[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2218 Introduced in Senate (IS)]






105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2218

   To require the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of 
Engineers, to evaluate, develop, and implement a strategic master plan 
 for States on the Atlantic Ocean to address problems associated with 
    toxic microorganisms in tidal and non-tidal wetlands and waters.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 25, 1998

Mr. Sarbanes (for himself, Mr. Faircloth, Mr. Warner, Ms. Mikulski, and 
   Mr. Robb) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To require the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of 
Engineers, to evaluate, develop, and implement a strategic master plan 
 for States on the Atlantic Ocean to address problems associated with 
    toxic microorganisms in tidal and non-tidal wetlands and waters.

    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 ``Atlantic Coast Toxic Microorganism 
Environmental Remediation Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) effective protection of tidal and nontidal wetlands and 
        waters of the United States is essential to sustain and protect 
        ecosystems, as well as recreational, subsistence, and economic 
        activities dependent on those ecosystems;
            (2) the effects of increasing occurrences of toxic 
        microorganism outbreaks can adversely affect those ecosystems 
        and their dependent activities; and
            (3) there needs to be a comprehensive evaluation, 
        development, and implementation of strategic master plans for 
        States.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers.
            (2) State.--The term ``State'' means a State on the coast 
        of the Atlantic Ocean.
            (3) Toxic microorganisms.--The term ``toxic 
        microorganisms'' includes Pfiesteria piscicida and other 
        potentially harmful aquatic dinoflagellates.

SEC. 4. STUDY AND STRATEGY FOR AQUATIC HABITAT REMEDIATION.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall evaluate, develop, and implement a 
strategic master plan for each State (on a watershed basis) to address 
problems associated with the degradation of ecosystems and their 
dependent activities resulting from toxic microorganisms in tidal and 
nontidal wetlands and waters.
    (b) Federal and Non-Federal Shares.--
            (1) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of 
        evaluating, developing, and implementing a strategic master 
        plan for a State under subsection (a) shall be 75 percent.
            (2) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of the cost 
        of evaluating, developing, and implementing a strategic master 
        plan for a State under subsection (a) shall be provided in the 
        form of cash, in-kind services, or materials.
    (c) Cooperative Agreements.--Subject to subsection (b), in carrying 
out this section, the Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements 
with Federal, State, and local government agencies under which the 
Secretary shall provide financial assistance to implement actions 
identified in each watershed strategic master plan.
    (d) Implementation.--The Secretary shall carry out this section in 
cooperation with--
            (1) the Secretary of the Interior;
            (2) the Secretary of Agriculture;
            (3) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
        Agency;
            (4) the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
        Atmospheric Administration;
            (5) the heads of other appropriate Federal, State, and 
        local government agencies; and
            (6) affected local landowners, businesses, and commercial 
        entities.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $15,000,000.
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