[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4798 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4798
To facilitate remediation of perchlorate contamination in water sources
in the State of California, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 16, 2006
Mr. Pombo introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To facilitate remediation of perchlorate contamination in water sources
in the State of California, and for other purposes.
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 ``California Perchlorate Contamination
Remediation Act''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to provide grants for remediation of perchlorate
contamination of water sources and supplies (including
wellheads) in the State;
(2) to provide grants for research and development of
perchlorate remediation technologies; and
(3) to express the sense of Congress that the Administrator
should establish a national drinking water standard for
perchlorate.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(2) California water authority.--The term ``California
water authority'' means a public water district, public water
utility, public water planning agency, municipality, or Indian
tribe that is--
(A) located in a region identified under section
4(b)(3)(B); and
(B) in operation as of the date of enactment of
this Act.
(3) Fund.--The term ``Fund'' means the California
Perchlorate Cleanup Fund established by section 4(a)(1).
(4) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of
California.
SEC. 4. CALIFORNIA PERCHLORATE REMEDIATION GRANTS.
(a) Perchlorate Cleanup Fund.--
(1) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury of
the United States a fund, to be known as the ``California
Perchlorate Cleanup Fund'', consisting of--
(A) any amount appropriated to the Fund under
section 7; and
(B) any interest earned on investment of amounts in
the Fund under paragraph (3).
(2) Expenditures from fund.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), on
receipt of a request by the Administrator, the
Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer to the
Administrator such amounts as the Administrator
determines to be necessary to provide grants under
subsections (b) and (c).
(B) Administrative expenses.--An amount not to
exceed 0.4 percent of the amounts in the Fund may be
used to pay the administrative expenses necessary to
carry out this subsection.
(3) Investment of amounts.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary of the Treasury
shall invest such portion of the Fund as is not, in the
judgment of the Secretary of the Treasury, required to
meet current withdrawals.
(B) Interest-bearing obligations.--Investments may
be made only in interest-bearing obligations of the
United States.
(C) Acquisition of obligations.--For the purpose of
investments under subparagraph (A), obligations may be
acquired--
(i) on original issue at the issue price;
or
(ii) by purchase of outstanding obligations
at the market price.
(D) Sale of obligations.--Any obligation acquired
by the Fund may be sold by the Secretary of the
Treasury at the market price.
(E) Credits to fund.--The interest on, and the
proceeds from the sale or redemption of, any
obligations held in the Fund shall be credited to and
form a part of the Fund.
(b) Cleanup Grants.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (3), the
Administrator shall provide grants to California water
authorities, the total amount of which shall not exceed
$50,000,000, to pay the Federal share of the cost of activities
relating to cleanup of water sources and supplies (including
wellheads) in the State that are contaminated by perchlorate.
(2) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of an
activity described in paragraph (1) shall not exceed 50
percent.
(3) Eligibility; priority.--
(A) Eligibility.--A California water authority that
the Administrator determines to be responsible for
perchlorate contamination shall not be eligible to
receive a grant under this subsection.
(B) Priority.--In providing grants under this
subsection, the Administrator shall give priority to an
activity described in paragraph (1) that is carried out
in 1 or more of the following regions in the State:
(i) The Santa Clara Valley.
(ii) A region within the natural watershed
of the Santa Ana River.
(iii) The San Gabriel Valley.
(iv) Sacramento County.
(v) Any other region that has a damaged
water source as a result of perchlorate
contamination, as determined by the
Administrator.
(c) Research and Development Grants.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator shall provide grants,
the total amount of which shall not exceed $8,000,000, to
qualified non-Federal entities (as determined by the
Administrator) for use in carrying out research and development
of perchlorate remediation technologies.
(2) Maximum amount of grant.--The amount of a grant
provided under paragraph (1) shall not exceed $1,000,000.
SEC. 5. EFFECT OF ACT.
Nothing in this Act affects any authority or program of a Federal
or State agency in existence on the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 6. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that the Administrator should establish
a national drinking water standard for perchlorate as soon as
practicable after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act
$58,000,000, to remain available until expended.
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