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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
END
