[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 146 (Saturday, October 8, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                               H.R. 3678

  Mr. JOHNSTON. This week the Senate passed H.R. 3678, legislation that 
will make it easier to use sand, gravel and shell from the Outer 
Continental Shelf for environmentally beneficial public projects such 
as coastal restoration. This is an important victory for coastal 
States.
  Many States, including Louisiana, do not have adequate sand deposits 
within State waters to accomplish these important projects. These sand 
resources, however, are often found on the Outer Continental Shelf. 
Under current law, the Department of Interior can not provide sand and 
gravel resources to public agencies to pursue these beneficial projects 
without following cumbersome leasing practices which are more 
appropriate for private commercial ventures.
  H.R. 3678 authorizes the Secretary to negotiate agreements for the 
use of Federal sand, gravel, and shell for use in shore protection, 
beach restoration, or coastal wetlands restoration projects undertaken 
by a Federal, State, or local government agency, or any other 
construction project funded in whole or in part by, or authorized by, 
the Federal Government. This would include the authority to negotiate 
for the use of sand resources from authorized Federal projects when 
such sand is used by non-Federal entities.
  In addition, H.R. 3678 gives the Secretary the authority to charge a 
fee for these resources, after balancing the value of the resources and 
the public interest service by promoting development of the resources. 
In other words, if a State or local government needs sand resources to 
restore a beach or to protect valuable wetlands resources, but the cost 
of the sand would make such project uneconomic, the Secretary shall 
take that into account when determining the fee for the resource, or 
whether a fee should be assessed at all.
  In addition, the bill provides that the Secretary shall not charge a 
fee, directly or indirectly, for sand, gravel or shell resources used 
for projects directly or indirectly authorized by the Federal 
Government.

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