Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 118.djvu/611

 118 STAT. 581 PUBLIC LAW 108–215—APR. 5, 2004 SEC. 3. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS RELATING TO UNITED STATES SUP PORT FOR NADBANK PROJECTS WHICH FINANCE WATER CONSERVATION FOR TEXAS IRRIGATORS AND AGRICUL TURAL PRODUCERS IN THE LOWER RIO GRANDE RIVER VALLEY. (a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that— (1) Texas irrigators and agricultural producers are suffering enormous hardships in the lower Rio Grande River valley because of Mexico’s failure to abide by the 1944 Water Treaty entered into by the United States and Mexico; (2) over the last 10 years, Mexico has accumulated a 1,500,000 acre fee water debt to the United States which has resulted in a very minimal and inadequate irrigation water supply in Texas; (3) recent studies by Texas A&M University show that water savings of 30 percent or more can be achieved by improve ments in irrigation system infrastructure such as canal lining and metering; (4) on August 20, 2002, the Board of the North American Development Bank agreed to the creation in the Bank of a Water Conservation Investment Fund, as required by Minute 308 to the 1944 Water Treaty, which was an agreement signed by the United States and Mexico on June 28, 2002; and (5) the Water Conservation Investment Fund of the North American Development Bank stated that up to $80,000,000 would be available for grant financing of water conservation projects, which grant funds would be divided equally between the United States and Mexico. (b) SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the Congress that— (1) water conservation projects are eligible for funding from the North American Development Bank under the Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Mexican States Concerning the Establishment of a Border Environment Cooperation Commis sion and a North American Development Bank; and (2) the Board of the North American Development Bank should support qualified water conservation projects which can assist Texas irrigators and agricultural producers in the lower Rio Grande River Valley. SEC. 4. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS RELATING TO UNITED STATES SUP PORT FOR NADBANK PROJECTS WHICH FINANCE WATER CONSERVATION IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA. It is the sense of the Congress that the Board of the North American Development Bank should support— (1) the development of qualified water conservation projects in southern California and other eligible areas in the 4 United States border States, including the conjunctive use and storage of surface and ground water, delivery system conservation, the re regulation of reservoirs, improved irrigation practices, wastewater reclamation, regional water management modeling, operational and optimization studies to improve water conserva tion, and cross border water exchanges consistent with treaties; and (2) new water supply research and projects along the Mexico border in southern California and other eligible areas

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