I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1648
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain water distribution 
systems of the Cachuma Project, California, to the Carpinteria Valley 
Water District and the Montecito Water District. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 7, 2003
Mrs. CAPPS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Resources 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain 
water distribution systems of the Cachuma Project, Cali-
fornia, to the Carpinteria Valley Water District and the 
Montecito Water District.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Carpinteria and 
Montecito Water Distribution Systems Conveyance Act of 
2003’’.
SEC. 2. CONVEYANCE OF WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS 
OF THE CACHUMA PROJECT, CALIFORNIA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Interior—
(1) may convey to the Carpinteria Valley Water 
District, located in Santa Barbara County, Cali-
fornia, all right, title, and interest of the United 
States in and to the Carpinteria Distribution System 
of the Cachuma Project, California, consistent with 
the terms and conditions set forth in the agreement 
entitled ‘‘Agreement Between the United States and 
the Carpinteria Valley Water District to Transfer 
Title to the Federally Owned Distribution System to 
the Carpinteria Valley Water District’’ (Agreement 
No. 00–XC–20–0364); and 
(2) may convey to the Montecito Water Dis-
trict, located in Santa Barbara County, California, 
all right, title, and interest of the United States in 
and to the Montecito Water Distribution System of 
the Cachuma Project, California, consistent with the 
terms and conditions set forth in the agreement en-
titled ‘‘Agreement Between the United States and 
the Montecito Water District to Transfer Title to 
the Federally Owned Distribution System to the 
Montecito Water District’’ (Agreement No. 01–XC–
20–0365).
(b) LIABILITY.—Effective upon the date of convey-
ance of a distribution system under this section, the 
United States shall not be held liable by any court for 
damages of any kind arising out of any act, omission, or 
occurrence relating to the distribution system, except for 
damages caused by acts of negligence committed by the 
United States or by its employees or agents prior to the 
date of conveyance. Nothing in this section increases the 
liability of the United States beyond that provided in chap-
ter 171 of title 28, United States Code (popularly known 
as the Federal Tort Claims Act) on the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
(c) BENEFITS.—After conveyance of a water distribu-
tion system to the Carpinteria Valley Water District or 
the Montecito Water District under this section—
(1) such water distribution system shall not be 
considered to be a part of a Federal reclamation 
project; and 
(2) such water district shall not be eligible to 
receive any benefits with respect to any facility com-
prising that distribution system, except benefits that 
would be available to a similarly situated person 
with respect to such a facility that is not part of a 
Federal reclamation project.
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