Gulf States Coordination Act
This bill designates the Gulf of Mexico Alliance as a regional coordination partnership that will strengthen collaboration efforts among federal, state, local, and private participants in the five Gulf states (Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas) to restore and protect the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem.
The alliance may provide grants to carry out this bill, including to research the effects of natural and human-induced environmental changes on the water quality and living resources of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem.
[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2923 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2923
To designate the Gulf of Mexico Alliance as a regional coordination
partnership of Federal and State actions related to the management of
the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 15, 2017
Mr. Graves of Louisiana (for himself, Mr. Palazzo, and Mr. Richmond)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on
Natural Resources, and Science, Space, and Technology, 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 designate the Gulf of Mexico Alliance as a regional coordination
partnership of Federal and State actions related to the management of
the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem, 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 ``Gulf States Coordination Act''.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS AND PURPOSES.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the United
States should seek to attain coordination of the regional conservation
and restoration efforts for the Gulf of Mexico in order to facilitate
the continued economic uses of the Gulf of Mexico for the benefit of
the people of the United States, to reduce duplication of efforts, and
to maximize efficiencies, through a collaborative regional effort
through the Gulf of Mexico Alliance in consultation with Federal
agencies and State and local authorities.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are the following:
(1) To expand and strengthen cooperative voluntary efforts
to conserve and restore the Gulf of Mexico and maintain its
highly productive multiple uses.
(2) To recognize and enable the Gulf of Mexico Alliance as
a lead coordinator of Federal and State authorities with other
voluntary efforts for the collaborative management of the Gulf
of Mexico and to coordinate such management with Mexico.
(3) To enable the Gulf of Mexico Alliance to receive
Federal funding through an appropriation to conduct the
necessary scientific research and conservation and restoration
management to achieve these purposes.
SEC. 3. GULF STATES PROTECTION AND RESTORATION COORDINATION.
(a) Designation as a Regional Coordination Partnership.--
(1) Designation.--The Gulf of Mexico Alliance is designated
as a regional coordination partnership of Federal and State
actions related to the management of the Gulf of Mexico
ecosystem.
(2) Location.--The Gulf of Mexico Alliance shall be located
in a State all, or a portion of the coastline, of which is on
the Gulf of Mexico.
(3) Functions.--The Gulf of Mexico Alliance may--
(A) promote coordination of the actions of State
agencies in the States that border the Gulf of Mexico
and other authorities with the actions of the
appropriate officials of the Federal agencies, local
authorities, and representatives of key regional
industries in the Gulf of Mexico region in developing
strategies--
(i) to improve the water quality, protect
living resources, increase valuable habitats,
and enhance coastal resilience in the Gulf of
Mexico ecosystem; and
(ii) to obtain the support of appropriate
officials;
(B) in cooperation and consultation with
appropriate Federal, State, and local authorities, and
industry representatives, develop and implement
specific action plans to carry out the Gulf of Mexico
Alliance regional coordination goals;
(C) coordinate and implement plans and projects,
and facilitate science, research, modeling, monitoring,
data collection, and other activities, that support the
Gulf of Mexico Alliance's goals through the provision
of grants under subsection (c);
(D) implement outreach programs for public
information, education, and participation to foster
stewardship of the resources of the Gulf of Mexico;
(E) develop and make available, through
publications, technical assistance, and other
appropriate means, information pertaining to the
environmental quality and living resources of the Gulf
of Mexico ecosystem;
(F) serve as the liaison with, and provide
information to, the Mexican members of the Gulf of
Mexico States Accord and Mexican counterparts; and
(G) focus the efforts and resources of the Gulf of
Mexico Alliance on activities that will result in
measurable improvements to water quality and living
resources of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem by
coordinating protection and restoration programs to
minimize duplication and maximize leveraging
opportunities.
(b) Grants.--
(1) In general.--The Gulf of Mexico Alliance may provide
grants to nonprofit organizations, State and local governments,
colleges, universities, interstate agencies, and individuals to
carry out this section for use in--
(A) monitoring the water quality and living
resources of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem;
(B) researching the effects of natural and human-
induced environmental changes on the water quality and
living resources of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem;
(C) developing and executing cooperative strategies
that address the water quality, coastal resilience, and
living resource needs in the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem;
(D) developing and implementing locally based
protection and restoration programs or projects within
a watershed that complement such strategies, including
the creation, restoration, protection, or enhancement
of habitat associated with the Gulf of Mexico
ecosystem; and
(E) eliminating or reducing nonpoint sources that
discharge pollutants that contaminate the Gulf of
Mexico ecosystem, including activities to eliminate
leaking septic systems and construct connections to
local sewage systems.
(2) Administrative costs.--Administrative costs in the form
of salaries, overhead, or indirect costs for services provided
and charged against programs or projects carried out using
funds made available through a grant under this subsection
shall not exceed 25 percent of the amount of the grant.
(c) Limitation on Regulatory Authority.--Nothing in this section
establishes any new legal or regulatory authority of the Gulf of Mexico
Alliance, itself, other than the authority to provide grants in
accordance with this section.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Gulf of mexico alliance.--The term ``Gulf of Mexico
Alliance'' means the formal collaborative organization of
Federal, State, local, and private participants established by
the 5 Gulf States in 2004 as a non-regulatory, inclusive
network of partners to provide a broad geographic focus on the
primary environmental issues affecting the Gulf of Mexico.
(2) Gulf of mexico ecosystem.--The term ``Gulf of Mexico
ecosystem'' means the ecosystem of the Gulf of Mexico and its
watershed.
SEC. 4. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
(a) Gifts and Transfers to Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration
Council.--Section 311(t)(2)(E) of the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act (33 U.S.C. 1321(t)(2)(E)) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(iii) Gifts and transfers; separate
fund.--
``(I) In general.--Subject to
subclause (II), the Council may accept,
hold, administer, and utilize for the
purpose of aiding or facilitating the
work and operations of the Council--
``(aa) gifts, donations,
and bequests from any
individual or entity; and
``(bb) transfers from
Federal and State agencies of
funds, goods, services, and
personal and real property.
``(II) Treatment.--Any funds
accepted by the Council or transferred
to the Council under this clause
shall--
``(aa) remain available
until expended;
``(bb) be deposited in the
Treasury in a separate fund;
and
``(cc) be disbursed upon
order by the Council.''.
(b) Borrowing Authority.--Section 1602 of the Resources and
Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies
of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (33 U.S.C. 1321 note) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
``(g) Borrowing Authority.--
``(1) In general.--To aid and facilitate the purposes of
this subtitle and the amendments made by this subtitle, and
subject to the terms and conditions of this subsection, the
Secretary of the Treasury (referred to in this subsection as
the `Secretary') and the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration
Council (referred to in this subsection as the `Council') may
each--
``(A) borrow money from any source; and
``(B) issue and sell notes, bonds, obligations, and
other instruments of indebtedness.
``(2) Terms and conditions.--Each instrument of
indebtedness issued under this subsection shall have a term,
bear an interest rate, and contain other terms and conditions
as may determined by the party issuing the instrument.
``(3) Limitations on amounts.--The aggregate of the
principal of funds borrowed under this subsection and interest
payable thereon may not exceed--
``(A) as to the Secretary, 35 percent of the
aggregate amounts paid or payable into the Trust Fund
from any source over the duration of the Trust Fund;
and
``(B) as to the Council, 60 percent of the
aggregate amounts paid or payable into the Trust Fund
from any source over the duration of the Trust Fund.
``(4) Disbursements.--Subject to paragraph (6), the
Secretary and the Council may disburse funds borrowed under
this subsection upon order--
``(A) by the Secretary, for any purpose authorized
under section 311(t)(1) of the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1321(t)(1)), as if such borrowed
funds were available in the Trust Fund for such
purpose; and
``(B) by the Council, for any purpose authorized
under section 311(t)(2) or 311(t)(3) of that Act (33
U.S.C. 1321(t)(2), 1321(t)(3)), as if such borrowed
funds were available in the Trust Fund for such
purpose.
``(5) Repayments.--The Secretary and the Council may repay
funds borrowed under this subsection and disbursed for the
applicable purposes set forth in paragraph (4) from funds
available in the Trust Fund and allocated for such purposes by
this subtitle.
``(6) Financing costs.--The Secretary and the Council may
pay interest and any other financing costs payable in
connection with funds borrowed under this subsection from--
``(A) the principal of such borrowed funds; and
``(B) funds otherwise available in the Trust Fund
for repayment of the principal of such borrowed
funds.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Science, Space, and Technology, 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 Committees on Natural Resources, and Science, Space, and Technology, 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 Committees on Natural Resources, and Science, Space, and Technology, 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.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment.
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