[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2167 Introduced in House (IH)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2167
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to protect \1/5\ of
the world's fresh water supply by directing the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a study on the known and
potential environmental effects of oil and gas drilling on land beneath
the water in the Great Lakes, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 13, 2001
Mr. Stupak (for himself, Mr. Bonior, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Barrett of
Wisconsin, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Hinchey, Ms. McCollum, Ms.
Baldwin, Mr. Dingell, Mr. Barcia, Mr. Kucinich, Mr. Levin, Mrs.
Thurman, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr. Luther, Mr. LaTourette,
Ms. Rivers, Mr. Obey, Mr. Kleczka, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Mr. Conyers, Mr.
Strickland, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mr. Kind, Mr. Blagojevich, Mr.
Oberstar, Mr. Roemer, Mr. Towns, Mr. Evans, and Mr. Rush) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on
Energy and Commerce, and Resources, 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 amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to protect \1/5\ of
the world's fresh water supply by directing the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a study on the known and
potential environmental effects of oil and gas drilling on land beneath
the water in the Great Lakes, 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 Water Protection Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) the Great Lakes contain \1/5\ of the world's fresh
water supply;
(2) the Great Lakes basin is home to over 33,000,000 people
and is a vital source of safe drinking water for millions of
people;
(3) the Great Lakes support many wetlands, sand dunes, and
other fragile coastal habitats;
(4) those coastal habitats are home to many endangered and
threatened wildlife and plant species, including the piping
plover, Pitcher's thistle, and the dwarf lake iris;
(5) the Great Lakes are crucial to the economies of the
Great Lakes States for recreation, commercial shipping, and
industrial and agriculture uses; and
(6) oil and gas development beneath the water in any of the
Great Lakes could--
(A) expose a valuable fresh water supply of the
United States to serious contamination; and
(B) cause serious environmental damage to the water
and shoreline of the Great Lakes.
SEC. 3. EFFECTS OF OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT ON THE GREAT LAKES.
The Federal Water Pollution Control Act is amended by inserting
after section 108 (33 U.S.C. 1258) the following:
``SEC. 108A. EFFECTS OF OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT ON THE GREAT LAKES.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Academy.--The term `Academy' means the National
Academy of Sciences.
``(2) Drilling activity.--
``(A) In general.--The term `drilling activity'
means any drilling to extract oil or gas from land
beneath the water in any of the Great Lakes.
``(B) Inclusions.--The term `drilling activity'
includes--
``(i) directional drilling (also known as
`slant drilling'); and
``(ii) offshore drilling.
``(3) Great lake.--The term `Great Lake' means--
``(A) Lake Erie;
``(B) Lake Huron (including Lake Saint Clair);
``(C) Lake Michigan;
``(D) Lake Ontario (including the Saint Lawrence
River from Lake Ontario to the 45th parallel of
latitude); and
``(E) Lake Superior.
``(4) Great lakes state.--The term `Great Lakes State'
means each of the States of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan,
Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
``(b) Incentives To Prevent Drilling Activity.--
``(1) In general.--To be eligible to receive an incentive
grant under paragraph (2), a grant under section 601(a), or a
grant under section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42
U.S.C. 300j-12), a Great Lakes State shall not issue any oil or
gas permit or lease for drilling activity.
``(2) Incentive grants.--
``(A) In general.--For each fiscal year or portion
of a fiscal year in which paragraph (1) is in effect,
the Secretary of the Interior shall make grants to
Great Lakes States.
``(B) Use of grants.--A Great Lakes State shall use
a grant under this paragraph to carry out conservation
activities in the State, including activities to
conserve parkland and protect shores.
``(C) Amount of grants.--For each fiscal year or
portion of a fiscal year, the amount of a grant to a
Great Lakes State under subparagraph (A) shall be equal
to the product obtained by multiplying--
``(i) the amount available for grants under
this paragraph for the fiscal year or portion
of a fiscal year; and
``(ii) the ratio that--
``(I) the amount of funds that the
Great Lakes State would have received,
but for paragraph (1), from the sale of
oil and gas from the Great Lakes during
the fiscal year; bears to
``(II) the amount of funds that all
Great Lakes States would have received,
but for paragraph (1), from the sale of
oil and gas from the Great Lakes during
the fiscal year.
``(D) Maximum amount of grants.--For each fiscal
year, the Secretary of the Interior may make grants
under this paragraph in an aggregate amount not to
exceed $50,000,000.
``(c) Study.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall conduct a
study to examine the known and potential environmental effects
of drilling activity, including any effects on--
``(A) water quality (including the quality of
drinking water);
``(B) the sediments and shorelines of the Great
Lakes;
``(C) fish and other aquatic species, plants, and
wildlife that are dependent on Great Lakes resources;
``(D) competing uses of water and shoreline areas
of the Great Lakes; and
``(E) public health of local communities.
``(2) Consultation.--In designing and conducting the study,
the Administrator shall consult with--
``(A) the Secretary of Energy;
``(B) the Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration;
``(C) the Chief of Engineers;
``(D) the Great Lakes States; and
``(E) as appropriate, representatives of
environmental, industry, academic, scientific, public
health, and other relevant organizations.
``(3) Independent review.--Not later than 180 days after
the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall
enter into an agreement with the Academy under which the
Administrator shall submit to the Academy, and the Academy
shall review, the results of the study.
``(4) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
submission to the Academy of the study under paragraph (3), the
Academy shall submit to the Administrator and Congress--
``(A) the study; and
``(B) a report that describes the results of the
review by the Academy (including any recommendations
concerning the results of the study).
``(5) Action by congress.--It is the sense of Congress
that, after receiving the study and report under paragraph (4),
Congress should--
``(A) review the study and report;
``(B) conduct hearings concerning the impact of
drilling activity; and
``(C) determine whether to eliminate the condition
under subsection (b)(1).
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section.''.
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