This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on March 23, 2016. The summary of that version is repeated here.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2016
(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to revise and reauthorize the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for FY2017-FY2021.
The bill restates the initiative's priorities for Great Lakes protection and restoration programs and projects, including: (1) the remediation of toxic substances and areas of concern; (2) the prevention and control of invasive species and their impacts; (3) the protection and restoration of near-shore health and the prevention and mitigation of nonpoint source pollution (water pollution that comes from many diffuse sources, such as pollution on the ground picked up by rain or snow); (4) habitat and wildlife protection and restoration; and (5) accountability, monitoring, evaluation, communication, and partnership activities.
In selecting the best combination of the initiative's programs and projects, the EPA must consult with the Great Lake states and Indian Tribes and solicit input from other non-federal stakeholders.
The EPA must designate a point person from an appropriate federal partner to coordinate, with federal partners and non-federal stakeholders, the initiative's projects and activities involving harmful algal blooms in the Great Lakes.
In addition to current requirements concerning the use of funds made available to carry out the initiative, the bill requires initiative funds to be used to strategically implement operations and activities of EPA's Great Lakes National Program Office, such as remediation of sediment contamination in areas of concern.
The EPA or federal department or agency that receives funds under the initiative may make a grant to, or enter into an agreement with, a qualified nonfederal entity for planning, researching, monitoring, outreach, or implementation of a project that supports the Initiative Action Plan or the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
Projects may be carried out under the initiative on multiple levels, including at the local level.
Funding made available to implement the initiative may not be used for any water infrastructure activity (other than a green infrastructure project that improves habitat and other ecosystem functions in the Great Lakes) for which funding is made available under the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014.
The EPA must review, and revise, if appropriate, the Initiative Action Plan at least once every five years. The EPA must also: (1) establish a process for monitoring and periodically reporting to the public on the plan's progress, (2) make information about each project carried out under the plan available on a public website, and (3) provide to specified congressional committees a yearly detailed description of the initiative's progress and amounts transferred to participating federal departments and agencies for carrying out activities that support the initiative.
[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 223 Introduced in House (IH)]
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 223
To authorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 8, 2015
Mr. Joyce (for himself, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Levin, Mr. Kelly of
Pennsylvania, Mr. Higgins, Mr. Lipinski, Ms. McCollum, Mr. Benishek,
Mr. Collins of New York, Mr. Nolan, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Reed, Mrs.
Walorski, Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Mr. Renacci, Ms. Moore, Mrs. Miller of
Michigan, and Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, 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 ``Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
Act of 2015''.
SEC. 2. GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE.
Section 118(c) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33
U.S.C. 1268(c)) is amended by striking paragraph (7) and inserting the
following:
``(7) Great lakes restoration initiative.--
``(A) Establishment.--There is established in the
Agency a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (referred
to in this paragraph as the `Initiative') to carry out
programs and projects for Great Lakes protection and
restoration.
``(B) Focus areas.--The Initiative shall prioritize
programs and projects carried out in coordination with
non-Federal partners and programs and projects that
address priority areas each fiscal year, including--
``(i) the remediation of toxic substances
and areas of concern;
``(ii) the prevention and control of
invasive species and the impacts of invasive
species;
``(iii) the protection and restoration of
nearshore health and the prevention and
mitigation of nonpoint source pollution;
``(iv) habitat and wildlife protection and
restoration, including wetlands restoration and
preservation; and
``(v) accountability, monitoring,
evaluation, communication, and partnership
activities.
``(C) Projects.--Under the Initiative, the Agency
shall collaborate with Federal partners, including the
Great Lakes Interagency Task Force, to select the best
combination of programs and projects for Great Lakes
protection and restoration using appropriate principles
and criteria, including whether a program or project
provides--
``(i) the ability to achieve strategic and
measurable environmental outcomes that
implement the Great Lakes Action Plan and the
Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement;
``(ii) the feasibility of--
``(I) prompt implementation;
``(II) timely achievement of
results; and
``(III) resource leveraging; and
``(iii) the opportunity to improve
interagency and inter-organizational
coordination and collaboration to reduce
duplication and streamline efforts.
``(D) Implementation of projects.--
``(i) In general.--Funds made available to
carry out the Initiative shall be used to
strategically implement--
``(I) Federal projects; and
``(II) projects carried out in
coordination with States, Indian
tribes, municipalities, institutions of
higher education, and other
organizations.
``(ii) Transfer of funds.--With amounts
made available for the Initiative each fiscal
year, the Administrator may--
``(I) transfer not more than
$300,000,000 to the head of any Federal
department or agency, with the
concurrence of the department or agency
head, to carry out activities to
support the Initiative and the Great
Lakes Water Quality Agreement; and
``(II) enter into an interagency
agreement with the head of any Federal
department or agency to carry out
activities described in subclause (I).
``(E) Scope.--
``(i) In general.--Projects shall be
carried out under the Initiative on multiple
levels, including--
``(I) Great Lakes-wide; and
``(II) Great Lakes basin-wide.
``(ii) Limitation.--No funds made available
to carry out the Initiative may be used for any
water infrastructure activity (other than a
green infrastructure project that improves
habitat and other ecosystem functions in the
Great Lakes) for which amounts are made
available from--
``(I) a State water pollution
control revolving fund established
under title VI; or
``(II) a State drinking water
revolving loan fund established under
section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water
Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-12).
``(F) Activities by other federal agencies.--Each
relevant Federal department or agency shall, to the
maximum extent practicable--
``(i) maintain the base level of funding
for the Great Lakes activities of that
department or agency without regard to funding
under the Initiative; and
``(ii) identify new activities and projects
to support the environmental goals of the
Initiative.
``(G) Funding.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out the Initiative $300,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2020.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Discharged.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 114-465.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 114-465.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 354.
Mr. Gibbs moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1954-1957)
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DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 223.
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H1954-1955)
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1954-1955)
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 439.