Federal Legislation

Federal Legislation

At present what follows are the summaries of each bill as provided by Congress

Rural Community Arsenic Relief Act

Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to require States exercising primary enforcement responsibility for public water systems to exempt any nonprofit small public water system (serving 10,000 or fewer persons) that so requests in accordance with this Act from the requirements of any national primary drinking water regulation for naturally occurring contaminants, including arsenic, radon, radium, and uranium.

Requires exemption requests to demonstrate that the system's compliance with applicable national primary drinking water regulations: (1) is not economically feasible; (2) has a disproportionate and adverse impact on low-income families; (3) is substantially impeded by limited access to innovative and affordable technology; or (4) is not necessary because the drinking water provided by the system does not pose an unreasonable health risk.

Sets forth alternative arsenic standards for those systems receiving arsenic exemptions.

Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a university-based arsenic research consortium comprised of specified institutions of higher education. Authorizes the Administrator to provide grants to the consortium to carry out its duties.

Community Drinking Water Assistance Act

Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a program of grants for small public water systems (those serving populations of not more than 200,000 or located in specified communities) in disadvantaged communities, or in those that may become disadvantaged as a result of compliance with drinking water standards, for use in carrying out projects and activities to comply with such standards. Requires the Administrator to: (1) give priority in awarding grants based on, first, the financial need of the community and, second, the per capita cost of the community's compliance; and (2) ensure that not less than 20 percent of grant funds are used for activities in communities with populations of less than 50,000.

Sets forth the process for applications. Limits the Federal share of costs for grant-funded activities to 90 percent of the total.

Provides temporary relief from enforcement of drinking water standards for eligible entities during and after the grant application process.

Delays implementation or enforcement by the Administrator of an arsenic standard in any State until the earlier of January 1, 2006, or the date on which the Administrator certifies that the program has been implemented in that State and the State has made substantial progress in drinking water standards compliance.

Drinking Water Standards Preservation Act of 2005

Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to establish liability standards for a public water system for damages arising from injury (including personal injury, death, or property damage) allegedly caused by delivery of contaminated water containing either regulated or unregulated contaminants.

Requires for both regulated and unregulated contaminants that the plaintiff establish that there is substantial scientific evidence that the kind of injury alleged could be caused by such substance in the amounts present and that the substance did, in fact, cause the injury.

Requires proof: (1) in the case of regulated contaminants, that the water system violated the regulation, was negligent and that the violation caused the injury; and (2) in the case of unregulated contaminants, that the water system knew or should have known that the substance at that level was likely to cause such injury and that it was feasible to remove the contaminant to a safe level.

Directs the court to make determinations regarding proof requirements in a special pretrial proceeding and to give binding effect to any findings of fact, conclusions of law, or determinations of State agencies exercising primary enforcement authority.

Rural Water Supply Act of 2005

There is currently no summary written of this act by Congress. This bill deals with what steps new Bureau of Reclamation systems must go through to obtain authorization and funding.

Twenty -First Century Water Commission

Establishes the Twenty-First Century Water Commission to: (1) project future water supply and demand; (2) study current water management programs of Federal, Interstate, State, and local agencies and private sector entities directed at increasing water supplies and improving the availability, reliability, and quality of freshwater resources; and (3) consult with representatives of such agencies and entities to develop recommendations for a comprehensive water strategy. Requires that such strategy: (1) identify incentives intended to ensure an adequate and dependable water supply to meet U.S. needs for the next 50 years; (2) suggest strategies that avoid increased mandates on State and local governments, considering all available technologies; and (3) suggest financing options.

Clean Water Investment and Infrastructure Security Act of 2005

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from State volume caps private facility bonds for sewage and water supply facilities.

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Fax: 605-642-4031


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