[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 18 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
1st Session
H. R. 18
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 13, 2005
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau
of Reclamation and in coordination with other Federal, State, and local
government agencies, to participate in the funding and implementation
of a balanced, long-term groundwater remediation program in California,
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 ``Southern California Groundwater
Remediation Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
For the purposes of this Act:
(1) Groundwater remediation.--The term ``groundwater
remediation'' means actions that are necessary to prevent,
minimize, clean up, or mitigate damage to groundwater.
(2) Local water authority.--The term ``local water
authority'' means a currently existing (on the date of the
enactment of this Act) public water district, public water
utility, public water planning agency, municipality, or Indian
Tribe located within the natural watershed of the Santa Ana
River in the State of California.
(3) Remediation fund.--The term ``Remediation Fund'' means
the Southern California Groundwater Remediation Fund
established pursuant to section 3(a).
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
SEC. 3. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GROUNDWATER REMEDIATION.
(a) Southern California Groundwater Remediation.--
(1) Establishment of remediation fund.--There shall be
established within the Treasury of the United States an
interest bearing account to be known as the ``Southern
California Groundwater Remediation Fund''.
(2) Administration of remediation fund.--The Remediation
Fund shall be administered by the Secretary, acting through the
Bureau of Reclamation. The Secretary shall administer the
Remediation Fund in cooperation with the local water authority.
(3) Purposes of remediation fund.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the
amounts in the Remediation Fund, including interest
accrued, shall be used by the Secretary to provide
grants to the local water authority to reimburse the
local water authority for the Federal share of the
costs associated with designing and constructing
groundwater remediation projects to be administered by
the local water authority.
(B) Cost-sharing limitation.--
(i) In general.--The Secretary may not
obligate any funds appropriated to the
Remediation Fund in a fiscal year until the
Secretary has deposited into the Remediation
Fund an amount provided by non-Federal
interests sufficient to ensure that at least 35
percent of any funds obligated by the Secretary
for a groundwater remediation project are from
funds provided to the Secretary for that
project by the non-Federal interests.
(ii) Non-federal responsibility.--Each
local water authority shall be responsible for
providing the non-Federal amount required by
clause (i) for projects under that local water
authority. The State of California, local
government agencies, and private entities may
provide all or any portion of the non-Federal
amount.
(iii) Credits toward non-federal share.--
For purposes of clause (ii), the Secretary
shall credit the appropriate local water
authority with the value of all prior
expenditures by non-Federal interests made
after January 1, 2000, that are compatible with
the purposes of this section, including--
(I) all expenditures made by non-
Federal interests to design and
construct groundwater remediation
projects, including expenditures
associated with environmental analyses,
and public involvement activities that
were required to implement the
groundwater remediation projects in
compliance with applicable Federal and
State laws; and
(II) all expenditures made by non-
Federal interests to acquire lands,
easements, rights-of-way, relocations,
disposal areas, and water rights that
were required to implement a
groundwater remediation project.
(b) Compliance With Applicable Law.--In carrying out the activities
described in this section, the Secretary shall comply with any
applicable Federal and State laws.
(c) Relationship to Other Activities.--Nothing in this section
shall be construed to affect other Federal or State authorities that
are being used or may be used to facilitate remediation and protection
of the groundwater the natural watershed of the Santa Ana River in the
State of California. In carrying out the activities described in this
section, the Secretary shall integrate such activities with ongoing
Federal and State projects and activities. None of the funds made
available for such activities pursuant to this section shall be counted
against any Federal authorization ceiling established for any
previously authorized Federal projects or activities.
(d) Financial Statements and Audits.--The Secretary shall ensure
that all funds obligated and disbursed under this Act and expended by a
local water authority, are accounted for in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles and are subjected to regular audits in
accordance with applicable procedures, manuals, and circulars of the
Department of the Interior and the Office of Management and Budget.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.-- There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Remediation Fund $50,000,000. Such funds shall
remain available until expended. Subject to the limitations in section
4, such funds shall remain available until expended.
SEC. 4. SUNSET OF AUTHORITY.
This Act--
(1) shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this
Act; and
(2) is repealed effective as of the date that is 10 years
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
Passed the House of Representatives April 12, 2005.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.