Gulf of Mexico Protection and Restoration Act of 1991

Gulf of Mexico Protection and Restoration Act of 1991 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to implement a comprehensive plan for improving and protecting the water quality of the Gulf of Mexico.

Requires the Administrator to award grants for research to develop baseline scientific data regarding the environmental quality of the Gulf for use in preparing and evaluating the plan. Makes State agencies, nonprofit research organizations, and universities eligible for grants. Directs the Administrator, at the request of the Governor of a Gulf State affected by the plan, to make a grant for implementing the plan to the State if the State commits to implement the plan and has an approved proposal. Sets forth State proposal requirements. Limits: (1) the Federal share of State grants to 50 percent of the total cost of implementing the proposal; and (2) administrative costs supported by a grant to ten percent of the portion of the grant expended per fiscal year.

Defines a "Gulf State" as Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

Authorizes and allocates appropriations.

 
HR 3777 IH
102d CONGRESS
1st Session
 H. R. 3777
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to provide for the improvement
and protection of the environment of the Gulf of Mexico.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 14, 1991
Mr. IRELAND (for himself, Mr. LAUGHLIN, Mr. FASCELL, Mr. BROOKS, Mr. LEHMAN
of Florida, Mr. BAKER, Mr. YOUNG of Florida, Mr. ANDREWS of Texas, Mr. SHAW,
Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. LEWIS of Florida, Mr. GIBBONS, Mr. BENNETT, Mr. PETERSON
of Florida, Mr. JOHNSTON of Florida, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. GOSS, Mr. BACCHUS,
Mr. SMITH of Florida, Mr. PARKER, Mr. HUTTO, Mr. THOMAS of Georgia, and
Mr. MCCOLLUM) introduced the following bill; which was referred jointly to the
Committees on Public Works and Transportation, Merchant Marine and Fisheries,
and Science, Space, and Technology
A BILL
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to provide for the improvement
and protection of the environment of the Gulf of Mexico.
  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
  States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  This Act may be cited as the `Gulf of Mexico Protection and Restoration
  Act of 1991'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  The Congress finds the following:
  (1) The United States encloses the Gulf of Mexico on 3 sides, and 2/3 of
  the area of the continental United States drains into the Gulf of Mexico.
  (2) The Gulf of Mexico yields nearly 2/3 the amount of shrimp harvested
  by United States fishing, and nearly 20 percent of the total amount of
  fish commercially harvested by United States fishing.
  (3) The estuaries, wetlands, and barrier islands of the Gulf of Mexico
  provide critical habitat for large populations of finfish, shellfish,
  waterfowl, shore birds, and colonial nesting birds.
  (4) The Gulf of Mexico provides critical habitat for 75 percent of the
  migratory waterfowl which traverse the United States.
  (5) 90 percent of domestic offshore production of oil and gas occurs in
  the Gulf of Mexico.
  (6) Nearly half of United States shipping tonnage passes through United
  States ports on the Gulf of Mexico.
SEC. 3. GULF OF MEXICO MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
  Title I of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et
  seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
`SEC. 120. GULF OF MEXICO MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
  `(a) GULF OF MEXICO MANAGEMENT PLAN-
  `(1) IN GENERAL- Not later than January 1, 1995, the Administrator shall
  issue and begin implementing a comprehensive plan for improving and
  protecting the water quality of the Gulf of Mexico.
  `(2) CONTENTS OF PLAN- The Plan shall include measures for--
  `(A) collecting and making available, through publications and other
  appropriate means information pertaining to the environmental quality of
  the Gulf;
  `(B) coordinating Federal and State efforts to improve the water quality
  of the Gulf;
  `(C) determining the impact of sediment deposition in the Gulf and
  identifying the sources, rates, routes, and distribution patterns of such
  sediment deposition;
  `(D) determining the impact of natural and man-induced environmental
  changes on the living resources of the Gulf and the relationships among such
  changes, with particular emphasis on habitat loss and pollutant loadings
  of nutrients, dissolved oxygen, and toxic pollutants (including organic
  chemicals and heavy metals); and
  `(E) conducting programs to educate the public regarding issues related
  to water quality of the Gulf.
  `(3) CONSULTATION- In preparing and implementing the Plan, the Administrator
  shall--
  `(A) consult with various Federal agencies which conduct programs related
  to the environmental quality of the Gulf;
  `(B) consult with the Gulf States; and
  `(C) establish and consult with--
  `(i) a policy board, consisting of the heads of various Federal and State
  agencies which conduct programs related to the environmental quality of
  the Gulf;
  `(ii) a technical steering committee with an executive board consisting of
  managers and researchers of those Federal and State agencies and managers
  and researchers of academic institutions; and
  `(iii) a citizen advisory committee, consisting of five residents of each
  Gulf State, appointed by the Governor of that State.
  `(b) RESEARCH GRANTS-
  `(1) IN GENERAL- The Administrator shall award grants for the conduct of
  such research as is necessary to develop baseline scientific data regarding
  environmental quality of the Gulf for use in preparing, and evaluating
  the effectiveness and implementation of, the Plan.
  `(2) ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANTS- Grants under this section may be awarded to
  any State agency, nonprofit research organization, or university which meets
  such eligibility requirements as may be established by the Administrator.
  `(c) IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS-
  `(1) IN GENERAL- The Administrator shall, at the request of the Governor
  of a Gulf State affected by the Plan, make a grant for the purpose of
  implementing measures contained in the Plan if such State, within 1
  year after the date of the issuance of the Plan, approves and commits to
  implement all or substantially all aspects of the Plan as they relate to
  the State and has a proposal for that purpose approved under paragraph
  (2). Such grants shall be made subject to such terms and conditions as
  the Administrator considers appropriate.
  `(2) SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL-
  `(A) IN GENERAL- A Gulf State or combination of Gulf States which seeks a
  grant under this subsection shall submit to the Administrator a comprehensive
  proposal to implement management mechanisms contained in the Plan, which
  shall include--
  `(i) a description of proposed actions which the State or combination of
  States commits to take within a specified time period to reduce pollution
  in the Gulf and to meet applicable water quality standards, and
  `(ii) the estimated cost of the actions proposed to be taken under this
  proposal.
  `(B) APPROVAL AND FUNDING- If the Administrator finds that a proposal
  submitted by a Gulf State under subparagraph (A) is consistent with and
  will contribute to the implementation of the Plan, the Administrator shall
  approve such proposal and provide a grant under this subsection to the
  State to finance the costs of implementing the proposal.
  `(3) FEDERAL SHARE- Grants under this subsection--
  `(A) shall not exceed 50 percent of the costs of implementing the proposal
  approved under paragraph (2) for which a grant is made; and
  `(B) shall be made on condition that non-Federal sources provide the
  remainder of the cost of implementing that proposal.
  `(4) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS- Administrative costs in the form of salaries,
  overhead, or indirect costs for services provided and charged against
  programs or projects supported by a grant under this subsection shall not
  exceed in any fiscal year 10 percent of the portion of that grant expended
  in that fiscal year.
  `(d) REPORT- Not later than 10 years after the date of the enactment of
  this section, the Administrator shall submit to the Congress a report on
  the implementation of this section.
  `(e) DEFINITIONS- As used in this section:
  `(1) GULF- The term `Gulf' means the Gulf of Mexico.
  `(2) GULF STATE- The term `Gulf State' means Alabama, Florida, Louisiana,
  Mississippi, Texas, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
  `(3) PLAN- The term `Plan' means the Plan issued by the Administrator
  under subsection (a).
  `(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS-
  `(1) AUTHORIZATION- There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out
  this section not more than $30,000,000 for fiscal year 1993 and such sums
  as may be necessary for each fiscal year thereafter, to remain available
  until expended.
  `(2) USE OF AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED- Of amounts appropriated pursuant to
  this subsection--
  `(A) not more than 10 percent may be used for administration of this
  section by the Environmental Protection Agency;
  `(B) at least 20 percent shall be used for the research program required
  by subsection (b);
  `(C) at least 40 percent shall be used for preparing and implementing
  the Plan;
  `(D) at least 20 percent shall be used for ecological monitoring on the
  effectiveness of the Plan, when implemented; and
  `(E) at least 10 percent shall be used for public education programs
  regarding living resources and water quality of the Gulf.'.