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.

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.

Madam Speaker, H.R. 2614 is a relatively modest, yet important step towards meeting the long-term water needs for the West. Water recycling is an approach that more and more communities are tapping to meet local and regional water demand. To address the continued growth of water users, communities are truly maximizing the use of every drop of water.

H.R. 2614 authorizes Federal participation in conjunction with two water reclamation projects, one located in my congressional district and one located in the 41st Congressional District of California. Both projects are located in the greater Inland Empire, a region heavily dependent on imported sources of water.

The City of Corona Water Recycling and Reuse Project will enable the city of Corona to provide recycled water to parks, landscape maintenance districts, schools, landscaped freeway frontages and any other project that does not require potable water. The project will also reduce the need for increased water imports and construction of additional drinking water infrastructure.

The project will consist of three reservoirs and two pump stations along with retrofitted user irrigation systems. Additionally, 27 miles of pipelines are needed since recycled water is required to be kept completely separate from drinking water and uses a dedicated system of pipelines. The city plans to retrofit approximately 200 sites including schools, public parks and landscape areas, freeway landscaping, golf courses, and commercial landscaping.

The Yucaipa Valley Water Supply Renewal Project will maximize the various water resources in the Yucaipa Valley. The new facility will contain an advanced filtration (reverse osmosis) system and a brine pipeline to remove salinity, contaminants, and organic compounds from the water supply in the Yucaipa Valley. The brine pipeline will extend nearly 20 miles to the existing Santa Ana Regional Interceptor brine pipeline.

The completed project will minimize the amount of water imported from northern California, maximize the use of higher quality water, reduce withdrawals from ground water supplies, and provide a long-term, drought-proof water supply. The full project is expected to reduce demands on the California State Water Project by over 4 billion gallons per year, which is a sufficient quantity of water for 27,000 families of four each year.

I want to thank the city of Corona and city of Yucaipa for developing innovative, water-saving projects that truly benefit our entire region. I also want to thank my good friend Grace Napolitano, the Chairwoman of the Water and Power Subcommittee, for her leadership and support of my legislation. I know she shares my belief that water recycling is an important tool in addressing growing water needs in the West. Madam Speaker, I think it is crucial that we recognize and assist communities that are working to reduce their reliance on imported water and I urge all colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 2614.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (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.

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.

H.R. 2614, as introduced by our colleague, Representative Ken Calvert, would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide financial and technical assistance for new water recycling projects in Southern California. Funding these and other water recycling projects may be the only way that Southern California can protect itself from future droughts.

Similar legislation passed the House in the two previous Congresses.

Mr. Speaker, we fully support this noncontroversial bill, and I ask that my colleagues join me in support of H.R. 2614.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, again, I urge our colleagues to support this very important piece of legislation, and I yield back.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2614, a bill sponsored by the former chairman of the Water and Power Subcommittee, Mr. Calvert of California.

Since Southern California is dependent upon imported water, many communities are pursuing ways to develop local water supplies through water recycling. This bill will help the Yucaipa Valley and the town of Corona in California reduce their dependence on imported water through water recycling.

This bill, which is cosponsored by our distinguished colleague, Jerry Lewis of California, will also help protect these communities from drought and environmental lawsuits aimed at shutting off water deliveries.

I urge my colleagues to support this important measure.

I yield back the balance of my time.