131 
funding, respectively, for the eligible desali-
nation project without further congres-
sional approval.’’. 
(c) 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 sub-
section (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 
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;
132 
‘‘(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) use a subsurface intake or, if a sub-
surface intake is not technologically feasible, an 
intake that uses the best available site, design, 
technology, and mitigation measures to mini-
mize 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—
133 
‘‘(i) are not discharged to impaired 
bodies of water or State or Federal Marine 
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 and aesthetic, noise, and air quality im-
pacts.’’. 
(d) RECOMMENDATIONS TO CONGRESS.—In deter-
mining project recommendations to Congress under sec-
tion 4(a)(2)(G)(ii)(II) of the Water Desalination Act of 
1996, the Commissioner of Reclamation shall establish a 
priority scoring system that assigns priority scores to each 
project evaluated based on the prioritization criteria of 
section 4(c) of the Water Desalination Act of 1996 (42 
U.S.C. 10301 note; Public Law 104–298).
134 
SEC. 213. ASSISTANCE FOR DISADVANTAGED COMMU-
NITIES 
WITHOUT 
ADEQUATE 
DRINKING 
WATER. 
(a) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide 
grants within the Reclamation States to assist eligible ap-
plicants in planning, designing, or carrying out projects 
to help disadvantaged communities address a significant 
decline in the quantity or quality of drinking water. 
(b) ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS.—To be eligible to receive 
a grant under this section, an applicant shall submit an 
application to the Secretary that includes a proposal of 
the project or activity in subsection (c) to be planned, de-
signed, constructed, or implemented, the service area of 
which— 
(1) is not located in a city or town with a popu-
lation of more than 60,000 residents; and 
(2) has a median household income of less than 
100 percent of the nonmetropolitan median house-
hold income of the State. 
(c) ELIGIBLE
PROJECTS.—Projects eligible for 
grants under this program may be used for— 
(1) emergency water supplies; 
(2) distributed treatment facilities; 
(3) construction of new wells and connections to 
existing water source systems; 
(4) water distribution facilities;
135 
(5) connection fees to existing systems; 
(6) assistance to households to connect to water 
facilities; 
(7) local resource sharing, including voluntary 
agreements between water systems to jointly con-
tract for services or equipment, or to study or imple-
ment the physical consolidation of two or more water 
systems; 
(8) technical assistance, planning, and design 
for any of the activities described in paragraphs (1) 
through (7); or 
(9) any combination of activities described in 
paragraphs (1) through (8). 
(d) PRIORITIZATION.—In determining priorities for 
funding projects, the Secretary shall take into consider-
ation— 
(1) where the decline in the quantity or quality 
of water poses the greatest threat to public health 
and safety; 
(2) the degree to which the project provides a 
long-term solution to the water needs of the commu-
nity; and 
(3) whether the applicant has the ability to 
qualify for alternative funding sources.
136 
(e) MAXIMUM AMOUNT.—The amount of a grant pro-
vided under this section may be up to 100 percent of costs, 
including— 
(1) initial operation costs incurred for startup 
and testing of project facilities; 
(2) costs of components to ensure such facilities 
and components are properly operational; and 
(3) costs of operation or maintenance incurred 
subsequent to placing the facilities or components 
into service. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$100,000,000, to remain available until expended. 
(g) COORDINATION REQUIRED.—In carrying out this 
section, the Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of 
Agriculture and the Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency to identify opportunities to improve the 
efficiency, effectiveness, and impact of activities carried 
out under this section to help disadvantaged communities 
address a significant decline in the quantity or quality of 
drinking water.