[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2492 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2492

  To direct the Secretary of the Army to provide for modification of 
      certain Federal water resources development projects on the 
 Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint Rivers, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 21, 2015

   Ms. Graham (for herself, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Deutch, Mr. Murphy of 
Florida, Mr. Jolly, Ms. Frankel of Florida, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mr. 
    Diaz-Balart, Mr. Rooney of Florida, Mr. Miller of Florida, Mr. 
   Hastings, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mr. Curbelo of 
Florida, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr. Grayson, Ms. Brown of Florida, Mr. 
 Yoho, Mr. Ross, and Mr. Nugent) introduced the following bill; which 
   was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of the Army to provide for modification of 
      certain Federal water resources development projects on the 
 Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint Rivers, 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. APALACHICOLA, CHATTAHOOCHEE, AND FLINT RIVER PROJECTS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint projects.--The term 
        ``Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint projects'' means the Federal 
        water resources projects on the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, 
        and Flint Rivers in the States of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia 
        authorized by section 2 of the Act of March 2, 1945 (59 Stat. 
        17, chapter 19; 60 Stat. 635, chapter 595) and section 203 of 
        the Flood Control Act of 1962 (76 Stat. 1182), including--
                    (A) Buford Dam and Reservoir;
                    (B) West Point Dam and Reservoir;
                    (C) George W. Andrews Dam and Reservoir;
                    (D) Walter F. George Dam and Reservoir; and
                    (E) Jim Woodruff Dam and Reservoir.
            (2) Freshwater flows.--The term ``freshwater flows'' means 
        the quality, quantity, timing, and variability of freshwater 
        flows required--
                    (A) to support and reestablish--
                            (i) the physical, chemical, biological, and 
                        overall ecological integrity of the components, 
                        functions, and natural processes required for a 
                        thriving and resilient Chattahoochee River, 
                        Apalachicola River, Apalachicola River 
                        floodplain, and Apalachicola Bay;
                            (ii) commercial and recreational fisheries 
                        dependent on freshwater flows into Apalachicola 
                        Bay and adjacent waters, including the Gulf of 
                        Mexico; and
                            (iii) thriving and diverse fish, wildlife, 
                        and plant populations having species 
                        composition, diversity, adaptability, and 
                        functional organization similar to those found 
                        in the Chattahoochee River and Apalachicola 
                        River ecosystems prior to construction of the 
                        Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint projects;
                    (B) to restore and recover species that are 
                endangered, threatened, or at risk; and
                    (C) to prevent significantly harmful adverse 
                impacts to the Chattahoochee River and Apalachicola 
                River ecosystems.
    (b) Project Modification.--Notwithstanding any authorized purpose 
of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint projects, the Secretary shall 
operate the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint projects in a manner that 
ensures the maintenance of freshwater flows.
    (c) Revision of Water Control Manuals.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall complete the ongoing 
        revision of the water control manuals for the Apalachicola-
        Chattahoochee-Flint projects and issue revised water control 
        manuals for those projects that ensure the maintenance of 
        freshwater flows.
            (2) Operational modifications.--In carrying out paragraph 
        (1), the Secretary shall ensure that operational modifications 
        needed to maintain freshwater flows are achieved, to the 
        maximum extent practicable, while providing system-wide balance 
        in conservation storage through the maintenance of water levels 
        within the same action zone for each of the Apalachicola-
        Chattahoochee-Flint project reservoirs.
            (3) Independent peer review of water control manuals.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary shall enter into an 
                arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences under 
                which the National Academy of Sciences shall carry out 
                an independent peer review of each revised water 
                control manual, as required under section 2034 of the 
                Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (33 U.S.C. 
                2343).
                    (B) Compliance.--Each independent peer review under 
                this paragraph shall comply with section 2034 of the 
                Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (33 U.S.C. 
                2343).
            (4) Final approval.--Before a final water control manual 
        may be issued, the Secretary shall obtain written approval of 
        each water control manual developed under this subsection 
        from--
                    (A) the Administrator of the Environmental 
                Protection Agency;
                    (B) the Director of the United States Fish and 
                Wildlife Service;
                    (C) the Director of the National Oceanic and 
                Atmospheric Administration; and
                    (D) the Director of the United States Geological 
                Survey.
    (d) Applicability of Other Federal and State Laws.--Except as 
provided in subsection (b), nothing in this section waives, limits, or 
otherwise affects the applicability of any provision of Federal or 
State law that would otherwise apply to the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-
Flint projects.
                                 <all>