H.R. 361 – Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 2007

Legislative Activity

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10 earlier actions

SenateFloor Latest Action

Star Print ordered on the bill.

July 17, 2007

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 10, 2007

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Natural Resources Committee

January 10, 2007

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water and Power.

Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee

February 7, 2007

HouseFloor

Mrs. Christensen moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

June 5, 2007 • 3:02 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5942-5944)

June 5, 2007 • 3:02 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 361.

June 5, 2007 • 3:02 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H5942-5943)

June 5, 2007 • 3:04 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5942-5943)

June 5, 2007 • 3:04 PM

HouseFloor

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

June 5, 2007 • 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

June 7, 2007

SenateFloor

Star Print ordered on the bill.

July 17, 2007

Floor Debate

3 members

What members said about H.R. 361 on the floor

1 Republican2 Democrats

Rep. Ruben HinojosaD-TX-15 · Jun 5, 2007

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 361, a bill that will authorize a number of projects which will improve irrigation and water conservation throuhgout the Rio Grande Valley. I want to thank…

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 361, a bill that will authorize a number of projects which will improve irrigation and water conservation throuhgout the Rio Grande Valley. I want to thank Chairman Rahall and Chairwoman Napolitano as well as my colleagues from the Texas Border Region, Congressmen Ortiz, Reyes, Rodriguez, and Cuellar for their support in bringing this vitally important legislation onto the House floor.

I represent a region of the country that is experiencing phenomenal population growth yet is subject to severe periodic droughts. 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 throughout the Texas-Mexico border region. Water intended for irrigating crops flows through open dirt ditches where much of the precious water supply is lost to seepage and evaporation. Municipalities also rely on the water from these inefficient and outdated irrigation delivery systems to meet the water needs of growing communities.

H.R. 361 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.

The Rio Grande Valley has already made a great deal of progress because this has been a collaborative effort. The irrigation district 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. 361 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. Donna M. ChristensenD-VI · Jun 5, 2007

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 361) to amend the Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 2000 to authorize additional projects…

Rep. Chris CannonR-UT-3 · Jun 5, 2007

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 361 and yield myself such time as I may consume. The gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands has appropriately explained the bill, which has passed the bill in the…

Bill Text

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Referred in SenateIssued June 7, 2007

IIB

110th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 361

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 7, 2007

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

AN ACT

To amend the Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 2000 to authorize additional projects and activities under that Act, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 2007.

2.

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 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.

.

3.

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 2(b) of this Act, 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).

Passed the House of Representatives June 5, 2007.

Lorraine C. Miller,

Clerk.

Deborah M. Spriggs,

Deputy Clerk.