Community Emergency Drought Relief Act
PL 95-31 (S.1279), enacted 05/23/1977

PUBLIC LAW 95-31—MAY 23, 1977 
91 STAT. 169 
Public Law 95-31 
95th Congress 
An Act 
To provide temporary authorities to the Secretary of Commerce to facilitate 
emergency actions to mitigate the impacts of the 1976-77 drought and promote 
water conservation. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Refresentatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That this Act be 
cited as the "Community Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1977". 
SEC. 101. (a) Upon the application of any State, political subdivi-
sion of a State, Indian tribe, or public or private nonprofit organiza-
tion, the Secretary of Commerce is authorized to make grants and 
loans to applicants in drought impacted areas for projects that imple-
ment short-term actions to augment community water supplies where 
there are severe problems due to water shortages. Such assistance may 
be for the improvement, expansion, or construction of water supplies, 
and puIx^hase and transportation of water, which in the opinion of the 
Secretary of Commerce will make a substantial contribution to the 
relief of an existing or threatened drought condition in a designated 
area. 
(b) The Secretary of Commerce may designate any area in the 
United States as an emergency drought impact area if he or she finds 
that a major and continuing advei'se drought condition exists and is 
expected to continue, and such condition is causing significant hard-
ships on the affected areas. 
(c) Eligible applicants shall be those States or political subdivisions 
of States with a population of ten thousand or more, Indian tribes, 
or public or private nonprofit organizations within areas designated 
pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. 
(d) Projects assisted under this Act shall be only those with respect 
to which assurances can be given to the satisfaction of the Secretary 
of Commerce that the work can be completed by April 30, 1978, or 
within such extended time as the Secretary may approve in excep-
tional circumstances. 
SEC. 102. Grants hereunder shall be in an amount not to exceed 50 
per centum of allowable project costs. Loans shall be for a term not 
to exceed 40 years at a per annum interest rate of 5 per centum and 
shall be on such terms and conditions as the Secretary of Commerce 
shall determine. In determining the amount of a grant assistance for 
any project, the Secretary of Commerce may take into consideration 
such factors as are established by regulation and are consistent with 
the purposes of this Act. 
SEC. 103. In extending assistance under this Act the Secretary shall 
take into consideration the relative needs of applicant areas for the 
projects for which assistance is requested, and the appropriateness of 
the project for relieving the conditions intended to be alleviated by 
this Act. 
SEC. 104. The Secretary of Commerce shall have such powers and 
authorities under this Act as are vested in the Secretary by sections 
701 and 708 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 
1965, as amended, with respect to that Act. 
SEC. 105. The National Environmental Protection Act of 1969, as 
amended, shall be implemented to the fullest extent consistent with but 
May 23, 1977 
[S. 1279] 
Community 
Emergency 
Drought Relief 
Act of 1977. 
42 u s e 5184 
note. 
Grants and loans. 
42 u s e 5184 
note. 
Area, 
Applicants. 
IOF; 
Project 
completion dates. 
Terms and 
conditions. 
42 use 5184 
note. 
Project priorities. 
42 use 5184 
note. 
42 use 5184 
note. 
42 u s e 3211, 
3218. 
42 u s e 5184 
note. 
42 u s e 4321 
note. 
91 STAT. 170 
PUBLIC LAW 95-31—MAY 23, 1977 
subject to the time constraints imposed by this Act, and the Sec-
retary of Commerce when making the final determination regarding 
an application for assistance hereunder shall give consideration to the 
environmental consequences determined within that period. 
Appropriation 
SEC. 106. (a) There is hereby authorized to be appropriated for the 
authorization. 
fiscal 
year ending September 30, 1977, $225,000,000 of which sum 
42 use 5184 
$150,000,000 is to be for the loan program herein, including adminis-
"° ^
" 
tration thereof, and $75,000,000 of which is to be used for the grant 
program herein, including administration thereof, and such addi^tional 
amounts for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1978, as may be 
reasonably needed for administrative expenses in monitoring and 
closing out the program authorized by the Act. Funds authorized by 
this Act shall be obligated by December 31, 1977. 
(b) Funds available to the Secretary for this Act shall be available 
for expenditur-o for drought impact projects conducted heretofore by 
eligible applicants during fiscal year 1977 if such projects are found 
to be compatible with the broad purposes of this Act. 
TITLE II 
SEC, 201. The first sentence of section 201(a) of the Public Works 
and Economic Development Act Amendments of 1976 (Public Law 
42 use 3121 
94^87) is amended by striking out "one year" and inserting in lieu 
°ot6- 
thereof "eighteen months". 
42 use 3121 
SEC. 202. Section 202 of such Act is amended— 
"ote. 
(a) by striking out "and" at the end of subsection (4) ; 
(b) by sti'iking out "chapter 57 and subchapter 53 of such title 
- , 
relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates" in sub-
section (5), and inserting in lieu thereof "chapter 51 and chapter 
5 use 5101, 
53 of such title"; 
5301. 
(c) by sti'iking out the period at the end of subsection (5), and 
inserting a semicolon in lieu thereof; and 
.? ..:,i 
(d) by adding at the end the following new subsections: 
"(6) accept and use gifts or bequests of services, moneys and 
property; and 
"(7) use appropriated funds and act as may be necessary and 
!,,.„„ . „.- T 
appropriate without regard to the provisions of section 551 of 
title 31, United States Code, section 34 of title 40, United States 
I'H. 
Code, and section 5 of title 41, United States Code.". 
Approved May 23, 1977. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 
SENATE REPORT No. 95-115 (eomm. on Environment and Public Works). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 123 (1977): 
May 11, considered and passed Senate. 
May 17, considered and passed House. 
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 13, No. 22: 
May 23, Presidential statement. 
• p i .