summary
Introduced
10/29/2015
10/29/2015
In Committee
11/02/2015
11/02/2015
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
01/03/2017
01/03/2017
Introduced Session
114th Congress
Bill Summary
Clean Water for Rural Communities Act This bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to carry out the projects entitled: (1) the "Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority System," in accordance with the Dry-Redwater Regional Water System Feasibility Study, which received funding from the Bureau of Reclamation on September 1, 2010; and (2) the "Musselshell-Judith Rural Water System," in accordance with the Musselshell-Judith Rural Water System Feasibility Report. The bill defines the service areas of such projects in North Dakota and Montana. Interior must enter into a cooperative agreement with the Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority and the Central Montana Regional Water Authority to provide federal assistance for the planning, design, and construction of such Water Systems. The federal share of such costs and the authorized uses of federal funds, which shall exclude operation, maintenance, or replacement of the Water Systems, are specified. The Western Area Power Administration must make available to the Dry-Redwater System a quantity of power (up to one and a half megawatt capacity) required to meet the System's pumping and incidental operation requirements between May 1 and October 31 of each year: (1) from the water intake facilities; and (2) through all pumping stations, water treatment facilities, reservoirs, storage tanks, and pipelines up to the point of delivery of water to all storage reservoirs and tanks and each entity that distributes water at retail to individual users. The System shall be eligible to receive such power only if it: (1) operates on a nonprofit basis, and (2) is constructed pursuant to the cooperative agreement with the Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority. Additional power may be purchased. The Authority is responsible for: (1) charges for such additional power, (2) the costs of non-federal transmission and distribution system delivery and service arrangements, and (3) funding any upgrades to the transmission system owned by the Western Area Power Administration Basin Electric Power District and the Heartland Consumers Power District required to deliver power to the System. The bill authorizes appropriations and adjustments in authorized amounts in accordance with ordinary fluctuations in development costs.
AI Summary
This bill, the Clean Water for Rural Communities Act, authorizes the Department of the Interior to support two major water infrastructure projects: the Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority System and the Musselshell-Judith Rural Water System, serving specific counties in Montana and North Dakota. The Department will enter into cooperative agreements with the respective water authorities to provide federal assistance for the planning, design, and construction of these systems, with the federal government covering up to 75% of the costs, excluding operation and maintenance. The bill also specifies that the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) must make available a certain amount of electrical power to the Dry-Redwater System between May and October each year to operate its water intake, pumping, and treatment facilities, provided the system operates on a nonprofit basis and is built according to the agreement; the Dry-Redwater Authority will be responsible for costs associated with any additional power needed and transmission system upgrades. Importantly, the bill clarifies that it does not affect state water laws or management authorities. Finally, it authorizes necessary appropriations for these projects, allowing for adjustments to account for changes in construction costs since their respective feasibility studies were completed.
Committee Categories
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans. (on 11/02/2015)
Official Document
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