[DOCID: f:hr243.110] From the House Reports Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] 110th Congress Report HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 110-243 ====================================================================== ELSINORE VALLEY MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT WASTEWATER AND RECYCLED WATER FACILITIES ACT OF 2007 _______ July 23, 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. 31] [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 31) to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District Wildomar Service Area Recycled Water Distribution Facilities and Alberhill Wastewater Treatment and Reclamation Facility Projects, 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. 31 is to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District Wildomar Service Area Recycled Water Distribution Facilities and Alberhill Wastewater Treatment and Reclamation Facility Projects. Background and Need for Legislation The Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) is located in the southeastern portion of Riverside County, California and borders the eastern boundary of Orange County, California. EVMWD is part of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. H.R. 31 amends the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) Wildomar Service Area Recycled Water Distribution Facilities and the Alberhill Wastewater Treatment and Reclamation Facility Projects. WILDOMAR SERVICE AREA The Wildomar Service Area Recycled Water Distribution Facilities will allow EVMWD to receive and deliver recycled water to the Wildomar service area in coordination with Temecula Valley Regional Water Reclamation Facility and Rancho California's Regional Water Reclamation Facility. This project is intended to supply landscape and agricultural irrigation customers in the Wildomar service area. The ten largest water users in the District account for approximately 10 percent of the District's total water usage and are considered the best candidates to receive recycled water under this project. Wastewater from Elsinore Valley currently flows to Rancho California's Regional Water Reclamation Facility where it is treated to recycled water standards. The cost of this conveyance and treatment is paid for by a monthly sewer charge paid to Rancho California's Regional Water Reclamation Facility. The recycled water is available to EVMWD through a common recycled water pipeline to Elsinore Valley. This recycled water could be used by EVMWD with no additional charges if EVMWD had the ability to distribute the water throughout their service area. H.R. 31 provides EVMWD with a distribution system to use this recycled water. ALBERHILL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT The Alberhill Wastewater Treatment Plant and Water Reclamation Facility is proposed as a replacement for the Horsethief Water Reclamation Facility which will be decommissioned in approximately 2016. The initial capacity for the Alberhill Facility will be 1.0 million gallons per day (mgd). The facility may eventually be expanded to an ultimate recycled wastewater flow of 5.4 mgd. This project is estimated to save EVMWD $1.3 million per year in imported water costs. Committee Action H.R. 31 was introduced on January 4, 2007 by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA). The bill was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on Water and Power. On May 24, 2007, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On June 12, 2007, the Subcommittee met to mark up the bill. It was adopted by unanimous consent. The bill was then forwarded to the Full Committee. On June 28, 2007 the Full Natural Resources Committee met to consider the bill. It was adopted by unanimous consent. The bill was then ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by unanimous consent. Section-by-Section Analysis Section 1. Short title Section 1. designates the short title of H.R. 31 as the ``Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District Wastewater and Recycled Water Facilities Act of 2007.'' Section 2. Project authorization Section 2. modifies the the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act (Public Law 102-575, title XVI; 43 U.S.C. 390h et seq.) by giving the Secretary of the Interior the authority to participate in the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District Wildomar Service Area Recycled Water Distribution Facilities and Alberhill Wastewater Treatment and Reclamation Facility Projects. The legislation specifies that the federal government is authorized to provide 25 percent of the total cost of each project, and that no federal funds will be provided for the operation and maintenance of either facility. The bill also specifies that no more than $12,500,000 dollars can be appropriated by Congress to be spent on this project. 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 Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District Wildomar Service Area Recycled Water Distribution Facilities and Alberhill Wastewater Treatment and Reclamation Facility Projects. 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. 31--Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District Wastewater and Recycled Water Facilities Act of 2007 Summary: H.R. 31 would authorize the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to participate in the design, planning, and construction of permanent facilities to treat wastewater and recycled water in the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District in California. The bill would authorize the appropriation of $12.5 million for that purpose. Assuming appropriation of the authorized amount, CBO estimates that implementing the legislation would cost $7 million over the 2008-2012 period and an additional $5.5 million after 2012. Enacting the legislation would have no effect on direct spending or revenues. H.R. 31 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA). Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated budgetary impact of H.R. 31 is shown in the following table. The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 300 (natural resources and environment). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By fiscal year in millions of dollars-- -------------------------------------------- 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION Estimated Authorization Level...................................... 3 3 3 3 1 Estimated Outlays.................................................. 1 1 2 2 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that the legislation will be enacted near the end of fiscal year 2007 and that the necessary amounts will be appropriated for each year. H.R. 31 would authorize BOR to work with local authorities to construct a project designed to increase the availability of potable water in the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District in California, at a total cost of $50 million. According to BOR, one component could be completed in four years, and the second could be completed in eight years. Under the legislation, the federal share of the cost of the project would be the lesser of 25 percent of the total project cost, or $12.5 million. Assuming appropriation of the authorized amount, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 31 would cost $7 million over the 2008-2012 period, and an additional $5.5 million after 2012. Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 31 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA. Implementing the bill could benefit the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District by authorizing federal assistance for the planning, design, and construction of wastewater treatment facilities. Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Tyler Kruzich and David Reynolds; Impact on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Leo Lex; Impact on the Private Sector: Amy Petz. Estimate 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. 31 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 (Public Law 102-575) SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``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 GROUND WATER STUDIES Sec. 1601. Short title. * * * * * * * Sec. 1637. Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District Projects, California * * * * * * * 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. 1637. ELSINORE VALLEY MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT PROJECTS, CALIFORNIA. (a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, California, may participate in the design, planning, and construction of permanent facilities needed to establish recycled water distribution and wastewater treatment and reclamation facilities that will be used to treat wastewater and provide recycled water in the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, California. (b) Cost Sharing.--The Federal share of the cost of each project described in subsection (a) shall not exceed 25 percent of the total cost of the project. (c) Limitation.--Funds provided by the Secretary under this section shall not be used for operation or maintenance of the projects described in subsection (a). (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $12,500,000. * * * * * * * <all>