H.R. 540House109th Congress (2005-2007)Passed House

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey the Newlands Project Headquarters and Maintenance Yard Facility to the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District.

Legislative Activity

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10 earlier actions

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

May 17, 2005

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

February 2, 2005

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Resources.

Natural Resources Committee

February 2, 2005

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water and Power.

Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee

February 16, 2005

HouseFloor

Mr. Renzi moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

May 16, 2005 • 2:55 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3278-3283)

May 16, 2005 • 2:55 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 540.

May 16, 2005 • 2:55 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H3278-3281)

May 16, 2005 • 3:04 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3278-3281)

May 16, 2005 • 3:04 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

May 16, 2005 • 3:04 PM

HouseFloor

The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.

May 16, 2005 • 3:04 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

May 17, 2005

Floor Debate

9 members

What members said about H.R. 540 on the floor

5 Republicans4 Democrats

Rep. Todd TiahrtR-KS-4 · May 23, 2005

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in favor of H.R. 540. This bill would authorize the Equus Beds Aquifer recharge project in my district that will help meet the water needs of nearly 500,000 people in…

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in favor of H.R. 540. This bill would authorize the Equus Beds Aquifer recharge project in my district that will help meet the water needs of nearly 500,000 people in Kansas. This is an environmentally beneficial plan that will help ensure the City of Wichita, surrounding smaller communities, agriculture irrigators and local industry will have a clean and plentiful water supply for decades to come.

I want to thank Chairman Pombo for his leadership in working with me on this important project. Seeking federal authorization for the recharge of the Equus Beds Aquifer is something I have worked on for many years, and I am grateful to the Chairman and his staff for including language contained in my original bill into H.R. 540.

I also want to thank City of Wichita officials for their efforts in helping this project move forward. Their vision to ensure our community's water needs are met both now and in the future is extremely important. Leadership from Mayor Carlos Mayans along with City Council members Carl Brewer, Sue Schlapp, Jim Skelton, Paul Gray, Bob Martz and Sharon Fearey will continue to be needed for this project to be a success.

Wichita Water and Sewer Director David Warren and Water Supply Projects Administrator Gerald Blain have been especially helpful to me and my staff over the years in navigating the details of the recharge project. I appreciate their dedication to public service.

Nearly half a million people depend on the Equus Beds Aquifer and Cheney Reservoir to meet their water needs. Without water from the Equus Beds, Wichita and surrounding communities would face a serious water shortage.

The Equus Beds Aquifer is the body of water beneath portions of Sedgwick, Harvey, McPherson and Reno counties within the boundaries of Groundwater Management District Number 2. The aquifer lies under 900,000 acres, and annual withdrawals from the aquifer average 157,000 acre feet. Approximately 55 percent of the water is used for irrigation; 39 percent is used for municipal needs in Wichita, Halstead, Newton, Hutchinson, McPherson and Valley Center; and six percent is used by local industry.

The Equus Beds Aquifer recharge project involves taking floodwater from the Little Arkansas River and depositing that excess water into the aquifer through water supply wells after going through a filtration system.

Since the 1950's, water levels in the aquifer have dropped 40 feet because water rights and pumpage exceed the aquifer's natural recharge rate of six inches per year. Due to this over usage, saltwater from the southwest and oilfield brine from the northwest are threatening the aquifer. When the aquifer levels were higher, the elevated levels created a natural barrier that kept the contamination at bay. Now that the water levels have dropped, the natural barrier is no longer there. If the aquifer is not replenished, the maximum chloride levels will eventually exceed what is permitted for both agricultural and municipal usage.

This aquifer recharge project is a win-win project for all the communities who depend on its water. The City of Wichita and surrounding municipalities benefit because water can be safely stored to meet short-term and long-term water supply needs.

Agriculture irrigators also benefit because the risk of saltwater contamination is reduced. Without the natural barrier of an elevated water level in the aquifer, the water would eventually become contaminated to the point where it would be unsuitable for use even on crops. Irrigators should also see reduced costs associated with pumping since the water level will rise.

The Little Arkansas River and its ecosystem also benefit. During times of drought, a natural discharge from the Equus Beds Aquifer into the river will occur creating a more stable base flow.

Under the language contained in H.R. 540, the City of Wichita will be required to maintain and operate the recharge project, which ensures the federal government will not bear costs associated with its ongoing operation costs.

Recharging the Equus Beds is the most cost-efficient means to provide water for the greater Wichita area. And it is the best option available to keep salt and oilfield brine out of this critical water supply without greatly restricting water usage.

In 2004, Gerald Bain with the City of Wichita testified before the House Committee on Resources on the need for federal authorization of the recharge project. I am including his testimony with my remarks because I think it tells of the water needs faced by our community and the many benefits that will come with a recharge of the Equus Beds.

I urge my colleagues to join me today in voting for H.R. 540. This is a good bill that will greatly benefit the people in south-central Kansas.

The 2004 testimony by Gerald T. Blain, P.E.:

The City of Wichita, Kansas has had water supply wells in the Equus Beds Aquifer for over 60 years, and the aquifer has been a major source of the City's drinking water. However, because of excess pumping from the aquifer by municipal and agricultural users, water levels in the aquifer had declined up to 40 feet from their pre-development levels by 1992. Because of this over development, the Equus Beds aquifer is threatened by saltwater contamination from two sources. One source is natural saltwater from the Arkansas River located along the southwest border of the City's wellfield. The other source is oilfield brine contamination left over from the development of oil wells in the Burrton area in the 1930's, located northwest of the wellfield.

Groundwater modeling by the Bureau of Reclamation indicates that the chloride levels, which are an indicator of salinity, could exceed 300 mg/l in much of the wellfield by the year 2050. This would be above the 250 mg/l standard for drinking water. In order to protect the water quality of the area, steps must be taken to retard the movement of the salt-water plumes.

In 1993 the City of Wichita began implementation of a unique Integrated Local Water Supply Plan that is intended to meet the City's water supply needs through the year 2050. By the year 2050 it is projected that the City's water supply needs will almost double what they are now. The City's Plan uses a variety of local water resources to meet water needs, rather than requiring the City to transfer water from a remote reservoir in Northeast Kansas. A key component of the Plan includes an Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) project to recharge the City's existing wellfield in the Equus Beds Aquifer.

The excess pumping from the aquifer, and the resulting water level decline, has created a storage volume of almost 65 billion gallons that can be used to store water. The basic concept of the City's ASR project is to capture water from the Little Arkansas River and use it to recharge the aquifer. Computer modeling, and past experience at other sites throughout the country, has found that by recharging the aquifer a hydraulic barrier can be created that would retard the movement of the salt-water plumes. In addition, the 65 billion gallons that could be stored in the dewatered portion of the aquifer could be used as a component of the City's water supply.

Unfortunately, all of the ``conventional'' water rights in the Little Arkansas River have already been allocated. However, excess flows in the river, which occur only after it rains or snows, have not been allocated. Computer modeling has predicted that there are enough days of excess flow that enough water can be captured to allow the aquifer to be recharged and become a valuable component of

the City's water supply. The modeling predicts that if the City builds an ASR system with the capacity to capture up to 100 million gallons per day, that it would still capture only a fraction of the water flowing down the river, and it would not have a negative impact on the river.

The City intends to capture water from the river using two techniques, either by using ``bank storage'' wells or by pumping directly from the river. ``Bank Storage'' wells take advantage of a unique geological condition that occurs along the river. As the river rises above the base flow, water is temporarily stored in the river's banks, but as the flow in the river declines, the water in the banks discharges back into the river. The City intends to drill wells adjacent to the river that will capture ``bank storage'' water and induce river water to replace the water pumped.

The City recognized that some of the concepts included in the proposed ASR project have not been done before, so to prove the feasibility of those concepts the City completed a 5-year Demonstration Project. During the Demonstration Project, which was done in partnership with the Bureau of Reclamation and the US Geological Survey, the City constructed a full-scale well adjacent to the Little Arkansas River, a river intake and a water treatment plant, and a variety of recharge facilities. To prove that the recharge project was safe, over 4,000 water samples were collected and analyzed for up to 400 different potential contaminates. During the Demonstration Project over one billion gallons of water were successfully recharged into the aquifer, and the City was able to prove that excess flows in the Little Arkansas River could be captured and recharged, and that it can be done without harming the aquifer.

The full-scale ASR project, which will be constructed in phases, will capture and recharge up to 100 million gallons per day, and will cost approximately $137 million. All of the water that will be recharged into the aquifer must meet drinking water standards, and will be monitored and regulated by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Normally, when surface water is developed for a water resource, it requires the construction of a reservoir. A reservoir that would provide the same storage as this ASR project would probably consume around 25,000 to 30,000 acres of prime farmland. It is projected that the ASR project will use less than 400 acres of farmland.

The City of Wichita and others believe that the ASR project is a Win- Win project, because it appears that all of the stakeholders receive benefits from the projects. As a result of this project:

The City develops a water supply source that will allow it to meet its water supply needs through the year 2050.

The water quality of the wellfield is protected from salt-water contamination.

There is no requirement to curtail irrigation to restore water levels and protect water quality.

Irrigators will have lower pumping costs because water levels will be higher.

Low flows in the Little Arkansas River will improve, because additional water will ``leak'' from the Equus Beds back into the river.

The project uses less land than any other surface water development project.

The City has already implemented some components of the Integrated Local Water Supply Plan, including implementation of a water rate structure designed to reduce water consumption, and a greater emphasis on using water from Cheney Reservoir, and a corresponding reduction in water pumped from the Equus Beds. That alteration in water use has already allowed water levels in the Equus Beds to rise over 20 feet in some areas.

Phase I of the ASR Project, which is currently being designed, will have the capacity to capture and recharge up to 10 million gallons per day of water from the Little Arkansas River by using Bank Storage wells. The location of the first recharge facilities is intended to begin the formation of a hydraulic barrier to the movement of salt- water plume from the Burrton area. It will take almost 10 years to construct the entire full-scale project.

The City believes that this project represents a new approach to developing water resources, while at the same time protecting an existing water resource from contamination. The City of Wichita therefore urges support for federal assistance for this unique project.

Rep. Jim GibbonsR-NV-2 · May 16, 2005

Mr. Speaker, first, let me thank my good friend and colleague from Arizona for allowing me the privilege to rise today in support of legislation I introduced, the Newlands Project Headquarters and…

Mr. Speaker, first, let me thank my good friend and colleague from Arizona for allowing me the privilege to rise today in support of legislation I introduced, the Newlands Project Headquarters and Maintenance Yard Facility Transfer Act, H.R. 540.

This legislation passed the House under suspension of the rules last year, but was not considered in the Senate prior to the adjournment of the 108th Congress. I truly appreciate the opportunity to stand before my colleagues again in support of this legislation that is so important for the people of the Second District of the State of Nevada.

The purpose of this legislation is to transfer all right, title, and interest in the Newlands Project to the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District, otherwise known as TCID. This conveyance consists of approximately 35 acres and will allow TCID to make permanent improvements on this land for the continued operation of the Newlands Reclamation Project.

In 1996, the Bureau of Reclamation certified that TCID had repaid the original construction costs designated for repayment to the United States. The original construction costs included the cost of the land on which the initial headquarter facilities were located. In the late 1970s, however, TCID had outgrown the original facilities and moved to the current site, which is the area to be conveyed through this legislation.

TCID paid for the land where the original facilities were located; however, they were never compensated when they vacated these lots, despite the fact that a Federal post office now sits on the original tract of land that housed the project headquarters.

Critics will charge that this bill unfairly favors the TCID and that the land is a taxpayer asset and should be treated accordingly. Those assertions simply do not make sense.

The Bureau of Reclamation certified that the Newlands Project had been paid for and asking the TCID to pay for their land that their headquarters is currently located on would be in effect asking them to pay for it twice.

To say that H.R. 540 is a giveaway is simply incorrect and misrepresents the intent of this important legislation. This bill is a fair solution to an unfair situation.

Therefore, I urge my colleagues to join me and Senator John Ensign and Senator Harry Reid and Governor Kenny Guinn of Nevada and the local leaders of Churchill County and the city of Fallon, Nevada, in supporting this legislation.

I want to thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi), my good friend and colleague, once again for allowing me to speak on this bill. I appreciate the consideration of this legislation that is so very important to my constituents in Nevada.

Rep. Rick RenziR-AZ-1 · May 16, 2005

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 540) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey the Newlands Project Headquarters and Maintenance Yard Facility to the…

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 540) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey the Newlands Project Headquarters and Maintenance Yard Facility to the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 540.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

H.R. 540 directs the Secretary of the Interior to transfer 35 acres of the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District as soon as practicable. Before the transfer takes place, all environmental analyses will be completed in accordance with Federal, State and local laws.

As amended, this important bill also includes a number of other bipartisan water measures either favorably reported by the Committee on Resources in the waning days of the 108th Congress or those which were passed in the last Congress but were not considered by the Senate. Today's effort is an attempt to make it easier for Senate to pass these measures.

These bipartisan bills include H.R. 386, legislation offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa) and some of his lower Rio Grande, Texas colleagues, to help local irrigation districts and communities preserve their water supplies; H.R. 802, a bill authored by the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier) and the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano), to authorize Federal assistance for a water recycling project in California's Inland Empire; H.R. 855, legislation introduced by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ortiz), to provide Federal dollars to the City of Brownsville's desalinization project; H.R. 863, a bill sponsored by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes), to provide Federal assistance to the City of El Paso's alternative water supply project; H.R. 1008, legislation authored by the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis), to allow Federal assistance for water projects in southern California; H.R. 1197, a bill sponsored by the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne), to extend irrigation contracts in Nebraska; and finally, H.R. 1327, legislation offered by the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Tiahrt), to provide Federal assistance to the City of Wichita's aquifer recharge project.

Mr. Speaker, these are bipartisan bills and deserve unanimous support.

Once again, I urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 540 and the measures included therewith.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons).

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. Ruben HinojosaD-TX-15 · May 16, 2005

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 540, a bill that will authorize a variety of water projects including several in my congressional district. I want to thank Chairman Pombo and Ranking Member…

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 540, a bill that will authorize a variety of water projects including several in my congressional district. I want to thank Chairman Pombo and Ranking Member Rahall for including my legislation, H.R. 386, in this bill.

I represent a region of the country that is subject to periodic droughts and yet is experiencing phenomenal population growth.

The 2000 Census showed that the population of Hidalgo County, in my district, increased by 48 percent. On the Mexican side of the border, millions have come to work in the maquiladoras and to take advantage of the economic boom that has come from NAFTA.

This growth has placed an enormous strain on water delivery systems along the Texas-Mexico border. Agriculture irrigation water often flows through open dirt ditches and studies show that much is lost to seepage and evaporation.

Municipalities rely on the water from the irrigation delivery systems to meet the water needs of growing communities.

H.R. 540 will authorize 19 projects that will allow border water districts to continue upgrading and modernizing our antiquated water delivery systems through the installation of water pipes and canal linings. Similar projects were authorized in the 106th and 107th Congresses.

We have already made a great deal of progress because this has been a collaborative effort. The irrigation districts have provided matching funds. The Texas Water Development Board and Texas A&M University have paid for many of the engineering studies. Federal appropriators have provided more than $10 million. As a result, we are seeing water savings of almost 80 percent in the projects that have been completed.

Most importantly, Federal authorization has allowed us to tap into the resources of the North American Development Bank. To date, NADBank has approved almost $24 million for these projects and passage of H.R. 540 will make these new projects eligible for NADBank assistance.

These funds are being put to good use. Numerous projects are already underway and some are almost completed.

When the metering system is fully installed, irrigation districts will have a much clearer picture of water usage and water savings. This data will be vital to improving water management throughout the region.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Rep. David DreierR-CA-26 · May 16, 2005

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank House Resources Chairman Richard Pombo and Subcommittee on Water and Power Chairman George Radanovich, for their hard work in moving H.R. 802 as a part of this…

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank House Resources Chairman Richard Pombo and Subcommittee on Water and Power Chairman George Radanovich, for their hard work in moving H.R. 802 as a part of this larger resources package bill, H.R. 540 as amended, to the House floor.

I introduced this Inland Empire Water Recycling Initiative, H.R. 802, to authorize $30 million total for the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) and the Cucamonga Valley Water District (CVWD) to assist in constructing two water recycling projects which will nearly 100,000 acre-feet of new water annually to the area's water supply.

It is imperative that we continue to approve measures preventing water supply shortages in the Western United States. This recycling initiative will help meet the water needs of the Inland Empire and begin a strategic federal-local partnership to bring a significant amount of new water supply to the region.

I am pleased that this initiative has the support of all member agencies of the Inland Empire Utilities Agency, as well as the water agencies downstream in Orange County. IEUA encompasses approximately 242 square miles and serves the cities of Chino, Chino Hills, Fontana, Ontario, Upland, Montclair, and Rancho Cucamonga.

IEUA and CVWD are replacing water-intensive applications like landscape and agricultural irrigation, construction, and industrial cooling with high-quality recycled water, fresh water can be conserved or used for drinking, thereby reducing the dependence on expensive imported water.

In addition, by recycling water which would otherwise be wasted and unavailable, these agencies provide that the water available goes through at least one more cycle of beneficial use before it is ultimately returned to the environment.

I want to reiterate my thanks to the House Resources Committee, as well as to my colleagues, Ken Calvert, Grace Napolitano, Gary Miller, and Joe Baca for cosponsoring H.R. 802.

And last but certainly not least, I appreciate the visionary leadership of Mr. Robert DeLoach, General Manager of the Cucamonga Valley Water District and Mr. Rich Atwater, CEO and General Manager of the Inland Empire Utilities Agency.

Show 4 more

Rep. Silvestre ReyesD-TX-16 · May 16, 2005

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time this afternoon. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation which will help several local communities around the country address…

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time this afternoon.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation which will help several local communities around the country address their water management issues.

Like many communities in the West, one of the greatest challenges facing my congressional district of El Paso, Texas, has been providing an adequate water supply to our rapidly growing population.

Fortunately, our community is meeting this challenge successfully, in part through the construction of a major inland desalination plant that will treat the brackish water of the Hueco Bolson so it can be utilized by the people of El Paso and the surrounding region, as well as Fort Bliss military base. The project, which is a partnership of the El Paso Water Utilities and the Department of Defense, is set to begin construction and should be completed within the year.

I am proud to say that El Paso is leading the way when it comes to inland desalination, in addition to our ongoing conservation and reclamation initiatives. This bill will further our efforts by authorizing the city of El Paso to expand the soon-to-be constructed desalination plant or to construct an additional plant if and when additional capacity is required over the next 10 years.

Ensuring a reliable, long-term water source for El Paso and the El Paso region is essential for the community's future. Desalination, and therefore, this legislation, is an integral part of that effort.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) and the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), the chairman and ranking member of the full committee, and the gentleman from California (Mr. Radanovich) and the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano), the chairman and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Water and Power, for their assistance in moving this important legislation forward.

I would also like to thank my two colleagues from Arizona and from New Mexico for granting me the opportunity to speak this afternoon. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this bill.

Rep. Greg WaldenR-OR-2 · Jul 24, 2006

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 310) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey the Newlands Project Headquarters and Maintenance Yard Facility to the…

Rep. Tom UdallD-NM-3 · May 16, 2005

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. UDALL of New Mexico asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.) Mr. Speaker, we support passage of H.R. 540 and the…

Rep. Madeleine Z. BordalloD-GU · Jul 24, 2006

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.) Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the aisle have no objection to…

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Referred in SenateIssued May 17, 2005

        [Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 540 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

1st Session
H. R. 540

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 17, 2005

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

_______________________________________________________________________

AN ACT

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey the Newlands
Project Headquarters and Maintenance Yard Facility to the Truckee-
Carson Irrigation District.

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

SECTION 1. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Table of contents.
TITLE I--NEWLANDS PROJECT HEADQUARTERS AND MAINTENANCE YARD FACILITY
TRANSFER

Sec. 101. Short title.
Sec. 102. Conveyance of Newlands Project Headquarters and Maintenance
Yard Facility.
TITLE II--INLAND EMPIRE AND CUCAMONGA VALLEY RECYCLING PROJECTS

Sec. 201. Inland Empire and Cucamonga Valley recycling projects.
TITLE III--RIVERSIDE-CORONA FEEDER WATER PROJECT

Sec. 301. Planning, design, and construction of the Riverside-Corona
Feeder.
Sec. 302. Project authorizations.
TITLE IV--AINSWORTH UNIT, SANDHILLS DIVISION, PICK-SLOAN MISSOURI BASIN
PROGRAM

Sec. 401. Ainsworth Unit, Sandhills Division, Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin
Program.
TITLE V--WICHITA PROJECT EQUUS BEDS DIVISION

Sec. 501. Short title.
Sec. 502. Equus Beds Division.
TITLE VI--LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND
IMPROVEMENT

Sec. 601. Short title.
Sec. 602. Authorization of additional projects and activities under the
lower rio grande water conservation and
improvement program.
Sec. 603. Reauthorization of appropriations for lower rio grande
construction.
Sec. 604. Sunset provision.
TITLE VII--BROWNSVILLE PUBLIC UTILITY BOARD WATER RECYCLING AND
DESALINIZATION PROJECT

Sec. 701. Brownsville Public Utility Board water recycling and
desalinization project.
TITLE VIII--EL PASO, TEXAS, WATER RECLAMATION, REUSE, AND
DESALINIZATION PROJECT

Sec. 801. El Paso, Texas, water reclamation, reuse, and desalinization
project.

TITLE I--NEWLANDS PROJECT HEADQUARTERS AND MAINTENANCE YARD FACILITY
TRANSFER

SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.

This title may be cited as the ``Newlands Project Headquarters and
Maintenance Yard Facility Transfer Act''.

SEC. 102. CONVEYANCE OF NEWLANDS PROJECT HEADQUARTERS AND MAINTENANCE
YARD FACILITY.

(a) Conveyance.--The Secretary of the Interior shall convey to the
Truckee-Carson Irrigation District, Nevada, as soon as practicable
after the date of the enactment of this Act and in accordance with all
applicable law and the terms of the memorandum of agreement between the
District and the Secretary dated June 9, 2003 (Contract No. 3-LC-20-
8052), all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to
real property within the Newlands Projects, Nevada, known as 2666
Harrigan Road, Fallon, Nevada, and identified for disposition on the
map entitled ``Newlands Project Headquarters and Maintenance Yard
Facility''.
(b) Treatment of Proceeds From Fallon Freight Yard as
Consideration.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the
contrary, amounts received by the United States for the lease and sale
of Newlands Project lands comprising the Fallon Freight Yard shall, for
purposes of this section, be treated as payment in full of
consideration for the property conveyed under subsection (a).
(c) Report.--If the Secretary has not completed such conveyance
within 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary
shall submit a report to the Congress explaining the reasons the
conveyance has not been completed and stating the date by which the
conveyance will be completed.
(d) Environmental Review, Remediation, and Removal.--The Secretary
may not make any conveyance under this section until the completion
with respect to the conveyance, in accordance with the memorandum of
agreement referred to in subsection (a), of--
(1) compliance with requirements relating to the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. et seq. 4321 et
seq.) and cultural resources; and
(2) environmental site assessments, remediation, or
removal.
(e) Liability.--The United States shall not be liable for damages
of any kind arising out of any act or omission by, or occurrence
relating to, the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District or its employees,
agents, or contractors relating to the property conveyed under this
section and occurring prior to, on, or after the date of such
conveyance.

TITLE II--INLAND EMPIRE AND CUCAMONGA VALLEY RECYCLING PROJECTS

SEC. 201. INLAND EMPIRE AND CUCAMONGA VALLEY RECYCLING PROJECTS.

(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Inland Empire
Regional Water Recycling Initiative''.
(b) In General.--The Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study
and Facilities Act (Public Law 102-575, Title XVI; 43 U.S.C. 390h et
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 1637. INLAND EMPIRE REGIONAL WATER RECYCLING PROJECT.

``(a) In General.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the Inland
Empire Utilities Agency, may participate in the design, planning, and
construction of the Inland Empire regional water recycling project
described in the report submitted under section 1606(c).
``(b) Cost Sharing.--The Federal share of the cost of the project
described in subsection (a) shall not exceed 25 percent of the total
cost of the project.
``(c) Limitation.--Funds provided by the Secretary shall not be
used for operation and maintenance of the project described in
subsection (a).
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000.
``(e) Sunset.--The authority of the Secretary to carry out any
provisions of this section shall terminate 10 years after the date of
the enactment of this section.

``SEC. 1638. CUCAMONGA VALLEY WATER RECYCLING PROJECT.

``(a) In General.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the Cucamonga
Valley Water District, may participate in the design, planning, and
construction of the Cucamonga Valley Water District satellite recycling
plants in Rancho Cucamonga, California, to reclaim and recycle
approximately 2 million gallons per day of domestic wastewater.
``(b) Cost Sharing.--The Federal share of the cost of the project
described in subsection (a) shall not exceed 25 percent of the capital
cost of the project.
``(c) Limitation.--Funds provided by the Secretary shall not be
used for operation and maintenance of the project described in
subsection (a).
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section, $10,000,000.
``(e) Sunset.--The authority of the Secretary to carry out any
provisions of this section shall terminate 10 years after the date of
the enactment of this section.''.
(c) Conforming Amendments.--The table of sections in section 2 of
Public Law 102-575 is amended by inserting after the item relating to
section 1636 the following:

``1637. Inland Empire Regional Water Recycling Program.
``1638. Cucamonga Valley Water Recycling Project.''.

TITLE III--RIVERSIDE-CORONA FEEDER WATER PROJECT

SEC. 301. PLANNING, DESIGN, AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE RIVERSIDE-CORONA
FEEDER.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior, in cooperation with
the Western Municipal Water District, may participate in a project to
plan, design, and construct a water supply project, the Riverside-
Corona Feeder, which includes 20 groundwater wells and 28 miles of
pipeline in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, California.
(b) Agreements and Regulations.--The Secretary may enter into such
agreements and promulgate such regulations as are necessary to carry
out this section.
(c) Federal Cost Share.--
(1) Planning, design, construction.--The Federal share of
the cost to plan, design, and construct the project described
in subsection (a) shall be the lesser of 35 percent of the
total cost of the project or $50,000,000.
(2) Studies.--The Federal share of the cost to complete the
necessary planning study associated with the project described
in subsection (a) shall not exceed 50 percent of the total
study cost.
(d) In-Kind Services.--In-kind services performed by the Western
Municipal Water District shall be considered a part of the local cost
share to complete the project described in subsection (a).
(e) Limitation.--Funds provided by the Secretary under this section
shall not be used for operation or maintenance of the project described
in subsection (a).
(f) Sunset.--The authority of the Secretary to carry out any
provisions of this section shall terminate 10 years after the date of
the enactment of this section.

SEC. 302. PROJECT AUTHORIZATIONS.

(a) In General.--The Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study
and Facilities Act (Public Law 102-575, title XVI; 43 U.S.C. 390h et
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 163_. YUCAIPA VALLEY REGIONAL WATER SUPPLY RENEWAL PROJECT.

``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the
Yucaipa Valley Water District, may participate in the design, planning,
and construction of projects to treat impaired surface water, reclaim
and reuse impaired groundwater, and provide brine disposal within the
Santa Ana Watershed described in the report submitted under section
1606.
``(b) Cost Sharing.--The Federal share of the cost of the project
described in subsection (a) shall not exceed 25 percent of the total
cost of the project.
``(c) Limitation.--Funds provided by the Secretary shall not be
used for operation or maintenance of the project described in
subsection (a).
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000.
``(e) Sunset.--The authority of the Secretary to carry out any
provisions of this section shall terminate 10 years after the date of
the enactment of this section.

``SEC. 163_. CITY OF CORONA WATER UTILITY, CALIFORNIA, WATER RECYCLING
AND REUSE PROJECT.

``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the City
of Corona Water Utility, California, is authorized to participate in
the design, planning, and construction of, and land acquisition for, a
project to reclaim and reuse wastewater, including degraded
groundwaters, within and outside of the service area of the City of
Corona Water Utility, California.
``(b) Cost Share.--The Federal share of the cost of the project
authorized by this section shall not exceed 25 percent of the total
cost of the project.
``(c) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not provide funds for the
operation and maintenance of the project authorized by this section.
``(d) Sunset.--The authority of the Secretary to carry out any
provisions of this section shall terminate 10 years after the date of
the enactment of this section.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--The table of sections in section 2 of
Public Law 102-575 is amended by inserting after the item relating to
section 163_ the following:

``Sec. 163_. Yucaipa Valley Regional Water Supply Renewal Project.
``Sec. 163_. City of Corona Water Utility, California, water recycling
and reuse project.''.

TITLE IV--AINSWORTH UNIT, SANDHILLS DIVISION, PICK-SLOAN MISSOURI BASIN
PROGRAM

SEC. 401. AINSWORTH UNIT, SANDHILLS DIVISION, PICK-SLOAN MISSOURI BASIN
PROGRAM.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior shall extend for the
period described in subsection (b) the water service contract for the
Ainsworth Unit, Sandhills Division, Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program,
Nebraska, consisting of--
(1) the water service contract entered into by the
Secretary of the Interior under--
(A) section 9(e) of the Reclamation Project Act of
1939 (43 U.S.C. 485h(e));
(B) section 9(c) of the Act of December 22, 1944
(58 Stat. 887, chapter 665);
(C) the Act of August 21, 1954 (68 Stat. 757,
chapter 781); and
(D) the Act of May 18, 1956 (70 Stat. 160, chapter
285); and
(2) the water service contract for the set project located
in Cherry, Brown, and Rock Counties, Nebraska, for the use of a
part of the waters of the Snake River, a tributary of the
Niobrara River.
(b) Period of Extension.--The water service contract described in
subsection (a) shall be extended for 4 years after the date on which
the contract expires under the water service contract and law in
existence before the date of enactment of this Act.

TITLE V--WICHITA PROJECT EQUUS BEDS DIVISION

SEC. 501. SHORT TITLE.

This title may be cited as the ``Wichita Project Equus Beds
Division Authorization Act of 2005''.

SEC. 502. EQUUS BEDS DIVISION.

The Act entitled ``An Act to provide for the construction of the
Cheney division, Wichita Federal reclamation project, Kansas, and for
other purposes'' (Public Law 86-787; 74 Stat. 1026) is amended by
adding the following new section:

``SEC. 10. EQUUS BEDS DIVISION.

``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary of the Interior may assist in
the funding and implementation of the Equus Beds Aquifer Recharge and
Recovery Component which is a part of the `Integrated Local Water
Supply Plan, Wichita, Kansas' (referred to in this section as the
`Equus Beds Division'). Construction of the Equus Beds Division shall
be in substantial accordance with the plans and designs.
``(b) Operation, Maintenance, and Replacement.--Operation,
maintenance, and replacement of the Equus Beds Division, including
funding for those purposes, shall be the sole responsibility of the
City of Wichita, Kansas. The Equus Beds Division shall be operated in
accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
``(c) Agreements.--The Secretary of the Interior may enter into, or
agree to amendments of, cooperative agreements and other appropriate
agreements to carry out this section.
``(d) Administrative Costs.--From funds made available for this
section, the Secretary of the Interior may charge an appropriate share
related to administrative costs incurred.
``(e) Plans and Analyses Consistent With Federal Law.--Before
obligating funds for design or construction under this section, the
Secretary of the Interior shall work cooperatively with the City of
Wichita, Kansas, to use, to the extent possible, plans, designs, and
engineering and environmental analyses that have already been prepared
by the City for the Equus Beds Division. The Secretary of the Interior
shall assure that such information is used consistent with applicable
Federal laws and regulations, including principles and guidelines used
in preparing feasibility level project studies.
``(f) Title; Responsibility; Liability.--Nothing in this section or
assistance provided under this section shall be construed to transfer
title, responsibility, or liability related to the Equus Beds Division
(including portions or features thereof) to the United States.
``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated as the Federal share of the total cost of the Equus Beds
Division, an amount not to not exceed 25 percent of the total cost or
$30,000,000 (January, 2003 prices), whichever is less, plus or minus
such amounts, if any, as may be justified by reason of ordinary
fluctuations in construction costs as indicated by engineering cost
indexes applicable to the type of construction involved herein,
whichever is less. Such sums shall be nonreimbursable.
``(h) Sunset.--The authority of the Secretary to carry out any
provisions of this section shall terminate 10 years after the date of
the enactment of this section.''.

TITLE VI--LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND
IMPROVEMENT

SEC. 601. SHORT TITLE.

This title may be cited as the ``Lower Rio Grande Valley Water
Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 2005''.

SEC. 602. AUTHORIZATION OF ADDITIONAL PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES UNDER THE
LOWER RIO GRANDE WATER CONSERVATION AND IMPROVEMENT
PROGRAM.

(a) Additional Projects.--Section 4(a) of the Lower Rio Grande
Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 2000 (Public
Law 106-576; 114 Stat. 3067) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(20) In Cameron County, Texas, Bayview Irrigation
District No. 11, water conservation and improvement projects as
identified in the March 3, 2004, engineering report by NRS
Consulting Engineers at a cost of $1,425,219.
``(21) In the Cameron County, Texas, Brownsville Irrigation
District, water conservation and improvement projects as
identified in the February 11, 2004, engineering report by NRS
Consulting Engineers at a cost of $722,100.
``(22) In the Cameron County, Texas Harlingen Irrigation
District No. 1, water conservation and improvement projects as
identified in the March, 2004, engineering report by Axiom-
Blair Engineering at a cost of $4,173,950.
``(23) In the Cameron County, Texas, Cameron County
Irrigation District No. 2, water conservation and improvement
projects as identified in the February 11, 2004, engineering
report by NRS Consulting Engineers at a cost of $8,269,576.
``(24) In the Cameron County, Texas, Cameron County
Irrigation District No. 6, water conservation and improvement
projects as identified in an engineering report by Turner
Collie Braden, Inc., at a cost of $5,607,300.
``(25) In the Cameron County, Texas, Adams Gardens
Irrigation District No. 19, water conservation and improvement
projects as identified in the March, 2004, engineering report
by Axiom-Blair Engineering at a cost of $2,500,000.
``(26) In the Hidalgo and Cameron Counties, Texas, Hidalgo
and Cameron Counties Irrigation District No. 9, water
conservation and improvement projects as identified by the
February 11 engineering report by NRS Consulting Engineers at a
cost of $8,929,152.
``(27) In the Hidalgo and Willacy Counties, Texas, Delta
Lake Irrigation District, water conservation and improvement
projects as identified in the March, 2004, engineering report
by Axiom-Blair Engineering at a cost of $8,000,000.
``(28) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Hidalgo County
Irrigation District No. 2, a water conservation and improvement
project identified in the engineering reports attached to a
letter dated February 11, 2004, from the district's general
manager, at a cost of $5,312,475.
``(29) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Hidalgo County
Irrigation District No. 1, water conservation and improvement
projects identified in an engineering report dated March 5,
2004, by Melden and Hunt, Inc. at a cost of $5,595,018.
``(30) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Hidalgo County
Irrigation District No. 6, water conservation and improvement
projects as identified in the March, 2004, engineering report
by Axiom-Blair Engineering at a cost of $3,450,000.
``(31) In the Hidalgo County, Texas Santa Cruz Irrigation
District No. 15, water conservation and improvement projects as
identified in an engineering report dated March 5, 2004, by
Melden and Hunt, Inc. at a cost of $4,609,000.
``(32) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Engelman Irrigation
District, water conservation and improvement projects as
identified in an engineering report dated March 5, 2004, by
Melden and Hunt, Inc. at a cost of $2,251,480.
``(33) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Valley Acres Water
District, water conservation and improvement projects as
identified in an engineering report dated March, 2004, by
Axiom-Blair Engineering at a cost of $500,000.
``(34) In the Hudspeth County, Texas, Hudspeth County
Conservation and Reclamation District No. 1, water conservation
and improvement projects as identified in the March, 2004,
engineering report by Axiom-Blair Engineering at a cost of
$1,500,000.
``(35) In the El Paso County, Texas, El Paso County Water
Improvement District No. 1, water conservation and improvement
projects as identified in the March, 2004, engineering report
by Axiom-Blair Engineering at a cost of $10,500,000.
``(36) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Donna Irrigation
District, water conservation and improvement projects
identified in an engineering report dated March 22, 2004, by
Melden and Hunt, Inc. at a cost of $2,500,000.
``(37) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Hidalgo County
Irrigation District No. 16, water conservation and improvement
projects identified in an engineering report dated March 22,
2004, by Melden and Hunt, Inc. at a cost of $2,800,000.
``(38) The United Irrigation District of Hidalgo County
water conservation and improvement projects as identified in a
March 2004, engineering report by Sigler Winston, Greenwood and
Associates at a cost of $6,067,021.''.
(b) Inclusion of Activities to Conserve Water or Improve Supply;
Transfers Among Projects.--Section 4 of such Act (Public Law 106-576;
114 Stat. 3067) is further amended by redesignating subsection (c) as
subsection (e), and by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
``(c) Inclusion of Activities to Conserve Water or Improve
Supply.--In addition to the activities identified in the engineering
reports referred to in subsection (a), each project that the Secretary
conducts or participates in under subsection (a) may include any of the
following:
``(1) The replacement of irrigation canals and lateral
canals with buried pipelines.
``(2) The impervious lining of irrigation canals and
lateral canals.
``(3) Installation of water level, flow measurement, pump
control, and telemetry systems.
``(4) The renovation and replacement of pumping plants.
``(5) Other activities that will result in the conservation
of water or an improved supply of water.
``(d) Transfers Among Projects.--Of amounts made available for a
project referred to in any of paragraphs (20) through (38) of
subsection (a), the Secretary may transfer and use for another such
project up to 10 percent.''.

SEC. 603. REAUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR LOWER RIO GRANDE
CONSTRUCTION.

Section 4(e) of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources
Conservation and Improvement Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-576; 114 Stat.
3067), as redesignated by section 602(b) of this title, is further
amended by inserting before the period the following: ``for projects
referred to in paragraphs (1) through (19) of subsection (a), and
$42,356,145 (2004 dollars) for projects referred to in paragraphs (20)
through (38) of subsection (a)''.

SEC. 604. SUNSET PROVISION.

The authority of the Secretary to carry out the projects added by
paragraphs (20) through (38) of the amendment made by section 602(a) of
this title shall terminate 10 years after the date of the enactment of
this section.

TITLE VII--BROWNSVILLE PUBLIC UTILITY BOARD WATER RECYCLING AND
DESALINIZATION PROJECT

SEC. 701. BROWNSVILLE PUBLIC UTILITY BOARD WATER RECYCLING AND
DESALINIZATION PROJECT.

(a) In General.--The Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study
and Facilities Act (Public Law 102-575, title XVI; 43 U.S.C. 390h et
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

``SEC. 163__. BROWNSVILLE PUBLIC UTILITY BOARD WATER RECYCLING AND
DESALINIZATION PROJECT.

``(a) In General.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the
Brownsville Public Utility Board, may participate in the design,
planning, and construction of facilities to reclaim, reuse, and treat
impaired waters in the Brownsville, Texas, area.
``(b) Cost Sharing.--The Federal share of the cost of the project
described in subsection (a) shall not exceed 25 percent of the total
cost of the project.
``(c) Limitation.--Funds provided by the Secretary shall not be
used for operation and maintenance of the project described in
subsection (a).
``(d) Sunset.--The authority of the Secretary to carry out any
provisions of this section shall terminate 10 years after the date of
the enactment of this section.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections in section 2 of
Public Law 102-575 is amended by inserting after the last item relating
to title XVI the following:

``163_. Brownsville Public Utility Board water recycling and
desalinization project.''.

TITLE VIII--EL PASO, TEXAS, WATER RECLAMATION, REUSE, AND
DESALINIZATION PROJECT

SEC. 801. EL PASO, TEXAS, WATER RECLAMATION, REUSE, AND DESALINIZATION
PROJECT.

(a) Authorization.--The Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater
Study and Facilities Act (Public Law 102-575, title XVI; 43 U.S.C. 390h
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

``SEC. 16XX. EL PASO, TEXAS, WATER RECLAMATION, REUSE, AND
DESALINIZATION PROJECT.

``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the State
and local authorities, is authorized to participate in the design,
planning, and construction of the El Paso Water Reclamation, Reuse, and
Desalinization project to reclaim and reuse wastewater and to treat and
reuse impaired and brackish groundwater in the service area of the El
Paso Water Utilities Public Service Board, El Paso, Texas.
``(b) Cost Share.--The Federal share of the cost of the project
authorized by this section shall not exceed 25 percent of the total
cost of the project.
``(c) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not provide funds for the
operation and maintenance of the project authorized by this section.
``(d) Sunset.--The authority of the Secretary to carry out any
provisions of this section shall terminate 10 years after the date of
the enactment of this section.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections in section 2 of such
Act is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 16xx the
following:

``Sec. 16xx. El Paso, Texas, water reclamation, reuse, and
desalinization project.''.

Passed the House of Representatives May 16, 2005.

Attest:

JEFF TRANDAHL,

Clerk.