Indian River Lagoon Nutrient Removal Assistance Act of 2014 - Requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish an Indian River Lagoon Nutrient Removal Assistance Grant Program to assist projects related to the protection and restoration of the Indian River Lagoon in Florida.
Directs the EPA to issue regulations regarding grant selection criteria that prioritize projects that: (1) produce the greatest nutrient load reductions, (2) result in the greatest environmental benefits to the Lagoon, and (3) advance the goals and objectives of the comprehensive and management plan for the Indian River Lagoon approved under the National Estuary program of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act).
Requires the EPA to issue regulations to increase by 5% each civil penalty amount established for a violation of the Clean Water Act.
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish an Indian River Lagoon Nutrient Removal Assistance Trust Fund for the Program. Requires an amount equal to the increase in civil penalties to be transferred to the Fund.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5289 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5289
To establish the Indian River Lagoon Nutrient Removal Assistance Grant
Program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 30, 2014
Mr. Murphy of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition
to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Indian River Lagoon Nutrient Removal Assistance Grant
Program, and for other purposes.
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 ``Indian River Lagoon Nutrient Removal
Assistance Act of 2014''.
SEC. 2. INDIAN RIVER LAGOON NUTRIENT REMOVAL ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency shall establish an Indian River Lagoon Nutrient
Removal Assistance Grant Program (in this section referred to as the
``Program'') to assist projects related to the protection and
restoration of the Indian River Lagoon in Florida.
(b) Grant Authority.--In carrying out the Program, the
Administrator may make a grant, on a competitive basis, to any of the
following:
(1) A State government entity.
(2) A local government entity.
(3) A nonprofit organization.
(4) The Indian River Lagoon Program.
(c) Applications.--To be eligible for a grant under the Program, an
entity specified in subsection (b) shall submit to the Administrator an
application with respect to a proposed project at such time, in such
form, and containing such information as the Administrator determines
is appropriate, which shall include at least a description of the
proposed project and the communities to be served by the proposed
project.
(d) Selection Criteria.--The Administrator shall issue regulations
with respect to the criteria to be utilized to select projects for
grants under the Program, which shall prioritize projects that--
(1) produce the greatest nutrient load reductions;
(2) result in the greatest environmental benefits to the
Indian River Lagoon; and
(3) advance the goals and objectives of the comprehensive
plan.
(e) Consultation.--In selecting projects for grants under the
Program, the Administrator shall consult with--
(1) the Indian River Lagoon Program;
(2) the State of Florida and local governments in the
Indian River Lagoon watershed; and
(3) other relevant stakeholders involved with the
protection and restoration of the Indian River Lagoon.
(f) Federal Share.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the
Federal share of the cost of a project assisted with a grant
under the Program shall be 75 percent.
(2) Exception.--At the request of a grant recipient, the
recipient may lower the Federal share of the cost for a project
carried out by the recipient to an amount that is less than 75
percent.
(g) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) Comprehensive plan.--The term ``comprehensive plan''
means--
(A) the conservation and management plan approved
under section 320 of the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1330) for the Indian River
Lagoon; and
(B) any amendments to that plan.
(2) Indian river lagoon program.--The term ``Indian River
Lagoon Program'' means the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary
Program convened as the management conference under section 320
of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1330) for
the Indian River Lagoon, and includes the Policy Board,
Management Committee, Technical Advisory Committee, and
Citizens Advisory Committee of that Program.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to
the Administrator to carry out the Program each fiscal year the
amounts available in the Indian River Lagoon Nutrient Removal
Assistance Trust Fund established under section 9512 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(2) Administrative expenses.--The Administrator may not use
more than 5 percent of the amounts made available to carry out
the Program each fiscal year to pay administrative expenses
incurred in carrying out the Program.
(3) Prohibition.--No amounts made available to carry out
the Program may be used for the administrative expenses of a
management conference convened under section 320 of the Federal
Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1330).
(4) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this section may be
construed to limit the eligibility of the Indian River Lagoon
Program to receive funding under section 320(g) of the Federal
Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1330(g)).
SEC. 3. INCREASE IN CERTAIN CIVIL PENALTIES.
(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law and not
later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall issue
regulations to increase by 5 percent each civil penalty amount
established for a violation of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act
(33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.).
(b) Applicability.--The regulations issued under subsection (a)
shall only apply to violations of the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) occurring after the date of enactment of
this Act.
SEC. 4. INDIAN RIVER LAGOON NUTRIENT REMOVAL ASSISTANCE TRUST FUND.
(a) In General.--Subchapter A of chapter 98 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 9512. INDIAN RIVER LAGOON NUTRIENT REMOVAL ASSISTANCE TRUST
FUND.
``(a) Creation of Trust Fund.--There is hereby established in the
Treasury of the United States a trust fund to be known as the `Indian
River Lagoon Nutrient Removal Assistance Trust Fund', consisting of
such amounts as may be appropriated or credited to such Trust Fund as
provided in this section and section 9602(b).
``(b) Transfers to Trust Fund.--There are hereby appropriated to
the Indian River Lagoon Nutrient Removal Assistance Trust Fund such
amounts as the Secretary determines from time to time are equivalent to
the increase in civil penalties under section 3(a) of the Indian River
Lagoon Nutrient Removal Assistance Act of 2014 for violations of the
Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
``(c) Expenditures.--Amounts in the Indian River Lagoon Nutrient
Removal Assistance Trust Fund shall be available as provided in
appropriations Acts only for making expenditures to make grants under
the Indian River Lagoon Nutrient Removal Assistance Grant Program under
section 2(a) of the Indian River Lagoon Nutrient Removal Assistance Act
of 2014.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for subchapter A of
chapter 98 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following
new item:
``Sec. 9512. Indian River Lagoon Nutrient Removal Assistance Trust
Fund.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
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