PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

The Water Resources Council must study how much water new nonnuclear energy technologies need and whether enough water exists where those technologies might be developed. The Council must use existing agency data and gather more if needed. It must consider legal limits on water use, check effects on water quality, estimate costs for supplying and treating water and disposing of wastewater, and look at environmental, social, and economic impacts if water use must change. The Council must also work with the Council on Environmental Quality. Before the Federal Government pays for a demonstration project, the Secretary must ask the Council for a water-availability report. That report must be published in the Federal Register at least 30 days before Federal funds are spent. For commercial funding, the Council must give the Secretary an assessment and impact evaluation first. All such reports must be published with at least 90 days for public review and comment. The Council must include a regional and national water survey in its biennial assessment. Upon enactment of this part, the Secretary becomes a Council member.

Title 42, §5912

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Assessments by Water Resources Council of water resource requirements and water supply availability for nonnuclear energy technologies; preparation requirements

The Water Resources Council shall undertake assessments of water resource requirements and water supply availability for any nonnuclear energy technology and any probable combinations of technologies which are the subject of Federal research and development efforts authorized by this chapter, and the commercial development of which could have significant impacts on water resources. In the preparation of its assessment, the Council shall—

(1)utilize to the maximum extent practicable data on water supply and demand available in the files of member agencies of the Council;

(2)collect and compile any additional data it deems necessary for complete and accurate assessments;

(3)give full consideration to the constraints upon availability imposed by treaty, compact, court decree, State water laws, and water rights granted pursuant to State and Federal law;

(4)assess the effects of development of such technology on water quality;

(5)include estimates of cost associated with production and management of the required water supply, and the cost of disposal of waste water generated by the proposed facility or process;

(6)assess the environmental, social, and economic impact of any change in use of currently utilized water resource that may be required by the proposed facility or process; and

(7)consult with the Council on Environmental Quality.

(b)Request by Secretary that Water Resources Council prepare assessment of availability of adequate water resources for proposed demonstration projects; report; publication

For any proposed demonstration project which may involve a significant impact on water resources, the Secretary shall, as a precondition of Federal assistance to that project, request the Water Resources Council to prepare an assessment of water requirements and availability for such project. A report on the assessment shall be published in the Federal Register for public review thirty days prior to the expenditure of Federal funds on the demonstration.

(c)Assessment by Water Resources Council of availability of adequate water resources as precondition for Federal assistance for commercial application of nonnuclear energy technologies

For any proposed Federal assistance for commercial application of energy technologies pursuant to this chapter, the Water Resource Council shall, as a precondition of such Federal assistance, provide to the Secretary an assessment of the availability of adequate water resources for such commercial application and an evaluation of the environmental, social, and economic impacts of the dedication of water to such uses.

(d)Publication of reports of assessments and evaluations by Water Resources Council in Federal Register; public review and comments

Reports of assessments and evaluations prepared by the Council pursuant to subsections (a) and (c) shall be published in the Federal Register and at least ninety days shall be provided for public review and comment. Comments received shall accompany the reports when they are submitted to the Secretary and shall be available to the public.

(e)Inclusion of survey and analysis of regional and national water resource availability in biennial assessment by Water Resources Council

The Council shall include a broad survey and analysis of regional and national water resource availability for energy development in the biennial assessment required by section 1962a–1(a) of this title.

(f)Secretary as member of Water Resources Council

The Secretary shall, upon enactment of this subsection, be a member of the Council.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2005—Subsecs. (b) to (d), (f). Pub. L. 109–58 substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”. 1977—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 95–39, § 110(1), substituted “The Water Resources Council” for “At the request of the Administrator, the Water Resources Council”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 95–39, § 110(2), substituted “the Administrator shall, as a precondition of Federal assistance to that project, request the Water Resources Council to prepare an assessment of water requirements and availability for such project” for “the Administrator shall, as a precondition of Federal assistance to that project, prepare or have prepared an assessment of the availability of adequate water resources”. Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 95–39, § 110(3), added subsec. (f).

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

Functions of Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Environmental Quality relating to evaluation provided for by section 5910 of this title transferred to Administrator of Environmental Protection Agency by Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1977, § 5E, 42 F.R. 56101, 91 Stat. 1634, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, effective Feb. 26, 1978, pursuant to Ex. Ord. No. 12040, Feb. 24, 1978, 43 F.R. 8097, formerly set out under section 5910 of this title.

§5912 Water Resource Assessments