City of Oxnard Water Recycling and Desalination Act of 2007

I rise in strong support of H.R. 1737, the City of Oxnard Water Recycling and Desalination Act.

First, I want to thank the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, Mr. Rahall, and chairwoman or the Subcommittee on Water and Power, Mrs. Napolitano, as well as the ranking members of the full Committee and Subcommittee for expediting the consideration of this legislation and for bringing H.R. 1737 before us today. This bill was passed by the House of Representatives last year but was never acted on by the Senate.

H.R. 1737 would authorize a proposed regional water resources project--the Groundwater Recovery Enhancement and Treatment or GREAT Program--located in my congressional district. As you know many communities today are faced with the difficult task of providing reliable and safe water to their customers. The City of Oxnard is no exception.

Oxnard is on of California's fastest growing cities and is facing an ever growing crisis: it's running out of affordable water. The water needs for the city's agricultural and industrial base, together with its growing population, has exceed its local water resources. As a result, over 50 percent of its water has to be Imported from outside sources.

However, through a series of local, state and federal restrictions the amount of imported water available to the city is shrinking, while the cost of that water is rising. Recognizing these challenges, Oxnard developed the GREAT Program to address its long term water needs.

The GREAT Program elements include:

A new regional groundwater desalination facility to serve potable water customers in Oxnard and adjacent communities;

A recycled water system to serve agricultural water users, and added protection against seawater intrusion and saltwater contamination; and

A wetlands restoration and enhancement component that efficiently reuses the brine discharges from both the groundwater desalination and recycled water treatment facilities.

Implementation of the GREAT Program will provide many significant regional benefits.

First, the new desalination project will serve ratepayers in Oxnard and adjacent communities, guaranteeing sufficient water supplies for the area.

Second, Oxnard's current water infrastructure delivers approximately 30 million gallons of treated wastewater per day to an ocean outfall. The GREAT Program will utilize the resource currently wasted to the ocean and treat it so that it can be reused by the agricultural water users in the area.

During the non-growing season, it will inject the resource into to the ground to serve as a barrier against seawater intrusion and saltwater contamination. To alleviate severely depressed groundwater levels, this component also includes pumping groundwater into the aquifer to enhance groundwater recharge.

Finally, the brine produced as a by-product of the desalination and recycling plants will provide a year-round supply of nutrient rich water to the existing wetlands at Ormond Beach.

Mr. Speaker, I commend the Natural Resources Committee for trying to find innovative and effective ways of extending water supplies in the West. In my view, the City of Oxnard Water Recycling and Desalination Act offers such a creative solution. It will reduce the consumption of groundwater for agricultural and industrial purposes, cut imported water delivery requirements, and improve local reliability of high quality water deliveries.

Again, I would like to thank the Natural Resources Committee for supporting this bill, and urge its immediate passage.

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Subcommittee on Water and Power of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on April 8, 2008, at 2:30 p.m. in room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on the following bills: S. 2259/H.R. 813, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Prado Basin Natural Treatment System Project, to authorize the Secretary to participate in the Lower Chino Dairy Area desalination demonstration and reclamation project, and for other purposes; H.R. 31, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District Wildomar Service Area Recycled Water Distribution Facilities and Alberhill Wastewater Treatment and Reclamation Facility Projects; H.R. 716, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Santa Rosa Urban Water Reuse Plan; H.R. 786, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Los Angeles County Water Supply Augmentation Demonstration Project, and for other purposes; H.R. 1140, to authorize the Secretary, in cooperation with the City of San Juan Capistrano, California, to participate in the design, planning, and construction of an advanced water treatment plant facility and recycled water system, and for other purposes; H.R. 1503, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Avra/Black Wash Reclamation and Riparian Restoration Project; H.R. 1725, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Rancho California Water District Southern Riverside County Recycled/Non-Potable Distribution Facilities and Demineralization/Desalination Recycled Water Treatment and Reclamation Facility Project; H.R. 1737, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the design, planning, and construction of permanent facilities for the GREAT project to reclaim, reuse, and treat impaired waters in the area of Oxnard, California; and H.R. 2614, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in certain water projects in California.

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record should send it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by email to [email protected].

For further information, please contact Michael Connor at (202) 224- 5479 or Gina Weinstock at (202) 224-5684.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1737) to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the design, planning, and construction of permanent facilities for the GREAT project to reclaim, reuse, and treat impaired waters in the area of Oxnard, California.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

I would like to commend foremost my colleague from California (Mrs. Capps) again for the hard work and dedication to this great piece of legislation for her district.

The purpose of H.R. 1737 is to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the design and planning and construction of permanent facilities for the Groundwater Recovery Enhancement Treatment project, the GREAT project.

H.R. 1737, when enacted, authorizes limited Federal financial assistance to develop a facility that will reclaim, reuse and treat impaired water in the Oxnard, California, area. It is my hope that the administration will understand the significance of this very critical litigation for Oxnard as the shining example of the role water recycling plays in balancing our water management portfolio.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1737.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

This legislation will help meet the City of Oxnard, California, water supply needs through the year 2030 and will reduce the city's dependence on imported water. A provision in the bill ensures that no Federal taxpayer dollars will be used to construct or operate a nearby visitor center connected to this water project. We have no objection to this bill and urge its adoption.

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