I
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2545
To authorize appropriations for grants by the Environmental Protection
Agency and other appropriate entities to assist colonias.
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 grants by the Environmental
Protection Agency and other appropriate entities to as-
sist colonias.
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 ‘‘Colonia Assistance Au-
thorization Act of 1993’’.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to protect the economy,
public health, environment, and water quality of the Unit-
ed States-Mexico border area which is endangered and is
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being polluted by raw or partially treated sewage, effluent,
or other pollutants.
SEC. 3. GRANTS TO ALLEVIATE HEALTH RISK.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator is authorized
to make grants to any Federal agency, any other appro-
priate entity, or border State designated by the President,
for eligible communities to provide for the conservation,
development, use, and control of water (including the ex-
tension or improvement of existing water supply systems),
and the installation or improvement of sewers, wastewater
treatment works, and essential community facilities in-
cluding necessary related equipment. Such grants shall be
available to provide such water and wastewater treatment
facilities and services to eligible communities whose resi-
dents face significant health risks, as determined by the
Administrator, due to the fact that a significant propor-
tion of the eligible community’s residents do not have ac-
cess to, or are not served by, adequate affordable—
(1) water supply systems; or
(2) wastewater treatment works.
(b) OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE.—The Adminis-
trator or such other agency, entity, or border State as may
be designated by the President under subsection (a) is au-
thorized to operate and maintain any treatment works or
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other project constructed under subsection (a) in order to
accomplish the proposes of this Act
(c) APPROVAL OF PLANS.—Any treatment works or
other project for which a grant is made under this Act
shall be constructed in accordance with plans and speci-
fications developed by the Administrator or such other
agency, entity, or border State as may be designated
under subsection (a), in consultation with the appropriate
officials of the affected border State, and approved by the
Administrator, to meet the construction standards which
would be applicable if such treatment works were being
constructed under title II of the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act—
(1) the term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Ad-
ministrator of the Environmental Protection Agency;
(2) the term ‘‘border State’’ means the States
of Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas;
(3) the term ‘‘construction’’ and ‘‘treatment
works’’ have the meanings such terms have under
section 212 of the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act (33 U.S.C. 1251); and
(4) the term ‘‘eligible communities’’ means
those low-income communities commonly referred to
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as colonias that are located along the United States-
Mexico border, generally in unincorporated areas,
that lack basic sanitation facilities such as safe
drinking water, household plumbing, and proper
sewage disposal systems.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal years
beginning after September 30, 1993, such sums as may
be necessary to the Administrator to make grants under
this Act and such sums as may be necessary to any agen-
cy, entity, or border State that the President may des-
ignate under section 3 to carry out this Act.
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