White Mountain Apache Tribe Rural Water System Loan Authorization Act

        [Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6754 Introduced in House (IH)]

110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6754

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to provide a loan to the White
Mountain Apache Tribe for use in planning, engineering, and designing a
certain water system project.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 31, 2008

Mr. Pastor introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to provide a loan to the White
Mountain Apache Tribe for use in planning, engineering, and designing a
certain water system project.

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 ``White Mountain Apache Tribe Rural
Water System Loan Authorization Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

(a) Miner Flat Project.--The term ``Miner Flat Project'' means the
White Mountain Apache Rural Water System, comprised of the Miner Flat
Dam and associated domestic water supply components, as described in
the project extension report dated February 2007.
(b) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the
Interior, acting through the Commissioner of Reclamation (or any other
designee of the Secretary).
(c) Tribe.--The term ``Tribe'' means the White Mountain Apache
Tribe, a federally recognized Indian tribe organized pursuant to
section 16 of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 (25 U.S.C. 476 et
seq.).

SEC. 3. MINER FLAT PROJECT LOAN.

(a) Loan.--Subject to the condition that the Tribe and the
Secretary have executed a cooperative agreement under section 4(a), not
later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Secretary shall provide to the Tribe a loan in an amount equal to
$9,800,000, adjusted, as appropriate, based on ordinary fluctuations in
engineering cost indices applicable to the Miner Flat Project during
the period beginning on October 1, 2007, and ending on the date on
which the loan is provided, as determined by the Secretary, to carry
out planning, engineering, and design of the Miner Flat Project in
accordance with section 4.
(b) Terms and Conditions of Loan.--
(1) Interest; term.--The loan provided under subsection (a)
shall--
(A) be at a rate of interest of 0 percent; and
(B) be repaid over a term of 10 years, beginning on
January 1, 2013.
(2) Funds for repayment.--
(A) In general.--For each of fiscal years 2013 and
2014, in lieu of direct repayment by the Tribe of the
loan provided under subsection (a), the amount
described in subparagraph (B) shall be credited toward
repayment of the loan.
(B) Description of amount.--The amount referred to
in subparagraph (A) is a portion of the funds in the
Lower Colorado River Development Fund pursuant to
section 403(f)(2)(D)(vi) of the Colorado River Basin
Project Act (43 U.S.C. 1543(f)(2)(D)(vi)) equal to--
(i) for fiscal year 2013, 50 percent of the
outstanding balance of the loan under
subsection (a) as of October 1, 2012; and
(ii) for fiscal year 2014, the remaining
balance of the loan as of October 1, 2013.
(c) Administration.--Subject to section 4, the Secretary shall
administer the planning, engineering, and design of the Miner Flat
Project.

SEC. 4. PLANNING, ENGINEERING, AND DESIGN.

(a) Cooperative Agreement.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall offer to enter into
a cooperative agreement with the Tribe for the planning,
engineering, and design of the Miner Flat Project in accordance
with this Act.
(2) Mandatory provisions.--A cooperative agreement under
paragraph (1) shall--
(A) specify, in a manner that is acceptable to the
Secretary and the Tribe, the rights, responsibilities,
and liabilities of each party to the agreement; and
(B) require that the planning, engineering, design,
and construction of the Miner Flat Project be in
accordance with all Federal environmental laws.
(b) Applicability of Indian Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act.--Each activity for the planning, engineering, or
design, of the Miner Flat Project shall be subject to the requirements
of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25
U.S.C. 450 et seq.).

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary
to carry out this Act.
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