[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 137 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 137

To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to 
conduct a study of algal blooms off the coast of Maui, Hawaii, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

             January 21 (legislative day, January 5), 1993

  Mr. Inouye introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to 
conduct a study of algal blooms off the coast of Maui, Hawaii, 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. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Twice since 1989, the northwestern coast of Maui, 
        Hawaii, has been plagued with massive blooms of the green alga, 
        Cladorphora sericea. Blooms of the red alga, Hypnea 
        musciformis, have also occurred in the area and in the Kihei 
        area.
            (2) The algal blooms have destroyed corals and other reef-
        building organisms, and have washed up on beaches and severely 
        impeded the recreational use of affected coastal areas.
            (3) The algal blooms are particularly detrimental to the 
        natural ecological balance of the near-shore reef environment.
            (4) Although the specific causes of the algal blooms are 
        uncertain, algal growth is stimulated in a proportional manner 
        by concentrations of chemicals such as fertilizers and 
        insecticides, which enter the ocean through freshwater runoff.
            (5) The Department of Health of the State of Hawaii has 
        indicated that the department does not have the resources at 
        this time to determine the cause of the algal blooms.
            (6) Extensive research will be required to determine the 
        factors that contribute to algal growth.
            (7) Potential sources of nutrients that may contribute to 
        algal growth include the near-shore disposal of sewage in 
        injection wells from the Lahaina Wastewater Treatment Plant, 
        surface runoff from agricultural lands and urban resort areas, 
        and subsurface point sources in the areas.
            (8) The long-term environmental impacts of the algal blooms 
        are unknown, but in the short term, reefs exposed to the algae 
        are being destroyed and the deterioration of the coral has 
        detrimental effects on fish and other wildlife that depend on 
        the reefs for survival.
            (9) The algal blooms are generating negative economic 
        impacts as well as negative biological impacts, as additional 
        reports indicate that the algae are decreasing the intake of 
        fish caught by local fishermen in the affected marine waters.
            (10) The Maui Algae Task Force is comprised of community 
        environmental activists and has been assembled to address the 
        problem of algal blooms.
            (11) The Maui Algae Task Force hopes to work in cooperation 
        with the Department of Health of the State of Hawaii and the 
        Environmental Protection Agency to identify and eradicate the 
        causes of the algal blooms.

SEC. 2. STUDY.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Administrator'') 
shall conduct a study to--
            (1) determine the causes of recent algal blooms off the 
        northwestern coast of Maui, Hawaii; and
            (2) research alternatives for the improved management of 
        chemicals present in wastewater treatment and fresh water 
        runoff.
    (b) Study Requirements.--In carrying out the study under this 
section, the Administrator shall--
            (1) survey and monitor--
                    (A) seaweed populations and animals for which the 
                seaweed is a food source;
                    (B) surface water runoff sediments in the study 
                area; and
                    (C) inputs into the study area from subsurface 
                point sources, including any such inputs from the 
                Lahaina wastewater treatment plant; and
            (2) study the responses of--
                    (A) the seaweed populations referred to in 
                paragraph (1)(A) to different concentrations of 
                nutrients; and
                    (B) the animals referred to in paragraph (1)(A) to 
                pesticides and other biological toxins.
    (c) Equipment; Grants.--
            (1) Acquisition of equipment.--In carrying out the study 
        under this section, the Administrator is authorized to acquire 
        such monitoring and testing equipment as the Administrator 
        determines necessary.
            (2) Grants.--In carrying out the study under this section, 
        the Administrator is authorized to establish a grant program to 
        provide grants to eligible entities that submit approved 
        applications to the Administrator. The following entities may 
        submit an application to conduct study activities under this 
        section:
                    (A) The Department of Health of the State of 
                Hawaii.
                    (B) The Maui Algae Task Force.
                    (C) Appropriate Federal, State, or county 
                departments or agencies.
                    (D) Any other entity that the Administrator 
                determines to be appropriate.
    (d) Demonstration Projects.--In carrying out the study under this 
section, the Administrator is authorized to establish demonstration 
projects to identify and implement best management practices for the 
control of nonpoint source pollution from erosion and agricultural 
runoff.
    (e) Reports.--
            (1) Interim report.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
        of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to 
        Congress a report that includes interim results of the study 
        conducted under this section, and such recommendations as the 
        Administrator determines to be appropriate.
            (2) Final report.--Not later than January 31, 1996, the 
        Administrator shall submit to Congress a final report that 
        summarizes the results of the study conducted under this 
        section and includes such recommendations as the Administrator 
        determines to be appropriate.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Environmental Protection Agency to carry out this 
section $500,000 for each of fiscal years 1994 and 1995.

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