[DOCID: f:hr221.110]
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110th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 110-221
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TO PROVIDE FOR A FEASIBILITY STUDY OF ALTERNATIVES TO AUGMENT THE WATER
SUPPLIES OF THE CENTRAL OKLAHOMA MASTER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT AND CITIES
SERVED BY THE DISTRICT
_______
July 10, 2007.--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. 1337]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the
bill (H.R. 1337) to provide for a feasibility study of
alternatives to augment the water supplies of the Central
Oklahoma Master Conservancy District and cities served by the
District, having considered the same, report favorably thereon
with an amendment and recommend that the bill as amended do
pass.
The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. CENTRAL OKLAHOMA MASTER CONSERVATORY DISTRICT FEASIBILITY
STUDY.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) Thunderbird Lake, located on Little River in central
Oklahoma, was constructed in 1965 by the Bureau of Reclamation
for flood control, water supply, recreation, and fish and
wildlife purposes;
(2) the available yield of Thunderbird Lake is allocated to
the Central Oklahoma Master Conservatory District, which
supplies municipal and industrial water supplies to the cities
of Norman, Midwest City, and Del City, Oklahoma; and
(3) studies conducted by the Bureau during fiscal year 2003
indicate that the District will require additional water
supplies to meet the future needs of the District, including
through--
(A) the drilling of additional wells;
(B) the implementation of a seasonal pool plan at
Thunderbird Lake;
(C) the construction of terminal storage to hold wet-
weather yield from Thunderbird Lake;
(D) a reallocation of water storage; and
(E) the importation of surplus water from sources
outside the basin of Thunderbird Lake.
(b) Study.--Beginning no later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation
shall conduct a feasibility study of alternatives to augment the water
supplies of the Central Oklahoma Master Conservatory District and
cities served by the District, including recommendations of the
Commissioner, if any.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation $900,000
to conduct the study under subsection (b).
PURPOSE OF THE BILL
The purpose of H.R. 1337 is to authorize the Secretary of
the Interior to prepare a feasibility study of alternatives to
augment the water supplies of the Central Oklahoma Master
Conservancy District and cities served by the District.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
The Bureau of Reclamation's Norman Project provides a
supplemental municipal water supply for the cities of Norman,
Del City, and Midwest City, Oklahoma. The project also provides
flood protection to lands south and east of the project area,
and significant recreation benefits. Principal features are
Norman Dam on Little River about 13 miles east of Norman, two
pumping plants, and pressure pipelines to serve the three
cities. No irrigation features or power development are
included in the project.
The Bureau of Reclamation received funding several years
ago to conduct a preliminary investigation (``Appraisal
Investigation'') of opportunities to supplement the available
water supplies from the Norman Project. The study found that
prolonged water supply shortages could be expected as the
population continues to grow unless improvements to the water
system are made.
H.R. 1337 would authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to
conduct a more detailed (``Feasibility Level'') study of a
proposed project to secure and import nearby water supplies and
construct additional pipeline and pumping plant capacity.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 1337 was introduced on March 6, 2007 by Rep. Tom Cole
(R-OK). The bill was referred to the Committee on Natural
Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on
Water and Power. In the 109th Congress, the Subcommittee held a
hearing on almost identical legislation in the form of H.R.
4987. On April 19, 2007 the Subcommittee met to mark up the
bill. The bill was approved without amendment and was then
forwarded to the full Committee. On June 27, 2007, the full
Natural Resources Committee met to consider the bill. Rep. Tom
Cole (R-OK) offered an amendment to increase the appropriations
authorized in the bill to $900,000. The amendment was approved
by a voice vote of the Committee and the bill as amended was
ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by
voice vote.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1. Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District feasibility
study
Section 1 states that Congress finds that the Central
Oklahoma Master Conservatory District will require additional
water supplies and that $900,000 is authorized to conduct a
study to determine alternatives to augment water supplies for
the District.
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 provide for a feasibility study of
alternatives to augment the water supplies of the Central
Oklahoma Master Conservancy District and cities served by the
District.
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. 1337--A bill to provide for a feasibility study of alternatives to
augment the water supplies of the Central Oklahoma Master
Conservancy District and cities served by the District
H.R. 1337 would authorize the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR)
to conduct a feasibility study of alternatives to augment the
water supplies of the Central Oklahoma Master Conservatory
District and cities served by the District. Assuming
appropriation of the authorized amount, CBO estimates that BOR
would spend $900,000 over the 2008-2012 period to complete the
study. Enacting the legislation would not affect direct
spending or revenues.
The legislation contains no intergovernmental or private-
sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
and would impose no costs of state, local, or tribal
governments.
On May 29, 2007, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for S.
175, a bill to provide for a feasibility study of alternatives
to augment the water supplies of the Central Oklahoma Master
Conservancy District and cities served by the district, as
ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources on May 23, 2007. The two bills are identical, as are
the CBO cost estimates.
The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Tyler Kruzich
and David Reynolds. This estimate was approved by Peter H.
Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104-4
This bill contains no unfunded mandates.
EARMARK STATEMENT
H.R. 1337 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
If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing
law.
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