110 HR 2650 IH: Restore the Apalachicola River U.S. House of Representatives 2007-06-11 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2650 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 11, 2007 Mr. Boyd of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure A BILL To modify certain water resources projects for the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint Rivers, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Restore the Apalachicola River Ecosystem Act.

2.

Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint Rivers, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama

(a)

In general

The project for navigation, Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint Rivers, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama, authorized by section 2 of the Act of March 2, 1945 (59 Stat. 17), and modified by the first section of the Act of July 24, 1946 (60 Stat. 635), and the project for the West Point Reservoir, Chattahoochee River, Georgia, authorized by section 203 of the Flood Control Act of 1962 (76 Stat. 1182), are modified— (1)to deauthorize the 9-foot by 100-foot channel between the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near Apalachicola, Florida, to Jim Woodruff Dam near Chattahoochee, Florida; and (2)to authorize the Secretary of the Army, in consultation with the State of Florida, to develop the plan described in subsection (b). (b)

Plan for restoration of apalachicola river

(1)

In general

Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act and before commencement of any restoration activity under subsection (a), the Secretary, in coordination with the State of Florida, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the United States Geological Survey, shall— (A)develop a comprehensive plan to restore the Apalachicola River basin; and (B)submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives the plan developed under subparagraph (A). (2)

Required elements

The plan under paragraph (1) shall— (A)have as its sole goal the reestablishment of the ecological integrity of the Apalachicola River basin ecosystem (including restoration of bendways, interconnecting waterways, sloughs, watersheds, associated land areas, and fish and wildlife habitat); (B)reestablish an ecosystem that supports and sustains a balanced, integrated, adaptive community of organisms having species composition, diversity, and functional organization comparable to those of the natural habitat of the Apalachicola River; and (C)include a method of monitoring and assessing the biota, habitats, and water quality of the Apalachicola River basin for use in assessing restoration activities and impacts of restoration activities. (3)

Funding

The plan under paragraph (1) shall be developed at a total cost of $4,000,000. (c)

Public outreach

In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall engage in significant public outreach. (d)

Relationship to other activities

The Secretary shall ensure that activities conducted under this section do not interfere with water compact activities and negotiations being carried out as of the date of enactment of this Act with respect to the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint Rivers, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. (e)

Effect on other law

Nothing in this section limits the authority of any agency under any other provision of law to require compliance with any applicable statutory or regulatory requirement.