I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1106
To authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to
make grants to State agencies with responsibility for water source devel-
opment for the purpose of maximizing available water supply and protect-
ing the environment through the development of alternative water
sources.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 11, 1999
Mr. THURMAN (for herself, Mrs. FOWLER, Ms. BROWN of Florida, Mr. MICA,
Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. BOYD, Mr. COLLINS, Mr. DAVIS of Florida, Mr.
DEAL of Georgia, Mr. DEUTSCH, Mr. FOLEY, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida,
Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. MCCOLLUM, Mrs. MEEK of Florida, Mr.
SHAW, Mr. STEARNS, and Mr. YOUNG of Florida) introduced the follow-
ing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and In-
frastructure
A BILL
To authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency to make grants to State agencies with re-
sponsibility for water source development for the purpose
of maximizing available water supply and protecting the
environment through the development of alternative
water sources.
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 ‘‘Alternative Water
Sources Act of 1999’’.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act, the following definitions apply:
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency.
(2) ALTERNATIVE WATER SOURCE PROJECT.—
The term ‘‘alternative water source project’’ means
a project designed to provide municipal, industrial,
and agricultural water supplies in an environ-
mentally sustainable manner by conserving, manag-
ing, treating, reclaiming, or reusing water or waste-
water.
(3) CRITICAL
WATER
SUPPLY
NEEDS.—The
term ‘‘critical water supply needs’’ means existing or
reasonably anticipated future water supply needs
that cannot be met by existing water supplies, as
identified in a comprehensive statewide or regional
water supply plan or assessment projected over a
planning period of at least 20 years.
SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR ALTERNATIVE WATER SOURCE
PROJECTS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator is authorized
to make grants for alternative water source projects to
State, interstate, and intrastate water resource develop-
ment agencies (including water management districts and
water supply authorities), local government agencies, pri-
vate utilities, and nonprofit entities.
(b) ELIGIBLE AGENCY.—The Administrator may
make grants under this section to an entity only if the
entity has authority under State law to develop or provide
water for municipal, industrial, and agricultural uses in
an area of the State that is experiencing critical water
supply needs.
(c) ELIGIBLE PROJECT.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Administrator may
make grants under this section for an alternative
water source project only if the purpose of the
project is to meet critical water supply needs and,
for projects for which the Federal share exceeds
$3,000,000, a committee resolution has been adopt-
ed pursuant to subsection (d)(1).
(2) LIMITATION.—A project located within the
boundaries of a State or area referred to in section
1 of the Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902 (32 Stat.
385) and within the geographic scope of the rec-
lamation and reuse program under the Reclamation
Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of 1992
(43 U.S.C. 390h et seq.) shall not be eligible for
grant assistance under this section.
(d) COMMITTEE RESOLUTION PROCEDURE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—No appropriation shall be
made for any project under this section, the total
Federal cost of which exceeds $3,000,000, if such
project has not been approved by a resolution adopt-
ed by the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure of the House of Representatives or the
Committee on Environment and Public Works of the
Senate.
(2) REQUIREMENTS FOR SECURING CONSIDER-
ATION.—For purposes of securing consideration of
approval under paragraph (1), the Administrator
shall provide to a committee referred to in para-
graph (1) such information as the committee re-
quests and the non-Federal sponsor shall provide to
the committee information on the costs and relative
needs for the project.
(e) USES OF GRANTS.—Amounts from grants re-
ceived under this section may be used for engineering, de-
sign, construction, and final testing of alternative water
source projects designed to meet critical water supply
needs. Such amounts may not be used for planning, fea-
sibility studies or for operation, maintenance, replacement,
repair, or rehabilitation.
(f) COST SHARING.—The Federal share of the eligi-
ble costs of a project carried out using assistance made
available under this section shall not exceed 50 percent.
SEC. 4. REPORTS.
(a) REPORTS TO ADMINISTRATOR.—Each recipient
of a grant under section 3 shall submit to the Adminis-
trator, not later than 18 months after the date of receipt
of the grant and biennially thereafter until completion of
the project funded by the grant, a report on eligible activi-
ties carried out by the grant recipient using amounts from
the grant.
(b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—On or before September
30, 2005, the Administrator shall transmit to Congress
a report on the progress made toward meeting the critical
water supply needs of the grant recipients under section
3.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out
this Act $75,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2000 through
2004. Such sums shall remain available until expended.
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