Richard Pombo: “Mr. Speaker, in California's Eleventh District, the City of Morgan Hill and surrounding communities, face a serious…”

“Mr. Speaker, in California's Eleventh District, the City of Morgan Hill and surrounding communities, face a serious problem due to groundwater contamination with perchlorate. Hundreds of private and city-owned wells have been closed, and many residents are forced to rely on bottled water. To help remedy this situation, I introduce H.R. 4459, the Llagas Reclamation Groundwater Remediation Initiative. This bill will provide $25 million in Federal funding to assist the Santa Clara Valley Water District's efforts to identify the scope of the contamination and begin a comprehensive, long-term program to once again provide high-quality drinking water to the area's residents. This funding mechanism is based on a practical working model currently underway in the San Gabriel Basin in Southern California. Everyone agrees on the need for safe drinking water for our communities. This bill reflects this consensus and puts words into action. It is my hope that this bill will act as a successful model for other areas of the country as well. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.”