‘‘(iii) 
SUBSEQUENT
FUNDING 
AWARDS.—After approval by Congress of 
an initial award of preconstruction or con-
struction funding for an eligible desalina-
tion project under clause (ii), the Commis-
sioner of Reclamation may award addi-
tional 
preconstruction 
or 
construction 
funding, respectively, for the eligible desali-
nation project without further congres-
sional approval.’’. 
SEC. 3. PRIORITIZATION FOR PROJECTS. 
Section 4 of the Water Desalination Act of 1996 (42 
U.S.C. 10301 note; Public Law 104–298) is amended by 
striking subsection (c) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(c) PRIORITIZATION.—In carrying out demonstra-
tion and development activities under this section, the Sec-
retary and the Commissioner of Reclamation shall each 
prioritize projects— 
‘‘(1) for the benefit of drought-stricken States 
and communities; 
‘‘(2) for the benefit of States that have author-
ized funding for research and development of desali-
nation technologies and projects; 
‘‘(3) that demonstrably reduce a reliance on im-
ported water supplies that have an impact on species 
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listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); 
‘‘(4) that, in a measurable and verifiable man-
ner, reduce a reliance on imported water supplies 
from imperiled ecosystems such as the Sacramento- 
San Joaquin River Delta; 
‘‘(5) that demonstrably leverage the experience 
of international partners with considerable expertise 
in desalination, such as the state of Israel; 
‘‘(6) that maximize use of renewable energy to 
power desalination facilities; 
‘‘(7) that maximize energy efficiency so that the 
lifecycle energy demands of desalination are mini-
mized; 
‘‘(8) located in regions that have employed 
strategies to increase water conservation and the 
capture and recycling of wastewater and stormwater; 
and 
‘‘(9) that meet the following criteria if they are 
ocean desalination facilities— 
‘‘(A) utilize a subsurface intake or, if a 
subsurface intake is not technologically feasible, 
an intake that uses the best available site, de-
sign, technology, and mitigation measures to 
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minimize the mortality of all forms of marine 
life and impacts to coastal dependent resources; 
‘‘(B) are sited and designed to ensure that 
the disposal of wastewaters including brine 
from the desalination process— 
‘‘(i) are not discharged to impaired 
bodies of water, or State or Federal Ma-
rine Protected Areas; and 
‘‘(ii) achieve ambient salinity levels 
within a reasonable distance from the dis-
charge point; 
‘‘(C) are sited, designed, and operated in a 
manner that maintains indigenous marine life 
and a healthy and diverse marine community; 
‘‘(D) do not cause significant unmitigated 
harm to aquatic life; and 
‘‘(E) include a construction and operation 
plan designed to minimize loss of coastal habi-
tat as well as aesthetic, noise, and air quality 
impacts.’’. 
SEC. 4. RECOMMENDATIONS TO CONGRESS. 
In determining project recommendations to Congress 
under section 4(a)(2)(F)(ii)(II) of the Water Desalination 
Act of 1996, the Commissioner of Reclamation shall estab-
lish a priority scoring system that assigns priority scores 
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to each project evaluated based on the prioritization cri-
teria of section 4(c) of the Water Desalination Act of 1996 
(42 U.S.C. 10301 note; Public Law 104–298). 
Æ 
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