[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1990 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1990

 To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to prohibit certain 
  discharges of dredged material into the Great Lakes System, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 23, 2015

 Mr. Latta (for himself and Ms. Kaptur) introduced the following bill; 
       which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
                             Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to prohibit certain 
  discharges of dredged material into the Great Lakes System, 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 ``Protecting Our Great Lakes Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON DISCHARGES OF DREDGED MATERIAL INTO GREAT LAKES 
              SYSTEM.

    (a) In General.--Section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control 
Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(u) Prohibition on Discharges of Dredged Material Into Great 
Lakes System.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as otherwise specifically 
        provided by this subsection, beginning on the date that is 5 
        years after the date of enactment of this subsection, a 
        discharge of dredged material into the Great Lakes System is 
        prohibited.
            ``(2) Exceptions.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any of 
        the following:
                    ``(A) A discharge of dredged material into a 
                confined disposal facility, including a confined 
                disposal island.
                    ``(B) A discharge of dredged material in connection 
                with--
                            ``(i) beneficial use; or
                            ``(ii) habitat establishment, improvement, 
                        or restoration (or any combination thereof).
            ``(3) Temporary waivers.--The Secretary (or a State with an 
        approved permit program under this section) may waive 
        application of the prohibition established by paragraph (1) 
        during the 2-year period beginning on the effective date of the 
        prohibition specified in paragraph (1) with respect to a 
        discharge if--
                    ``(A) the Administrator or State, as appropriate, 
                determines that the waiver is necessary and 
                appropriate; and
                    ``(B) in the case of a waiver issued by the 
                Secretary, each concerned State, as identified by the 
                Secretary, reviews and approves the waiver.
            ``(4) Consultation with states.--The Secretary shall 
        consult with concerned States in the implementation of this 
        subsection.
            ``(5) Great lakes system defined.--In this subsection, the 
        term `Great Lakes System' has the meaning given that term in 
        section 118(a)(3) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act 
        (33 U.S.C. 1268(a)(3)).''.
    (b) Cost Analysis for Operations and Maintenance Activities in 
Great Lakes System.--In determining, pursuant to section 335.4 of title 
33, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation), the 
least costly manner, and the least costly and most practicable 
location, for discharges of dredged material resulting from operations 
and maintenance activities of the Corps of Engineers in the Great Lakes 
System, the Secretary of the Army shall exclude from consideration the 
use of open-water placement of dredged material.
    (c) Limitation on Statutory Construction.--Nothing in this section, 
including the amendment made by section (a), may be construed to limit 
or otherwise affect the existing responsibilities of the Corps of 
Engineers--
            (1) to dredge United States harbors and navigation channels 
        and dispose of dredged material; and
            (2) to provide, within its budget, for the full cost of the 
        disposal of dredged material, including costs to comply with 
        the requirements of this section, including the amendment made 
        by subsection (a).
                                 <all>