San Diego Water Storage and Efficiency Act of 2005

        [Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1190 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 1190

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 9, 2006

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

AN ACT

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a feasibility study
to design and construct a four reservoir intertie system for the
purposes of improving the water storage opportunities, water supply
reliability, and water yield of San Vicente, El Capitan, Murray, and
Loveland Reservoirs in San Diego County, California in consultation and
cooperation with the City of San Diego and the Sweetwater Authority,
and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``San Diego Water Storage and
Efficiency Act of 2005''.

SEC. 2. FEASIBILITY STUDY, PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, COST SHARE.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter
referred to as ``Secretary''), in consultation and cooperation with the
City of San Diego and the Sweetwater Authority, is authorized to
undertake a study to determine the feasibility of constructing a four
reservoir intertie system to improve water storage opportunities, water
supply reliability, and water yield of the existing non-Federal water
storage system. The feasibility study shall document the Secretary's
engineering, environmental, and economic investigation of the proposed
reservoir and intertie project taking into consideration the range of
potential solutions and the circumstances and needs of the area to be
served by the proposed reservoir and intertie project, the potential
benefits to the people of that service area, and improved operations of
the proposed reservoir and intertie system. The Secretary shall
indicate in the feasibility report required under subsection (d)
whether the proposed reservoir and intertie project is recommended for
construction.
(b) Federal Cost Share.--The Federal share of the costs of the
feasibility study shall not exceed 50 percent of the total study costs.
The Secretary may accept as part of the non-Federal cost share, any
contribution of such in-kind services by the City of San Diego and the
Sweetwater Authority that the Secretary determines will contribute
toward the conduct and completion of the study.
(c) Cooperation.--The Secretary shall consult and cooperate with
appropriate State, regional, and local authorities in implementing this
section.
(d) Feasibility Report.--The Secretary shall submit to Congress a
feasibility report for the project the Secretary recommends, and to
seek, as the Secretary deems appropriate, specific authority to develop
and construct any recommended project. This report shall include--
(1) good faith letters of intent by the City of San Diego
and the Sweetwater Authority and its non-Federal partners to
indicate that they have committed to share the allocated costs
as determined by the Secretary; and
(2) a schedule identifying the annual operation,
maintenance, and replacement costs that should be allocated to
the City of San Diego and the Sweetwater Authority, as well as
the current and expected financial capability to pay operation,
maintenance, and replacement costs.

SEC. 3. FEDERAL RECLAMATION PROJECTS.

Nothing in this Act shall supersede or amend the provisions of
Federal Reclamation laws or laws associated with any project or any
portion of any project constructed under any authority of Federal
Reclamation laws.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $3,000,000
for the Federal cost share of the study authorized in section 2.

SEC. 5. SUNSET.

The authority of the Secretary to carry out any provisions of this
Act shall terminate 10 years after the date of the enactment of this
Act.

Passed the House of Representatives March 8, 2006.

Attest:

KAREN L. HAAS,

Clerk.