Washington, D.C. - The House Resources Committee passed the Southern California Groundwater Remediation Act, authored by Rep. Joe Baca (D-Rialto), today. The bill passed under unanimous consent, with no debate. 

The next step for the bill is to move to a vote before the House of Representatives. There is currently no indication of when the bill will reach the House floor. 

"I am pleased that the Resources Committee moved so quickly to pass this bill," said Rep. Baca. "Our communities cannot wait any longer for relief from this contamination." 

The bill will create a fund administered by the Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau of Reclamation, that will assist in the funding and implementation of groundwater remediation. It will support areas covered by the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority. Southern California, and particularly the Inland Empire, has been greatly impacted by perchlorate-contaminated water. Rep. Baca's bill will alleviate the economic burden of perchlorate clean up on the community. 

The original version of the bill also covered the San Gabriel River watershed. The bill was amended because the San Gabriel Restoration Fund, passed by the House in 2003, already provides funds for perchlorate clean up in the area. 

Action on perchlorate clean up has been delayed due to high costs, a debate over who holds responsibility for the contamination, and lack of a clear standard for what level of perchlorate is dangerous. Rep. Baca's bill will allow communities to get the money they need for perchlorate clean up without the debate. 

The bill has gained bipartisan support from co-author Rep. Grace Napolitano and original co-sponsors Rep. Ken Calvert, Rep. Gary Miller, Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald, and Rep. Linda Sanchez.

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