[House Report 111-260]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
111th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 111-260
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AMENDING THE RECLAMATION WASTEWATER AND GROUNDWATER STUDY AND
FACILITIES ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE CITY OF HERMISTON, OREGON, WATER RECYCLING AND REUSE
PROJECT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
_______
September 21, 2009.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Rahall, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 2741]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the
bill (H.R. 2741) to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and
Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary
of the Interior to participate in the City of Hermiston,
Oregon, water recycling and reuse project, and for other
purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon
without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.
Purpose of the Bill
The purpose of H.R. 2741 is to amend the Reclamation
Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the
City of Hermiston, Oregon, water recycling and reuse project,
and for other purposes.
Background and Need for Legislation
H.R. 2741 would authorize limited federal financial
assistance to the City of Hermiston's Recycled Water Plant
(RWP) Improvement Project. When completed, upgrades to the RWP
would produce a total of 3,400 acre-feet of water to be used to
meet irrigation needs, as well as for environmental purposes.
Currently, water discharge at the RWP is determined by
season. From May through October, 1,700 acre-feet of discharge
is treated pursuant to the State of Oregon's Class C water
quality standard and spread over pastureland. Class C water can
only be used for pastureland irrigation. During the November-
April period, the 1,700 acre-feet of water is also treated to a
Class C level and discharged to the Umatilla River.
The City of Hermiston is currently in compliance with all
discharge requirements. A new National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) permit will be put into effect by
December 2010. The current facility will not allow the city to
meet the new required NPDES temperature limits. The City of
Hermiston desires to use the Title XVI program to upgrade their
facilities to meet the new pollution requirements and allow for
more water recycling.
H.R. 2741 would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
assist in upgrades to the RWP facility to produce Class A water
standards. Class A water can be used for all irrigation
purposes, not merely limited to pasture land irrigation. The
water created would be supplied to the West End Irrigation
District for irrigation purposes. Implementing this Title XVI
project would allow additional water to stay within the
Umatilla River to the benefit of the salmon fisheries and the
environment. As a result of the proposed upgrade, during the
winter months, higher quality water would be discharged into
the Umatilla River. The federal government would be responsible
for 25 percent of the total cost of the project, but is not
responsible for the operation and maintenance of the facility.
Committee Action
H.R. 2741 was introduced on June 4, 2009 by Rep. Greg
Walden (R-OR). The bill was referred to the Committee on
Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee
on Water and Power. On July 21, 2009, the Subcommittee held a
hearing on the bill.
On September 10, 2009, the Subcommittee was discharged from
further consideration of H.R. 2741 and the full Natural
Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The bill was
ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by
unanimous consent.
Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.
Constitutional Authority Statement
Article I, section 8 of the Constitution of the United
States grants Congress the authority to enact this bill.
Compliance With House Rule XIII
1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the
Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and
a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be
incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B)
of that rule provides that this requirement does not apply when
the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted
cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
2. Congressional Budget Act. As required by clause 3(c)(2)
of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and
section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this
bill does not contain any new budget authority, spending
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in
revenues or tax expenditures.
3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or
objective of this bill is to amend the Reclamation Wastewater
and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the
Secretary of the Interior to participate in the City of
Hermiston, Oregon, water recycling and reuse project.
4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate. Under clause
3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives and section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act
of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate
for this bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office:
H.R. 2741--A bill to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater
Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the
Interior to participate in the city of Hermiston, Oregon, water
recycling and reuse project
Summary: H.R. 2741 would authorize the Bureau of
Reclamation to participate in developing a project to reclaim
and reuse groundwater in Hermiston, Oregon. Assuming
appropriation of the necessary amounts, CBO estimates that
implementing H.R. 2741 would cost $6 million over the 2010-2014
period. Enacting the legislation would not affect direct
spending or revenues.
H.R. 2741 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)
and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal
governments.
Estimated cost to the federal government: The estimated
budgetary impact of H.R. 2741 is shown in the following table.
The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 300
(natural resources and environment).
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By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
-------------------------------------------------------
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2010-2014
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CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
Estimated Authorization Level........................... 6 0 0 0 0 6
Estimated Outlays....................................... 3 2 1 0 0 6
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Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that H.R.
2741 will be enacted near the beginning of fiscal year 2010 and
that the federal share of the project's costs will be
appropriated that year. Estimated outlays are based on
historical spending patterns for similar water recycling
projects.
H.R. 2741 would authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to
design, plan, and construct water recycling facilities in
Hermiston, Oregon. The federal share of the project's costs
would be limited to the lesser of 25 percent of the total
project costs or $20 million.
Based on information from the bureau, CBO estimates that
the total cost of the project would be about $22 million. Under
the bill, the federal share of the project's costs would be
about $6 million; the remaining $16 million would be the
responsibility of local governments as would ongoing operation
and maintenance of the facility.
Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 2741
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as
defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or
tribal governments. The bill would benefit Hermiston, Oregon,
by authorizing federal assistance for planning, designing, and
constructing water facilities.
Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Aurora Swanson; Impact
on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Melissa Merrell;
Impact on the Private Sector: Amy Petz.
Estimate approved by: Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
Compliance With Public Law 104-4
This bill contains no unfunded mandates.
Earmark Statement
H.R. 2741 does not contain any congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in
clause 9(d), 9(e) or 9(f) of rule XXI.
Preemption of State, Local or Tribal Law
This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or
tribal law.
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (new matter is
printed in italic and existing law in which no change is
proposed is shown in roman):
RECLAMATION PROJECTS AUTHORIZATION AND ADJUSTMENT ACT OF 1992
* * * * * * *
SEC. 2. DEFINITION AND TABLE OF CONTENTS.
For purposes of this Act, the term ``Secretary'' means the
Secretary of the Interior.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Sec. 1. Short title.
* * * * * * *
TITLE XVI--RECLAMATION WASTEWATER AND GROUNDWATER STUDIES
Sec. 1601. Short title.
* * * * * * *
Sec. 16__. City of Hermiston, Oregon, water recycling and reuse project.
* * * * * * *
TITLE XVI--RECLAMATION WASTEWATER AND GROUNDWATER STUDIES
SEC. 1601. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be referred to as the ``Reclamation Wastewater
and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act''.
* * * * * * *
SEC. 16__. CITY OF HERMISTON, OREGON, WATER RECYCLING AND REUSE
PROJECT.
(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the
City of Hermiston, Oregon, is authorized to participate in the
design, planning, and construction of permanent facilities to
reclaim and reuse water in the City of Hermiston, Oregon.
(b) Cost Share.--The Federal share of the costs of the
project described in subsection (a) shall not exceed 25 percent
of the total cost.
(c) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not provide funds for
the operation and maintenance of the project described in
subsection (a).
* * * * * * *