[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1653 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1653

  To ensure that recreational benefits are given the same priority as 
    hurricane and storm damage reduction benefits and environmental 
                         restoration benefits.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 24, 2003

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To ensure that recreational benefits are given the same priority as 
    hurricane and storm damage reduction benefits and environmental 
                         restoration benefits.

    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 ``National Beach Recreation and 
Economic Benefits Act''.

SEC. 2. GOALS TO BE ADDRESSED IN PLANNING OF WATER RESOURCE PROJECTS.

    Section 904 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 
U.S.C. 2281) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 904. GOALS TO BE ADDRESSED IN PLANNING OF WATER RESOURCE 
              PROJECTS.

    ``(a) In General.--Each of the goals of enhancing national economic 
development, the quality of the total environment, the well-being of 
the people of the United States, the prevention of loss of life, and 
the preservation of cultural and historical values shall be addressed 
in the formulation and evaluation of water resources projects to be 
carried out by the Secretary.
    ``(b) Display of Associated Benefits and Costs.--The quantifiable 
and unquantifiable costs and benefits associated with the goals 
relating to water resources projects described in subsection (a) shall 
be displayed in any analysis of the costs and benefits of those 
projects.''.

SEC. 3. GIVING RECREATIONAL BENEFITS THE SAME STATUS AS OTHER BEACH 
              RESTORATION BENEFITS.

    Subsection (e)(2)(B) of the first section of the Act of August 13, 
1946 (33 U.S.C. 426e(e)(2)(B)), is amended by striking clause (ii) and 
inserting the following:
                            ``(ii) Considerations; procedures.--In 
                        making recommendations relating to shore 
                        protection projects under clause (i), the 
                        Secretary shall--
                                    ``(I) consider the economic and 
                                ecological benefits of the shore 
                                protection projects; and
                                    ``(II) develop and implement 
                                procedures for the determination of 
                                national economic benefits that treat 
                                benefits provided for recreation, 
                                hurricane and storm damage reduction, 
                                and environmental restoration 
                                equally.''.
                                 <all>