[Senate Report 106-369]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 746
106th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 106-369
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REAUTHORIZATION OF THE WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH ACT OF 1984
_______
August 25, 2000.--Ordered to be printed
Filed, under authority of the order of the Senate of July 26, 2000
_______
Mr. Smith of New Hampshire, from the Committee on Environment and
Public Works, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[to accompany S. 2297]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was
referred the bill (S. 2297) to reauthorize the Water Resources
Research Act of 1984, having considered the same, reports
favorably thereon and recommends that the bill do pass.
General Statement and Background
The Water Resources Research Act (42 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.)
was originally enacted in 1964. The Act authorizes a program of
water-related research and training of scientists and engineers
to enter fields of water research and management. The program
is administered by Institutes at each of the 54 land grant
colleges in each of the 50 States, and in the Virgin Islands,
Guam, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The program is
under the general guidance of the Secretary of the Interior.
These Institutes award grant funds for research projects. The
strength of the Institutes is their location within the
university community, where a multitude of disciplines can be
concentrated on water problems, offering new and innovative
approaches. Funds are distributed to the Institutes in every
State, assuring the widest possible geographic search for new
information. The grants must be matched by two non-Federal
dollars for each Federal dollar.
In administering the water resources research program, the
Secretary of the Department of the Interior distributes
appropriated funds equally among the Institutes. The
Institutes, in turn, award research funds through a
competitive, peer review process. Each Institute maintains one
or more advisory panel comprised of local, State, and Federal
water officials, representatives from water user groups, and
other interested parties. Annually, these groups develop
research priorities for their States and review the allocation
of funds among various competing projects. In this way, each
Institute is able to focus grants on the most pressing water
problems and issues affecting their State. This program has
worked well.
However, since the research agenda for this program is
established by each State to meet its individual needs, the
Department should continue the cooperative relationship with
each State water resources research programs and that it
considers the priorities and funding recommendations of the
State advisory panels. The Department shall maintain a level of
funding for the institutional grants at each Institute
sufficient to maintain the basic infrastructure for efficient
State, regional, and national research coordination,
collaboration, education and information transfer.
S. 2297 continues the partnership between the Federal
Government and non-Federal water resources researchers, a
partnership that is centered at the university community.
Specifically, S. 2297 extends the authorization for the State
water resources research institutes to provide grants and
address water resources management problems, such as the
quantity and quality of water supplies, the sources of water
contaminants and methods of remediation, and the training of
research scientists, engineers and technicians. The Institute-
sponsored research funding, authorized by Section 104(b),
requires a match of two non-Federal dollars for each Federal
dollar.
The Interstate Research Grants program, Section 104(g), is
reauthorized in this bill. The Interstate Research Grants
provide competitive Federal grants focusing on regional and
interstate water resources problems beyond those effecting a
single State and must be matched by at least one non-Federal
dollar to each Federal dollar. By continuing and enhancing
these collaborative efforts, the Institutes can better address
critical issues on long-term water planning and supply that may
exceed the resources of any one State.
The authorized funding levels for the Section 104(b) and
104(g) programs in fiscal year 2000 are $9 million and $3
million. The actual appropriation for the programs in fiscal
year 2000 was $4.062 million and $1 million, respectively.
Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1. Reauthorization of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984
S. 2297 authorizes the Section 104(b) institutional grants
program at $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2001; $10,000,000 for
fiscal years 2002 and 2003; and $12,000,000 for fiscal years
2004 and 2005, for a total of $53,000,000.
S. 2297 authorizes the Section 104(g) competitive grants at
$3 million for fiscal year 2001, $4 million for fiscal years
2002 and 2003, and $6 million for each of fiscal years 2004 and
2005, for a total of $23,000,000.
Hearings
No hearings were held on the bill.
Rollcall Votes
Section 7(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the
Senate and the rules of the Committee on Environment and Public
Works require that any rollcall votes taken during
consideration of legislation be noted in the report on that
legislation. At the business meeting of the Committee on
Environment and Public Works on April 13, 2000, a rollcall vote
was taken for the bill, and S. 2297 was ordered reported by a
vote of 18-0.
Regulatory Impact
In compliance with Section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee makes the following
evaluation of the regulatory impact of the bill.
The bill does not create any additional regulatory burdens.
Mandates Assessment
In compliance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
(Public Law 104-4), the committee makes the following
evaluation of the Federal mandates contained in the reported
bill.
S. 2297 imposes no Federal intergovernmental mandates on
State, local or tribal governments.
Cost of Legislation
Section 403 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment
Control Act requires that a statement of the cost of the
reported bill, prepared by the Congressional Budget Office, be
included in the report. That statement follows:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, April 27, 2000.
Hon. Robert C. Smith, Chairman,
Committee on Environment and Public Works,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared
the enclosed cost estimate for S. 2297, a bill to reauthorize
the Water Resources Research Act of 1984.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Megan
Carroll, who can be reached at 226-2860.
Sincerely,
Dan L. Crippen.
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate
S. 2297, A bill to reauthorize the Water Resources Research Act of
1984, As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on
Environment and Public Works on April 13, 2000
Summary
S. 2297 would reauthorize the Water Resources Research Act
through 2005. Under that act, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
provides grants for research and education to water resources
research and technology institutes located in each of the 50
States, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. The
bill would authorize the appropriation of $76 million over the
2001-2005 period for the USGS to continue those grant programs.
CBO estimates that implementing S. 2297 would cost $72
million over the 2001-2005 period, assuming appropriation of
the authorized amounts. The bill would not affect direct
spending orreceipts; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would
not apply. S. 2297 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
For purposes of this estimate, CBO assumes that the
authorized amounts will be appropriated and that outlays will
follow the historical spending patterns for these grant
programs. The estimated impact of S. 2297 is shown in the
following table. The costs of this legislation fall within
budget function 300 (natural resources and the environment).
By Fiscal Year, in Millions of Dollars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
Spending Under Current Law
Budget Authority\1\......................................... 5 0 0 0 0 0
Estimated Outlays........................................... 4 1 0 0 0 0
Proposed Changes
Authorization Level......................................... 0 12 14 14 18 18
Estimated Outlays........................................... 0 10 13 14 17 18
Spending Under S. 2297
Authorization Levels........................................ 5 12 14 14 18 18
Estimated Outlays........................................... 4 11 13 14 17 18
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\The 2000 level is the amount appropriated for that year for USGS grants under the Water Resources Research
Act.
Pay-As-You-Go Considerations: None.
Intergovernmental and Private-Sector Impact
S. 2297 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on State,
local, or tribal governments. Any costs to match Federal grants
authorized by this bill would be incurred voluntarily.
Estimate Prepared By: Federal Costs: Megan Carroll (226-2860);
Impact on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Victoria Held
Hall (225-3220); Impact on the Private Sector: Patrice Gordon
(226-2940).
Estimate Approved by: Peter H. Fontaine Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with section 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the bill
as reported are shown as follows: Existing law proposed to be
omitted is enclosed in [black brackets], new matter is printed
in italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown
in roman:
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WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH ACT OF 1984
Public Law 98-242, 98th Congress
An ACT To authorize an ongoing program of water resources research, and
for other purposes
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Title I
Sec. 101. This Act may be cited as the ``Water Resources
Research Act of 1984''.
* * * * * * *
Sec. 104. (a) * * *
* * * * * * *
(f)(1) For the purpose of carrying out this section, there
is authorized to be appropriated to the [Secretary the sum of
$5,000,000 fiscal year 1996, $7,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 1997 and 1998, and $9,000,000 for each of fiscal years
1999 and 2000.] the Secretary $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2001,
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 and 2003, and
$12,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 and 2005, to remain
available until expended.
* * * * * * *
(g)(1) There is further authorized to be appropriated to
the [Secretary of the Interior the sum of $3,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 1996 through 2000] the Secretary $3,000,000 for
fiscal year 2001, $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 and
2003, and $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 and 2005, to
be available only for reimbursement of the direct cost expenses
of additional research or synthesis of the results of research
by institutes which focuses on water problems and issues of a
regional or interstate nature beyond those of concern only to a
single State and which relate to specific program priorities
identified jointly by the Secretary and the institutes. Such
funds when appropriated shall be matched on a not less than
dollar-for-dollar basis by funds made available to institutes
or groups of institutes, by States or other non-Federal
sources. Funds made available under this subsection shall
remain available until expended.