution resulting from any inadequacies or break15 downs in wastewater treatment works and systems;

16 or

17 (2) consisting of treatment works to provide

18 primary or more advanced treatment of municipal

19 sewage and industrial waste.

20 (b) LIMITATION.—The Administrator may make

21 grants for construction of treatment works described in

22 subsection (a) in Mexico only if, after public notice and

23 comment, the Administrator determines that treatment

24 works in Mexico, in conjunction with any wastewater

25 treatment works or other project constructed under this
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1 or any other Act, are not sufficient to protect residents

2 of border States from water pollution originating in

3 Mexico.

4 (c) OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE.—The Commis5 sion or such other agency, commission, entity, or border

6 State as may be designated under subsection (a), is au7 thorized to operate and maintain any treatment works

8 constructed under subsection (a) in order to accomplish

9 the purposes of this Act.

10 (d) APPROVAL OF PLANS.—Any treatment works for

11 which financial assistance is made under this Act shall be

12 constructed in accordance with plans developed by the

13 Commissioner or such other agency, commission, entity,

14 or border State as may be designated under subsection

15 (a), in consultation with the appropriate officials of the

16 affected border State, and approved by the Administrator,

17 to meet the construction standards which would be appli18 cable if such treatment works were being constructed

19 under title II of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.

20 (e) FEDERAL SHARE.—Construction of the treatment

21 works under subsection (a) shall be at full Federal expense

22 less any costs paid by the affected border State and less

23 any costs paid by the Government of Mexico as a result

24 of agreements negotiated with the United States.
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1 SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

2 For purposes of this Act.—

3 (1) the term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Ad4 ministrator of the Environmental Protection Agency;

5 (2) the term ‘‘border State’’ means the States

6 of Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas; and

7 (3) the terms ‘‘construction’’ and ‘‘treatment

8 works’’ have the meanings such terms have under

9 section 212 of the Federal Water Pollution Control

10 Act (33 U.S.C. 1251).

11 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

12 There is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal years

13 beginning after September 30, 1993, such sums as may

14 be necessary to the Administrator to provide financial as15 sistance under this Act and such sums as may be nec16 essary to the Commission or such other agency, commis17 sion, entity, or border State as the President may des18 ignate under section 3 to carry out this Act.

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