(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2014 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to authorize the Environmental Protection Agency's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for FY2015-FY2019.
Requires that the Initiative carry out programs and projects for Great Lakes protection and restoration. Directs the Initiative to prioritize programs and projects, including:
Prohibits funding made available to implement the Initiative from being 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 clean water or drinking water state revolving fund program.
Requires federal agencies to maintain the base level of funding for their Great Lakes activities without regard to funding under the Initiative and identify new activities to support the environmental goals of the Initiative.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5764 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5764
To authorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 20, 2014
Mr. Joyce (for himself, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Levin, and Mr. Dingell)
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 2014''.
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 2015 through 2019.''.
<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.
Mr. Gibbs moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H8892-8897)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5764.
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H8892)
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H8892)
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line