[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2544 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2544

   To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to authorize the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to make grants for 
remediation of sediment contamination in areas of concern, to authorize 
assistance for research and development of innovative technologies for 
               such remediation, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 22, 2002

 Mr. Levin (for himself and Mr. DeWine) introduced the following bill; 
 which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and 
                              Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to authorize the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to make grants for 
remediation of sediment contamination in areas of concern, to authorize 
assistance for research and development of innovative technologies for 
               such remediation, 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 Legacy Act of 2002''.

SEC. 2. REPORT ON REMEDIAL ACTION PLANS.

    Section 118(c)(3) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 
U.S.C. 1268(c)(3)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(E) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
                of enactment of this subparagraph, the Administrator 
                shall submit to Congress a report on such actions, time 
                periods, and resources as are necessary to fulfill the 
                duties of the Agency relating to oversight of Remedial 
                Action Plans under--
                            ``(i) this paragraph; and
                            ``(ii) the Great Lakes Water Quality 
                        Agreement.''.

SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR THE REMEDIATION OF SEDIMENT CONTAMINATION IN AREAS 
              OF CONCERN.

    Section 118(c) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 
U.S.C. 1268(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(12) Grants for remediation of sediment contamination in 
        areas of concern.--
                    ``(A) Definition of qualified project.--In this 
                paragraph, the term `qualified project' means a 
                project, to be carried out in an area of concern 
                located wholly or in part in the United States, to--
                            ``(i) monitor or evaluate contaminated 
                        sediment, including conducting a site 
                        characterization;
                            ``(ii) remediate contaminated sediment 
                        (including disposal of the contaminated 
                        sediment); or
                            ``(iii) prevent further or renewed 
                        contamination of sediment.
                    ``(B) Grants.--The Administrator, acting through 
                the Program Office, may make grants to States to carry 
                out qualified projects.
                    ``(C) Priority.--In making grants under this 
                paragraph, the Administrator shall give priority to a 
                qualified project that--
                            ``(i) consists of remedial action for 
                        contaminated sediment;
                            ``(ii) has been identified in a Remedial 
                        Action Plan that is--
                                    ``(I) submitted under paragraph 
                                (3); and
                                    ``(II) ready to be implemented;
                            ``(iii) will use an innovative approach, 
                        technology, or technique for remediation; or
                            ``(iv) includes remediation to be commenced 
                        not later than 1 year after the receipt of the 
                        grant funds.
                    ``(D) Limitations.--The Administrator may not make 
                a grant under this paragraph to carry out a qualified 
                project described in clause (ii) or (iii) of 
                subparagraph (A)--
                            ``(i) that is located in an area of concern 
                        that the Administrator determines is likely to 
                        suffer significant further or renewed sediment 
                        contamination from sources of pollutants after 
                        the completion of the qualified project; or
                            ``(ii) at a site that has not had a 
                        thorough site characterization.
                    ``(E) Coordination.--In making grants under this 
                paragraph, the Administrator shall coordinate with the 
                Secretary of the Army, and with the Governors of States 
                in which qualified projects assisted under this 
                paragraph are located, to ensure that Federal and State 
                assistance for remediation in areas of concern is used 
                as efficiently as practicable.
                    ``(F) NEPA applicability.--A qualified project 
                carried out under this paragraph that involves a major 
                activity, as determined by the Administrator, shall be 
                subject to the National Environmental Policy Act of 
                1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
                    ``(G) Authorization of appropriations.--
                            ``(i) In general.--In addition to other 
                        amounts authorized to be appropriated under 
                        this section, there is authorized to be 
                        appropriated to carry out this paragraph 
                        $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 
                        through 2008.
                            ``(ii) Availability.--Funds appropriated 
                        under clause (i) shall remain available until 
                        expended.
            ``(13) Research and development program.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Administrator, in 
                coordination with other Federal and local officials, 
                shall conduct research on the development and use of 
                innovative approaches, technologies, and techniques for 
                the remediation of sediment contamination in areas of 
                concern in the Great Lakes.
                    ``(B) Authorization of appropriations.--
                            ``(i) In general.--In addition to amounts 
                        authorized to be appropriated under other law, 
                        there is authorized to be appropriated to carry 
                        out this paragraph $2,000,000 for each of 
                        fiscal years 2004 through 2008.
                            ``(ii) Availability.--Funds appropriated 
                        under clause (i) shall remain available until 
                        expended.
            ``(14) Public information program.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Program Office may carry out 
                a public information program under which the 
                Administrator makes grants to States, Indian tribes, 
                local governments, and other entities to provide--
                            ``(i) information to the public in areas of 
                        concern that are--
                                    ``(I) located wholly within the 
                                United States; or
                                    ``(II) shared with Canada; and
                            ``(ii) local coordination and organization 
                        in those areas.
                    ``(B) Selection process.--Grants under the public 
                information program shall be made in accordance with 
                competitive selection procedures established by the 
                Administrator in carrying out other grant programs.
                    ``(C) Authorization of appropriations.--There is 
                authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
                paragraph $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 
                through 2008.''.

SEC. 4. RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS AND 
              INTERNATIONAL TREATIES.

    Section 118(g) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 
U.S.C. 1268(g)) is amended by inserting ``, including the cleanup and 
protection of the Great Lakes'' after ``Lakes''.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 118(h) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 
U.S.C. 1268(h)) is amended by striking the first sentence and inserting 
the following: ``There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this section $40,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2008.''.
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