Volume 145, No. 33 covering the 1st Session of the 106th Congress (1999 - 2000) was published by the Congressional Record.
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“THE PERKINS COUNTY RURAL WATER SYSTEM ACT OF 1999” mentioning the Environmental Protection Agency was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E328 on March 3, 1999.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
THE PERKINS COUNTY RURAL WATER SYSTEM ACT OF 1999
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HON. JOHN R. THUNE
of south dakota
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, March 3, 1999
Mr. THUNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Perkins County Rural Water System Act of 1999. This legislation authorizes the construction of the Perkins County Rural Water System, which when completed, will provide water to over 3,500 people in an area covering 2,866 square miles. This area is larger than each of the states of Rhode Island and Delaware. The project addresses a basic need not currently being met in many areas of my state of South Dakota. That need is for water.
Much like other areas of South Dakota, Perkins County frequently experiences problems involving both the quality and quantity of available water. The present water supply consistently fails to meet standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency for total dissolved solids and sulfates. Additionally, the sodium and fluoride levels have been found to be exceedingly high as determined by the State of South Dakota and numerous medical practitioners in the area. The water of Perkins County impacts not just the quality of life for these South Dakotans, but also their health.
The Perkins County Rural Water System is not a new concept. As testimony before the House Resources Committee last year indicated, the project dates back to 1982 when a group of farmers and ranchers were contacted by the Southwest Pipeline Project in North Dakota to see if they were interested in obtaining water to serve Perkins County. By 1992, Southwest Pipeline had grown to the point that Perkins County could have been included in engineering design work. However, the legislation did not specifically authorize the construction of the Perkins County System. And since 1982, the states of North Dakota and South Dakota recognized Perkins County as a future extension of the Southwest Pipeline project. In fact, the original congressional legislation authorizing the Southwest Pipeline project referred to the potential for a future connection for Perkins County. The current legislation authorizing the construction of this water system recognizes and builds upon this past history.
This legislation was originally introduced during the 104th Congress, and I later reintroduced the measure in the 105th Congress. Since its introduction, the proposal has been the subject of several hearings, and extensive discussions and negotiations between the project sponsors, the Administration, and the committees of jurisdiction. These actions were instrumental in the Government Accounting Office, the Congressional Research Service, and the Administration's recognition of the need Perkins County has for safe water. Last Congress, this legislation passed unanimously out of both the House and Senate with amendments. Unfortunately, the amended legislation was not taken up in the final days of the last Congress.
Given the progress achieved on the Perkins County Rural Water System during the last Congress, I am hopeful this body can move forward with this vital initiative for South Dakota.
We all recognize the water needs the people of Perkins County have. It is time for Congress to move beyond looking at only the symptoms of poor drinking water and move forward with the solution this bill provides. Supporting the legislation authorizing the construction of the Perkins County Rural Water System embodies not only the commitment to support initiatives such as the Safe Drinking Water and the Clean Water Act, but also the authority of Congress to continue its historical support of working to meet various water needs. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure the people of Perkins County can meet the most basic of needs: access to clean, safe drinking water.
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