[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 57 (Wednesday, April 9, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5062-S5068]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SARBANES (for himself, Mr. Warner, Mr. Allen, and Ms. 
        Mikulski):
  S. 831. A bill to establish programs to enhance protection of the 
Chesapeake Bay, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, today I am introducing a package of five 
measures to sustain and, indeed, renew the Federal commitment to 
restoring the water quality and living resources of the Chesapeake Bay 
watershed. Joining me in sponsoring one or more of these measures are 
my colleagues from Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, Senators 
Warner, Allen, Mikulski and Specter.
  This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Chesapeake Bay Agreement, 
the historic Federal-State compact that launched the Chesapeake Bay 
restoration effort. Over the past two decades, we have made important 
progress both in putting in place the comprehensive, coordinated 
Federal-State-local and private sector management structure to guide 
the program and in specific initiatives to address key problems in the 
watershed. Three subsequent agreements were signed in 1987, in 1992 and 
in 2000, respectively, setting specific goals and action plans to 
restore the Chesapeake watershed. There are today over 700 groups and 
some 40 committees involved in the Bay Program. More than twenty-five 
Federal agencies are partnering with EPA and the Bay area States and 
there are numerous State agencies, local governmental organizations and 
citizen groups actively engaged in the restoration efforts. The level 
of public support and the degree of cooperation and coordination among 
all parties is unparalleled.
  Despite these efforts, the job of restoring the Chesapeake to levels 
of quality and productivity that existed earlier in this century is far 
from complete. In its latest report card issued in November, 2002, the 
Chesapeake Bay Foundation gave the Chesapeake Bay a score of 27 out of 
100--far short of the ``70'' level believed necessary for the Bay to be 
declared ``saved.'' The index underscores the continuing serious 
challenges facing the Bay. Nitrogen pollution from farms and city 
streets, sewage treatment plants, and air deposition, among other so-
called non-point sources, continue to overload the Bay. Many of the 
living resources--oysters, shad, white perch, crabs--which are 
indicators of the Bay's health, are still in decline. Toxic chemicals 
are still present in the Bay's surface and bottom waters, having untold 
impacts on water quality and wildlife. A recent analysis undertaken by 
the Chesapeake Bay Commission estimates that the costs to clean the Bay 
and achieve the goals of the Chesapeake 2000 agreement over the course 
of the next seven years will exceed projected income by nearly $13 
billion. Pollution from all sources will have to be further reduced, 
thousands of acres of watershed property must be preserved, significant 
efforts must be made to restore living resources, buffer zones to 
protect rivers and streams need to be created, education and 
stewardship efforts must be dramatically expanded.
  While $13 billion seems like an enormous sum, we should remember that 
the health of the Chesapeake Bay is vital not only to the more than 15 
million people who live in the watershed, but to the Nation. It is one 
of our Nation's and the world's greatest natural resources covering 
64,000 square miles within six States. It is a world-class fishery that 
still produces a significant portion of the finfish and shellfish catch 
in the United States. It provides vital habitat for living resources, 
including more than 3600 species of plants, fish and animals. It is a 
major resting area for migratory waterfowls and birds along the 
Atlantic including many endangered and threatened species. It is also a 
one-of-a-kind recreational asset enjoyed by millions of people, a major 
commercial waterway and shipping center for much of the eastern United 
States, and provides jobs for thousands of people. In short, the 
Chesapeake Bay is a magnificent, multifaceted resource worthy of the 
highest levels of protection and restoration.
  The five measures that we are introducing today are intended to help 
address some of the highest priority needs in the watershed and provide 
a Federal blueprint for restoring the Bay in the years ahead. I want to 
address each of these measures briefly.
  The first measure, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Nutrient Removal 
Assistance Act, would establish a grants program in the Environmental 
Protection Agency to support the installation of nutrient reduction 
technologies at major wastewater treatment facilities in the Chesapeake 
Bay watershed. I first introduced this measure during the 107th 
Congress and provisions of the legislation were included as part of S. 
1961, the Water Investment Act of 2002, reported favorably by the 
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Unfortunately, no 
further action was taken on that legislation. Despite important water 
quality improvements over the past decade, nutrient

[[Page S5063]]

over-enrichment remains the most serious pollution problem facing the 
Bay. The overabundance of the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorous 
continues to rob the Bay of life sustaining oxygen. Recent modeling of 
EPA's Bay Program has found that total nutrient discharges must be 
reduced by more than 35 percent from current levels to restore the 
Chesapeake Bay and its major tributaries to health. To do so, nitrogen 
discharges from all sources must be reduced drastically below current 
levels. Annual nitrogen discharges into the Bay will need to be cut by 
at least 110 million pounds from the current 300 million pounds to less 
than 190 million pounds. Municipal wastewater treatment plants, in 
particular, will have to reduce nitrogen discharges by nearly 75 
percent.
  There are 304 major wastewater treatment plants in the Chesapeake Bay 
watershed: Pennsylvania, 123, Maryland, 65, Virginia, 86, New York, 18, 
Delaware, 3, Washington, D.C., 1, and West Virginia, 8. These plants 
contribute about 60 million pounds of nitrogen per year--one-fifth--of 
the total load of nitrogen to the Bay. Upgrading these plants with 
nutrient removal technologies to achieve nitrogen reductions of 3 mg/
liter would remove 46 million pounds of nitrogen in the Bay each year 
or 40 percent of the total nitrogen reductions needed. Nutrient removal 
technologies have other benefits, as well. They provide significant 
sayings in energy usage, 20 to 30 percent, in chemical usage, more than 
50 percent, and in the amount of sludge produced, five to 15 percent. 
They are one of the most cost-effective methods of reducing nutrients 
discharged to the Bay.
  My legislation would provide grants for 55 percent of the capital 
cost of upgrading the plants with nutrient removal technologies capable 
of achieving nitrogen reductions of 3 mg/liter. Any publicly owned 
wastewater treatment plant which has a permitted design capacity to 
treat an annual average of 0.5 million gallons per day within the 
Chesapeake Bay watershed portion of New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, 
West Virginia, Delaware, Virginia and the District of Columbia would be 
eligible to receive these grants. As a signatory to the Chesapeake Bay 
Agreement, the EPA has an important responsibility to assist the states 
with financing these water infrastructure needs.
  The second measure, the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Education Pilot 
Program Act, would establish a new environmental education program in 
the U.S. Department of Education for elementary and secondary school 
students and teachers within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. There is a 
growing consensus that a major commitment to education--to promoting an 
ethic of responsible stewardship and citizenship among the nearly 16 
million people who live in the watershed--is necessary if all of the 
other efforts to ``Save the Bay'' are to succeed. Expanding 
environmental education and training opportunities will lead not only 
to a healthier Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, but a more educated and 
informed citizenry, with a deeper understanding and appreciation for 
the environment, their community and their role in society as 
responsible citizens.
  One of the principal commitments of the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement, is 
to ``provide a meaningful Bay or stream outdoor experience for every 
school student in the watershed before graduation from high school'' 
beginning with the class of 2005. Despite important efforts by Bay area 
states and not-for-profit organizations, only a very small percentage 
of the more than 3.3 million K-12 students in the watershed have had 
the opportunity to engage in meaningful outdoor experiences or receive 
classroom environmental instruction. Many of the school systems in the 
Bay watershed are only at the beginning stages in developing and 
implementing environmental education into their curriculum, let alone 
exposing students to outdoor watershed experiences. What's lacking is 
not the desire or will, but the resources and training to undertake 
more comprehensive environmental education programs.
  This legislation would authorize $6 million a year over the next 
three years in Federal grant assistance to help close the resource and 
training gap for students in the elementary and secondary levels in the 
Chesapeake Bay watershed. It would require a 50 percent non-Federal 
match, thus leveraging $12 million in assistance. The funding could be 
used to help design, demonstrate or disseminate environmental curricula 
and field practices, train teachers or other educational personnel, and 
support on-the-ground activities or Chesapeake Bay or stream outdoor 
educational experiences involving students and teachers, among other 
things. The program would complement the NOAA Bay Watershed Education 
and Training Program that we established last year.
  The third measure would reauthorize and enhance the Chesapeake Bay 
Environmental Protection and Restoration Program. This program, which 
was first established in Section 510 of the Water Resources Development 
Act of 1996, Public Law 104-303, authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers to provide design and construction assistance to State and 
local authorities in the environmental restoration of the Chesapeake 
Bay. To date, the Corps of Engineers has constructed or approved $9.3 
million in projects under the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Restoration 
and Protection Program including oyster restoration projects in 
Virginia, shoreline protection and wetland/sewage treatment projects at 
Smith Island in Maryland and the upgrade of the Scranton Wastewater 
Treatment Plant in Pennsylvania to reduce the amount of nutrients 
delivered to the Chesapeake Bay. These projects have nearly exhausted 
the current $10 million authorization.
  This legislation increases the authorization for this program from 
$10 million to $30 million. Consistent with all other environmental 
restoration authorities of the Corps of Engineers, it enables States 
and local governments to provide all or any portion of the 25 percent 
non-Federal share required in the form of in-kind services. It also 
establishes a new small-grants program for local governments and 
nonprofit organizations to carry out small-scale restoration and 
protection projects in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The program would 
be administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation which has 
extensive experience and expertise in managing these kinds of grants 
for other Federal agencies. Ten percent of the funds appropriated each 
year under this program would be set-aside for these grants. In view of 
the great need and the many requests for assistance from the Bay area 
states, this legislation is clearly unwarranted.
  The forth measure, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Forestry Act, would 
continue and enhance the USDA Forest Service's role in the restoration 
of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Forest loss and fragmentation are 
occurring rapidly in the Chesapeake Bay region and are among the most 
important issues facing the Bay and forest management today. According 
to the National Resources Inventory, the States closest to the Bay lost 
350,000 acres of forest between 1987-1997 or almost 100 acres per day. 
More and more rural areas are being converted to suburban developments 
resulting in smaller contiguous forest tracts. These trends are leading 
to a regional forest land base that is more vulnerable to conversion, 
less likely to be economically viable in the future, and is losing its 
capacity to protect watershed health and other ecological benefits, 
such as controlling storm water runoff, erosion and air pollution, all 
critical to the Bay clean-up effort.
  Since 1990, the USDA Forest Service has been an important part of the 
Chesapeake Bay Program. Administered through the Northeastern Area, 
State and Private Forestry, this program has worked closely with 
Federal, State and local partners in the six-state Chesapeake Bay 
region to demonstrate how forest protection, restoration and 
stewardship activities, can contribute to achieving the Bay restoration 
goals. Over the past 12 years, it has provided modest levels of 
technical and financial assistance, averaging approximately $300,000 a 
year, to develop collaborative watershed projects that address 
watershed forest conservation, restoration and stewardship.
  With the signing of the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement, the role of the 
USDA Forest Service has become more important than ever. Among other 
provisions, this Agreement requires the signatories to conserve 
existing forests along all streams and shoreline; promote the expansion 
and connection of

[[Page S5064]]

contiguous forests; assess the Bay's forest lands; and provide 
technical and financial assistance to local governments to plan for or 
revise plans, ordinances and subdivision regulations to provide for the 
conservation and sustainable use of the forest and agricultural lands. 
To address these goals, the USDA Forest Service must have additional 
resources and authority, and that is what this measure seeks to 
provide.
  This legislation codifies the role and responsibilities of the USDA 
Forest Service to the Bay restoration effort. It strengthens existing 
coordination, technical assistance, forest resource assessment and 
planning efforts. It authorizes a small grants program to support local 
agencies, watershed associations and citizen groups in conducting on-
the-ground conservation projects. It also establishes a regional 
applied forestry research and training program to enhance urban, 
suburban and rural forests in the watershed. Finally it authorizes $3.5 
million for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2010, a modest increase 
in view of the six-State, 64,000 square mile watershed.
  The fifth measure, the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education, 
Training, and Restoration Act, would enhance the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric, NOAA, Chesapeake Bay Office's authorities to address the 
living resource restoration and education and training goals and 
commitments of the Chesapeake 2000 agreement. It builds upon provisions 
contained in the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act Amendments of 
2003, and addresses several urgent and unmet needs in the watershed. To 
help meet Bay-wide living resource education and training goals, it 
codifies the Bay Watershed Education and Training or, B-WET, Program--
the first federally funded environmental education program focused 
solely on the Chesapeake Bay watershed--that we initiated in the Fiscal 
2002 Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations bill and establishes an 
aquaculture education program to assist with oyster and blue crab 
hatchery production.
  To better coordinate and organize the substantial amounts of data 
collected and complied by Federal, State and local government agencies 
and academic institutions--data such as information on weather, tides, 
currents circulation, climate, land use, coastal environmental quality, 
aquatic living resources and habitat conditions--and make this 
information more useful to resource managers, scientists and the 
public, it establishes an internet-based Coastal Predictions Center for 
the Chesapeake Bay. It also authorizes a shallow water monitoring 
program to address critical gaps in information on near shore and river 
area water quality conditions needed for restoration of living 
resources. And to help meet Chesapeake 2000 living resource restoration 
goals, it codifies the ongoing oyster restoration program an authorizes 
a new submerged aquatic vegetation restoration program.
  Mr. President, these measures would provide an important boost to our 
efforts to save the Chesapeake Bay and a blueprint for the course 
ahead. They are strongly supported by the Chesapeake Bay Commission, 
the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and other organizations in the 
watershed. I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bills and 
supporting letters to printed in the Record. I urge my colleagues to 
join with us in supporting the measures and continue the momentum 
contributing to the improvement and enhancement of our Nation's most 
valuable and treasured natural resource.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 827

       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 ``Chesapeake Bay Watershed 
     Nutrient Removal Assistance Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) nutrient pollution from point sources and nonpoint 
     sources continues to be the most significant water quality 
     problem in the Chesapeake Bay watershed;
       (2) a key commitment of the Chesapeake 2000 agreement, an 
     interstate agreement among the Administrator, the Chesapeake 
     Bay Commission, the District of Columbia, and the States of 
     Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, is to achieve the goal 
     of correcting the nutrient-related problems in the Chesapeake 
     Bay by 2010;
       (3) by correcting those problems, the Chesapeake Bay and 
     its tidal tributaries may be removed from the list of 
     impaired bodies of water designated by the Administrator of 
     the Environmental Protection Agency under section 303(d) of 
     the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1313(d));
       (4) nearly 300 major sewage treatment plants located in the 
     Chesapeake Bay watershed annually discharge approximately 
     60,000,000 pounds of nitrogen, or the equivalent of 20 
     percent of the total nitrogen load, into the Chesapeake Bay; 
     and
       (5) nutrient removal technology is 1 of the most reliable, 
     cost-effective, and direct methods for reducing the flow of 
     nitrogen from point sources into the Chesapeake Bay.
       (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
       (1) to authorize the Administrator of the Environmental 
     Protection Agency to provide financial assistance to States 
     and municipalities for use in upgrading publicly-owned 
     wastewater treatment plants in the Chesapeake Bay watershed 
     with nutrient removal technologies; and
       (2) to further the goal of restoring the water quality of 
     the Chesapeake Bay to conditions that are protective of human 
     health and aquatic living resources.

     SEC. 3. SEWAGE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY GRANT PROGRAM.

       The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et 
     seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

                       ``TITLE VII--MISCELLANEOUS

     ``SEC. 701. SEWAGE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY GRANT PROGRAM.

       ``(a) Definition of Eligible Facility.--In this section, 
     the term `eligible facility' means a municipal wastewater 
     treatment plant that--
       ``(1) as of the date of enactment of this title, has a 
     permitted design capacity to treat an annual average of at 
     least 500,000 gallons of wastewater per day; and
       ``(2) is located within the Chesapeake Bay watershed in any 
     of the States of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, 
     Virginia, or West Virginia or in the District of Columbia.
       ``(b) Grant Program.--
       ``(1) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
     of enactment of this title, the Administrator shall establish 
     a program within the Environmental Protection Agency to 
     provide grants to States and municipalities to upgrade 
     eligible facilities with nutrient removal technologies.
       ``(2) Priority.--In providing a grant under paragraph (1), 
     the Administrator shall--
       ``(A) consult with the Chesapeake Bay Program Office;
       ``(B) give priority to eligible facilities at which 
     nutrient removal upgrades would--
       ``(i) produce the greatest nutrient load reductions at 
     points of discharge; or
       ``(ii) result in the greatest environmental benefits to 
     local bodies of water surrounding, and the main stem of, the 
     Chesapeake Bay; and
       ``(iii) take into consideration the geographic distribution 
     of the grants.
       ``(3) Application.--
       ``(A) In general.--On receipt of an application from a 
     State or municipality for a grant under this section, if the 
     Administrator approves the request, the Administrator shall 
     transfer to the State or municipality the amount of 
     assistance requested.
       ``(B) Form.--An application submitted by a State or 
     municipality under subparagraph (A) shall be in such form and 
     shall include such information as the Administrator may 
     prescribe.
       ``(4) Use of funds.--A State or municipality that receives 
     a grant under this section shall use the grant to upgrade 
     eligible facilities with nutrient removal technologies that 
     are designed to reduce total nitrogen in discharged 
     wastewater to an average annual concentration of 3 milligrams 
     per liter.
       ``(5) Cost sharing.--
       ``(A) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of 
     upgrading any eligible facility as described in paragraph (1) 
     using funds provided under this section shall not exceed 55 
     percent.
       ``(B) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of the 
     costs of upgrading any eligible facility as described in 
     paragraph (1) using funds provided under this section may be 
     provided in the form of funds made available to a State or 
     municipality under--
       ``(i) any provision of this Act other than this section 
     (including funds made available from a State revolving fund 
     established under title VI); or
       ``(ii) any other Federal or State law.
       ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       ``(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
     to carry out this section $132,000,000 for each of fiscal 
     years 2004 through 2008, to remain available until expended.
       ``(2) Administrative costs.--The Administrator may use not 
     to exceed 4 percent of any amount made available under 
     paragraph (1) to pay administrative costs incurred in 
     carrying out this section.''.

                                 S. 828

       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 ``Chesapeake Bay Environmental 
     Education Pilot Program Act''.

[[Page S5065]]

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) increasing public environmental awareness and 
     understanding through formal environmental education and 
     meaningful bay or stream field experiences are vital parts of 
     the effort to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay 
     ecosystem;
       (2) using the Chesapeake Bay watershed as an integrating 
     context for learning can help--
       (A) advance student learning skills;
       (B) improve academic achievement in core academic subjects; 
     and
       (C)(i) encourage positive behavior of students in school; 
     and
       (ii) encourage environmental stewardship in school and in 
     the community; and
       (3) the Federal Government, acting through the Secretary of 
     Education, should work with the Under Secretary for Oceans 
     and Atmosphere, the Chesapeake Executive Council, State 
     educational agencies, elementary schools and secondary 
     schools, and nonprofit educational and environmental 
     organizations to support development of curricula, teacher 
     training, special projects, and other activities, to increase 
     understanding of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and to improve 
     awareness of environmental problems.

     SEC. 3. CHESAPEAKE BAY ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING 
                   GRANT PILOT PROGRAM.

       Title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
     the following:

  ``PART D--CHESAPEAKE BAY ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING GRANT 
                             PILOT PROGRAM

     ``SEC. 4401. DEFINITIONS.

       ``In this part:
       ``(1) Bay watershed state.--The term `Bay Watershed State' 
     means each of the States of Delaware, Maryland, New York, 
     Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, and the District 
     of Columbia.
       ``(2) Chesapeake executive council.--The term `Chesapeake 
     Executive Council' has the meaning given the term in section 
     307(e) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
     Authorization Act of 1992 (15 U.S.C. 1511d(e)).
       ``(3) Eligible institution.--The term `eligible 
     institution' means--
       ``(A) a public elementary school or secondary school 
     located in a Bay Watershed State; and
       ``(B) a nonprofit environmental or educational organization 
     located in a Bay Watershed State.
       ``(4) Program.--The term `Program' means the Chesapeake Bay 
     Environmental Education and Training Grant Pilot Program 
     established under section 4402.

     ``SEC. 4402. CHESAPEAKE BAY ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND 
                   TRAINING GRANT PILOT PROGRAM.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a grant 
     program, to be known as the `Chesapeake Bay Environmental 
     Education and Training Grant Pilot Program', to make grants 
     to eligible institutions to pay the Federal share of the cost 
     of developing, demonstrating, or disseminating information on 
     practices, methods, or techniques relating to environmental 
     education and training in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
       ``(b) Federal Share.--The Federal share referred to in 
     subsection (a) shall be 50 percent.
       ``(c) Administration.--The Secretary may offer to enter 
     into a cooperative agreement or contract with the National 
     Fish and Wildlife Foundation established by the National Fish 
     and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3701 et 
     seq.), the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, a State 
     educational agency, or a nonprofit organization that carries 
     out environmental education and training programs, for 
     administration of the Program.
       ``(d) Use of Funds.--An eligible institution that receives 
     a grant under the Program shall use the funds made available 
     through the grant to carry out a project consisting of--
       ``(1) design, demonstration, or dissemination of 
     environmental curricula, including development of educational 
     tools or materials;
       ``(2) design or demonstration of field practices, methods, 
     or techniques, including--
       ``(A) assessments of environmental or ecological 
     conditions; and
       ``(B) analyses of environmental pollution or other natural 
     resource problems;
       ``(3) understanding and assessment of a specific 
     environmental issue or a specific environmental problem;
       ``(4) provision of training or related education for 
     teachers or other educational personnel, including provision 
     of programs or curricula to meet the needs of students in 
     various age groups or at various grade levels;
       ``(5) provision of an environmental education seminar, 
     teleconference, or workshop for environmental education 
     professionals or environmental education students, or 
     provision of a computer network for such professionals and 
     students;
       ``(6) provision of on-the-ground activities involving 
     students and teachers, such as--
       ``(A) riparian forest buffer restoration; and
       ``(B) volunteer water quality monitoring at schools;
       ``(7) provision of a Chesapeake Bay or stream outdoor 
     educational experience; or
       ``(8) development of distance learning or other courses or 
     workshops that are acceptable in all Bay Watershed States and 
     apply throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
       ``(e) Required Elements of Program.--In carrying out the 
     Program, the Secretary shall--
       ``(1) solicit applications for projects;
       ``(2) select suitable projects from among the projects 
     proposed;
       ``(3) supervise projects;
       ``(4) evaluate the results of projects; and
       ``(5) disseminate information on the effectiveness and 
     feasibility of the practices, methods, and techniques 
     addressed by the projects.
       ``(f) Solicitation of Applications.--Not later than 90 days 
     after the date on which amounts are first made available to 
     carry out this part, and each year thereafter, the Secretary 
     shall publish a notice of solicitation for applications for 
     grants under the Program that specifies the information to be 
     included in each application.
       ``(g) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
     under the Program, an eligible institution shall submit an 
     application to the Secretary at such time, in such form, and 
     containing such information as the Secretary may require.
       ``(h) Priority in Selection of Projects.--In making grants 
     under the Program, the Secretary shall give priority to an 
     applicant that proposes a project that will develop--
       ``(1) a new or significantly improved environmental 
     education practice, method, or technique, in multiple 
     disciplines, or a program that assists appropriate entities 
     and individuals in meeting Federal or State academic 
     standards relating to environmental education;
       ``(2) an environmental education practice, method, or 
     technique that may have wide application; and
       ``(3) an environmental education practice, method, or 
     technique that addresses a skill or scientific field 
     identified as a priority by the Chesapeake Executive Council.
       ``(i) Maximum Amount of Grants.--Under the Program, the 
     maximum amount of a grant shall be $50,000.
       ``(j) Notification.--Not later than 3 days before making a 
     grant under this part, the Secretary shall provide 
     notification of the grant to the appropriate committees of 
     Congress.
       ``(k) Regulations.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Education Pilot 
     Program Act, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations 
     concerning implementation of the Program.

     ``SEC. 4403. EVALUATION AND REPORT.

       ``(a) Evaluation.--Not later than December 31, 2007, the 
     Secretary shall enter into a contract with an entity that is 
     not the recipient of a grant under this part to conduct a 
     detailed evaluation of the Program. In conducting the 
     evaluation, the Secretary shall determine whether the quality 
     of content, delivery, and outcome of the Program warrant 
     continued support of the Program.
       ``(b) Report.--Not later than December 31, 2007, the 
     Secretary shall submit a report to the appropriate committees 
     of Congress containing the results of the evaluation.

     ``SEC. 4404. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       ``(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
     to carry out this part $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
     2004 through 2007.
       ``(b) Administrative Expenses.--Of the amounts made 
     available under subsection (a) for each fiscal year, not more 
     than 10 percent may be used for administrative expenses.''.

                                 S. 829

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. CHESAPEAKE BAY ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION AND 
                   PROTECTION PROGRAM.

       Section 510 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 
     (110 Stat. 3759) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)(2)--
       (A) by striking ``The assistance'' and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(A) In general.--The assistance''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(B) Agreements.--In providing assistance under this 
     subsection, the Secretary may enter into 1 or more 
     cooperative agreements, to provide for public involvement and 
     education and other project needs, with--
       ``(i) federally designated coastal ecosystem learning 
     centers; and
       ``(ii) such nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations as the 
     Secretary determines to be appropriate.'';
       (2) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following:
       ``(3) Nonprofit entities.--Notwithstanding section 221 of 
     the Flood Control Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 1962d-5b), a non-
     Federal interest for any project carried out under this 
     section may include, with the consent of the affected local 
     government, a nonprofit entity.'';
       (3) in subsection (d)(2)(A)--
       (A) in the heading, by striking ``and relocations'' and 
     inserting ``relocations, and in-kind contributions''; and
       (B) by striking ``and relocations'' and inserting 
     ``relocations, and in-kind contributions'';
       (4) by striking subsection (i);
       (5) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (i);
       (6) by inserting after subsection (g) the following:
       ``(h) Small Watershed Grants.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a program, 
     to be administered by the National Fish and Wildlife 
     Foundation, to

[[Page S5066]]

     provide small watershed grants for technical and financial 
     assistance to local governments and nonprofit organizations 
     in the Chesapeake Bay region.
       ``(2) Use of funds.--A local government or nonprofit 
     organization that receives a grant under paragraph (1) shall 
     use funds from the grant only for implementation of 
     cooperative tributary basin strategies that address the 
     establishment, restoration, protection, or enhancement of 
     habitat associated with the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.''; and
       (7) by inserting after subsection (i) (as redesignated by 
     paragraph (5)) the following:
       ``(j) Funding.--
       ``(1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section $30,000,000.
       ``(2) Annual grant expenditure.--Of the amount made 
     available under paragraph (1) to carry out this section for a 
     fiscal year, not more than 10 percent may be used to carry 
     out subsection (h) for the fiscal year.''.
                                  ____


                                 S. 830

       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 ``Chesapeake Bay Watershed 
     Forestry Program Act of 2003''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) trees and forests are critical to the long-term health 
     and proper functioning of the Chesapeake Bay and the 
     Chesapeake Bay watershed;
       (2) the Chesapeake Bay States are losing forest land to 
     urban growth at a rate of nearly 100 acres per day; and
       (3) the Forest Service has a vital role to play in 
     assisting States, local governments, and nonprofit 
     organizations in carrying out forest conservation, 
     restoration, and stewardship projects and activities.
       (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
       (1) to expand and strengthen cooperative efforts to 
     protect, restore, and manage forests in the Chesapeake Bay 
     watershed; and
       (2) to contribute to the achievement of the goals of the 
     Chesapeake Bay Agreement.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Chesapeake bay agreement.--The term ``Chesapeake Bay 
     Agreement'' means the formal, voluntary agreements--
       (A) executed to achieve the goal of restoring and 
     protecting the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and the living 
     resources of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem; and
       (B) signed by the Council.
       (2) Chesapeake bay state.--The term ``Chesapeake Bay 
     State'' means each of the States of Delaware, Maryland, New 
     York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia and the 
     District of Columbia.
       (3) Coordinator.--The term ``Coordinator'' means the 
     Coordinator of the program designated under section 
     4(b)(1)(B).
       (4) Council.--The term ``Council'' means the Chesapeake Bay 
     Executive Council.
       (5) Program.--The term ``program'' means the Chesapeake Bay 
     watershed forestry program carried out under section 4(a).
       (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest 
     Service and the Coordinator.

     SEC. 4. CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED FORESTRY PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out a Chesapeake 
     Bay watershed forestry program under which the Secretary 
     shall make grants and provide technical assistance to 
     eligible entities to restore and conserve forests in the 
     Chesapeake Bay watershed, including grants and assistance--
       (1) to promote forest conservation and stewardship efforts 
     in urban, suburban, and rural areas of the Chesapeake Bay 
     watershed;
       (2) to manage National Forest System land in the Chesapeake 
     Bay watershed in a manner that protects water quality and 
     sustains watershed health;
       (3) to assist in developing and carrying out projects and 
     partnerships in the Chesapeake Bay watershed;
       (4) to conduct research, assessment, and planning 
     activities to restore and protect forest land in the 
     Chesapeake Bay watershed;
       (5) to develop communication and education resources to 
     enhance public understanding of the value of forests in the 
     Chesapeake Bay watershed; and
       (6) to contribute to the achievement of the goals of the 
     Chesapeake Bay Agreement.
       (b) Office; Coordinator.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall--
       (A) maintain an office within the Forest Service to carry 
     out the program; and
       (B) designate an employee of the Forest Service as 
     Coordinator of the program.
       (2) Duties.--As part of the program, the Coordinator, in 
     cooperation with the Secretary and the Chesapeake Bay 
     Program, shall--
       (A) provide grants and technical assistance to restore and 
     protect forests in the Chesapeake Bay watershed;
       (B) enter into partnerships to carry out forest restoration 
     and conservation activities at a watershed scale using the 
     resources and programs of the Forest Service;
       (C) carry out activities, in collaboration with other units 
     of the Forest Service, that contribute to the goals of the 
     Chesapeake Bay Agreement;
       (D) represent the Forest Service in deliberations of the 
     Chesapeake Bay Program; and
       (E) support and collaborate with the Forestry Work Group in 
     planning and implementing program activities.
       (c) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive 
     assistance under the program, an entity shall be--
       (1) a Chesapeake Bay State;
       (2) a political subdivision of a Chesapeake Bay State;
       (3) an organization operating in the Chesapeake Bay 
     watershed that is described in section 501(c) of the Internal 
     Revenue Code of 1986 and is exempt from taxation under 
     section 501(a) of that Code; or
       (4) any other person in the Chesapeake Bay watershed that 
     the Secretary determines to be eligible.
       (d) Grants.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall make grants to 
     eligible entities under the program to carry out projects to 
     protect, restore, and manage forests in the Chesapeake Bay 
     watershed.
       (2) Federal share.--The Federal share of a grant made under 
     the program shall not exceed 75 percent, as determined by the 
     Secretary.
       (3) Types of projects.--The Secretary may make a grant to 
     an eligible entity for any project in the Chesapeake Bay 
     watershed that--
       (A) improves habitat and water quality through the 
     establishment, protection, or stewardship of riparian or 
     wetland forests or stream corridors;
       (B) builds the capacity of State and local organizations to 
     implement forest conservation, restoration, and stewardship 
     actions;
       (C) develops and implements watershed management plans 
     that--
       (i) address forest conservation needs; and
       (ii) reduce urban runoff;
       (D) provides outreach and assistance to private landowners 
     and communities to restore or conserve forests in the 
     watershed;
       (E) implements communication, education, or technology 
     transfer programs that broaden public understanding of the 
     value of trees and forests in sustaining and restoring the 
     Chesapeake Bay watershed;
       (F) coordinates and implements community-based watershed 
     partnerships and initiatives that--
       (i) focus on the restoration or protection of urban and 
     rural forests; or
       (ii) focus programs of the Forest Service on restoring or 
     protecting watersheds;
       (G) provides enhanced forest resource data to support 
     watershed management;
       (H) enhances upland forest health to reduce risks to 
     watershed function and water quality; or
       (I) conducts inventory assessment or monitoring activities 
     to measure environmental change associated with projects 
     carried out under the program.
       (4) State watershed foresters.--Funds made available under 
     section 6 may be used by a Chesapeake Bay State to employ a 
     State watershed forester to carry out activities and 
     coordinate watershed-level projects relating to the program.
       (e) Study.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
     Council, shall conduct a study of urban and rural forests in 
     the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including--
       (A) an assessment of forest loss and fragmentation in the 
     Chesapeake Bay watershed;
       (B) an identification of forest land within the Chesapeake 
     Bay watershed that should be restored or protected; and
       (C) recommendations for expanded and targeted actions and 
     programs that are needed to achieve the goals of the 
     Chesapeake Bay Agreement.
       (2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after amounts are first 
     made available under section 6, the Secretary shall submit to 
     the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives 
     and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of 
     the Senate a report that describes the results of the study.

     SEC. 5. WATERSHED FORESTRY RESEARCH PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the 
     Council, shall establish a watershed forestry research 
     program for the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
       (b) Administration.--In carrying out the watershed forestry 
     research program established under subsection (a), the 
     Secretary shall--
       (1) use a combination of applied research, modeling, 
     demonstration projects, implementation standards, strategies 
     for adaptive management, training, and education to meet the 
     needs of the residents of the Chesapeake Bay States for 
     managing forests in urban, developing, and rural areas;
       (2) solicit input from local managers and Federal, State, 
     and private researchers, with respect to air and water 
     quality, social and economic implications, environmental 
     change, and other Chesapeake Bay watershed forestry issues in 
     urban and rural areas; and
       (3) collaborate with the Chesapeake Bay Program Scientific 
     and Technical Advisory Committee and universities in the 
     Chesapeake Bay States to--
       (A) address issues in the Chesapeake Bay Agreement; and
       (B) support modeling and informational needs of the 
     Chesapeake Bay program.
       (c) Watershed Forestry Research Strategy.--Not later than 1 
     year after the date of

[[Page S5067]]

     enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in collaboration with 
     the Northeast Forest Research Station and the Southern Forest 
     Research Station, shall submit to Congress a strategy for 
     research to address Chesapeake Bay watershed goals.

     SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out the 
     program $3,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 
     2010, of which--
       (1) not more than $500,000 shall be used to conduct the 
     study required under section 4(e); and
       (2) not more than $1,000,000 for any fiscal year shall be 
     used to carry out the watershed forestry research program 
     under section 5.

     SEC. 7. REPORT.

       Not later than December 1, 2005, and annually thereafter, 
     the Coordinator shall submit to the Secretary a comprehensive 
     report on activities carried out under the program.
                                  ____


                                 S. 831

       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 ``NOAA Chesapeake Bay 
     Watershed Education, Training, and Restoration Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Center.--The term ``Center'' means the Coastal 
     Prediction Center for the Chesapeake Bay established under 
     paragraph (1) of section 3(a).
       (2) Chesapeake 2000 agreement.--The term ``Chesapeake 2000 
     agreement'' means the agreement between the United States, 
     the States of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, and the 
     District of Columbia entered into on June 28, 2000.
       (3) Chesapeake executive council.--The term ``Chesapeake 
     Executive Council'' has the meaning given that term in 
     subsection (d) of section 307 of the National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration Authorization Act of 1992 (15 
     U.S.C. 1511d).
       (4) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
     the Chesapeake Bay Office appointed under paragraph (2) of 
     section 307(a) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration Authorization Act of 1992 (15 U.S.C. 1511d).
       (5) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
     State government, an institution of higher education, 
     including a community college, a not-for-profit organization, 
     or an appropriate private entity.
       (6) Chesapeake bay office.--The term ``Chesapeake Bay 
     Office'' means the Chesapeake Bay Office within the National 
     Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration established under 
     paragraph (1) of section 307(a) of the National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration Authorization Act of 1992 (15 
     U.S.C. 1511d).

     SEC. 3. COASTAL PREDICTION CENTER.

       (a) Establishment.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Director, in collaboration with 
     scientific institutions located in the Chesapeake Bay 
     watershed, shall establish a Coastal Prediction Center for 
     the Chesapeake Bay.
       (2) Purposes.--The purposes of the Center established under 
     paragraph (1) are to serve as a knowledge bank for--
       (A) assembling, integrating, and modeling coastal 
     information and data related to the Chesapeake Bay and the 
     tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay from appropriate government 
     agencies and scientific institutions;
       (B) interpreting such information and data; and
       (C) organizing such information and data into predictive 
     products that are useful to policy makers, resource managers, 
     scientists, and the public.
       (b) Activities.--
       (1) Information and prediction system.--The Center shall 
     develop an Internet-based information system for integrating, 
     interpreting, and disseminating coastal information and 
     predictions concerning the Chesapeake Bay and the tributaries 
     of the Chesapeake Bay related to--
       (A) climate;
       (B) land use;
       (C) coastal pollution;
       (D) coastal environmental quality;
       (E) ecosystem health and performance;
       (F) aquatic living resources and habitat conditions; and
       (G) weather, tides, currents, and circulation that affect 
     the distribution of sediments, nutrients, and organisms, 
     coastline erosion, and related physical and chemical events.
       (2) Agreements to provide data, information, and support.--
     The Director may enter into agreements with other entities of 
     the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, other 
     appropriate Federal, State, and local government agencies, 
     and academic institutions, to provide and interpret data and 
     information, and provide appropriate support, relating to the 
     activities of the Center.
       (3) Agreements relating to information products.--The 
     Director may enter into grants, contracts, and interagency 
     agreements with eligible entities for the collection, 
     processing, analysis, interpretation, and electronic 
     publication of information products for the Center.

     SEC. 4. CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED EDUCATION AND TRAINING 
                   PROGRAM.

       (a) Establishment.--
       (1) In general.--The Director, in cooperation with the 
     Chesapeake Executive Council, shall establish a Chesapeake 
     Bay watershed education and training program.
       (2) Purposes.--The program established under paragraph (1) 
     shall continue and expand the Chesapeake Bay watershed 
     education programs offered by the Chesapeake Bay Office for 
     the purposes of--
       (A) improving the understanding of elementary and secondary 
     school students and teachers of the living resources of the 
     ecosystem of the Chesapeake Bay; and
       (B) meeting the educational goals of the Chesapeake 2000 
     agreement.
       (b) Grant Program.--
       (1) Authorization.--The Director is authorized to award 
     grants to pay the Federal share of the cost of a project 
     described in paragraph (3)--
       (A) to a not-for-profit institution;
       (B) to a consortia of not-for-profit institutions;
       (C) to an elementary or secondary school located within the 
     Chesapeake Bay watershed;
       (D) to a teacher at a school described in subparagraph (C); 
     or
       (E) a State Department of Education if any part of such 
     State is within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
       (2) Criteria.--The Director is authorized to award grants 
     under this section based on the experience of the applicant 
     in providing environmental education and training projects 
     regarding the Chesapeake Bay watershed to a range of 
     participants and in a range of settings.
       (3) Functions and activities.--Grants awarded under this 
     section may be used to support education and training 
     projects that--
       (A) provide classroom education, including the use of 
     distance learning technologies, on the issues, science, and 
     problems of the living resources of the Chesapeake Bay 
     watershed;
       (B) provide meaningful outdoor experience on the Chesapeake 
     Bay, or on a stream or in a local watershed of the Chesapeake 
     Bay, in the design and implementation of field studies, 
     monitoring and assessments, or restoration techniques for 
     living resources;
       (C) provide professional development for teachers related 
     to the science of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and the 
     dissemination of pertinent education materials oriented to 
     varying grade levels;
       (D) demonstrate or disseminate environmental educational 
     tools and materials related to the Chesapeake Bay watershed;
       (E) demonstrate field methods, practices, and techniques 
     including assessment of environmental and ecological 
     conditions and analysis of environmental problems; and
       (F) develop or disseminate projects designed to--
       (i) enhance understanding and assessment of a specific 
     environmental problem in the Chesapeake Bay watershed or of a 
     goal of the Chesapeake Bay Program; or
       (ii) protect or restore living resources of the Chesapeake 
     Bay watershed.
       (4) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of a 
     project authorized under paragraph (1) shall not exceed 75 
     percent of the total cost of that project.
       (c) Report.--Not later than December 31, 2006, the 
     Director, in consultation with the Chesapeake Executive 
     Council, shall submit to Congress a report through the 
     Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration regarding the program established under 
     subsection (a) and, on the appropriate role of Federal, 
     State, and local governments in continuing such program.

     SEC. 5. STOCK ENHANCEMENT AND HABITAT RESTORATION PROGRAM.

       (a) Establishment.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Director, in cooperation with the 
     Chesapeake Executive Council, shall establish a Chesapeake 
     Bay watershed stock enhancement and habitat restoration 
     program.
       (2) Purposes.--The purposes of the program established in 
     paragraph (1) are to support the restoration of oysters and 
     submerged aquatic vegetation in the Chesapeake Bay and 
     enhance education programs related to aquaculture.
       (b) Activities.--To carry out the purpose of the program 
     established in paragraph (1) of subsection (a), the Director 
     is authorized to enter into grants, contracts, and 
     cooperative agreements with an eligible entity to support--
       (1) the establishment of oyster hatcheries;
       (2) the establishment of submerged aquatic vegetation 
     propagation programs;
       (3) the development of education programs related to 
     aquaculture; and
       (4) other activities that the Director determines are 
     appropriate to carry out the purposes of such program.

     SEC. 6. CHESAPEAKE BAY AQUACULTURE EDUCATION.

       The Director is authorized to make grants and enter into 
     contracts with an institution of higher education, including 
     a community college, for the purpose of--
       (1) supporting education in Chesapeake Bay aquaculture 
     sciences and technologies; and
       (2) developing aquaculture processes and technologies to 
     improve production, efficiency, and sustainability of disease 
     free oyster spat and submerged aquatic vegetation.

     SEC. 7. SHALLOW WATER MONITORING PROGRAM.

       (a) Establishment.--

[[Page S5068]]

       (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Director, in cooperation with the 
     Chesapeake Executive Council and scientific institutions 
     located in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, shall establish a 
     program to monitor shallow water throughout the Chesapeake 
     Bay.
       (2) Purpose.--The purpose of the program established in 
     paragraph (1) shall be to provide data on water quality 
     conditions necessary for restoration of living resources in 
     near-shore and tidal tributary areas of the Chesapeake Bay.
       (b) Activities.--To carry out the purpose of the program 
     established in paragraph (1) of subsection (a), the Director 
     is authorized to carry out, or enter into grants, contracts, 
     and cooperative agreements with an eligible entity to carry 
     out activities--
       (1) to collect, analyze, and disseminate scientific 
     information necessary for the management of living marine 
     resources and the marine habitat associated with such 
     resources;
       (2) to interpret the information described in paragraph 
     (1);
       (3) to organize the information described in paragraph (1) 
     into products that are useful to policy makers, resource 
     managers, scientists, and the public; or
       (4) that will otherwise further the purpose of such 
     program.

     SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) Chesapeake Bay Office.--Subsection (e) of section 307 
     of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
     Authorization Act of 1992 (15 U.S.C. 1511d) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``$6,000,000'' and inserting 
     ``$8,000,000''; and
       (2) by striking ``2006'' and inserting ``2008''.
       (b) Programs.--There is authorized to be appropriated the 
     following amounts to carry out the provisions of this Act:
       (1) $500,000 for each of the fiscal years 2004 through 2008 
     to carry out the provisions of section 3.
       (2) $6,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2004 through 
     2008 to carry out the provisions of section 4.
       (3) $7,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2004 through 
     2008 to carry out the provisions of section 5.
       (4) $1,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2004 through 
     2008 to carry out the provisions of section 6.
       (5) $3,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2004 through 
     2008 to carry out the provisions of section 7.
                                  ____



                                    Chesapeake Bay Foundation,

                                     Annapolis, MD, April 8, 2003.
     Hon. Paul Sarbanes,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Sarbanes: We would like to express our deepest 
     appreciation for your continued leadership on behalf of the 
     Chesapeake Bay. Your proposed legislation for the 108th 
     Congress will provide essential new resources and policy 
     direction for top Chesapeake priorities, consistent with the 
     ambitious goals of the 2000 Chesapeake Bay Agreement. We 
     pledge our support for the legislation, and we stand ready to 
     help you in any way possible to secure enactment.
       We are particularly pleased with your proposed Chesapeake 
     Bay Watershed Nutrient Removal Assistance Act, which will 
     significantly help reduce nitrogen pollution by providing 
     first-time federal assistance to local communities for 
     improving sewage treatment throughout the watershed. The bill 
     will provide $660 million over five years, and more than 300 
     major sewage treatment plants will be eligible to participate 
     in the new federal program. Importantly, the legislation will 
     limit assistance to only those treatment plants willing to 
     install state-of-the-art pollution controls, which is 
     precisely consistent with the scientific conclusions of the 
     Chesapeake Bay Program.
       Your other Chesapeake initiatives will strengthen 
     environmental education, improve forestry management, and 
     enhance the work of the Army Corps of Engineers. Together, 
     these bills will authorize significant new federal financial 
     support for the Chesapeake Bay Program.
       This year marks the 20th anniversary of the modern 
     Chesapeake Bay Program. While we have made significant 
     progress in the past two decades, Chesapeake scientists now 
     believe we must redouble our efforts if we are to succeed in 
     the goals that we all share. Your legislation will provide 
     new direction and federal resources to the Chesapeake at a 
     key time.
       We thank you for your continued leadership on behalf of the 
     Chesapeake Bay.
           Sincerely,

                                             Robert M. Ferris,

                                                   Vice President,
     Environmental Protection and Restoration.
                                  ____



                                    Chesapeake Bay Commission,

                                     Annapolis, MD, April 9, 2003.
     Hon. Paul S. Sarbanes,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Sarbanes: Federal funding has played a crucial 
     role in supporting the Chesapeake Bay restoration. Thanks in 
     large part to your efforts, federal funds have supported 
     nearly one-fifth of the projects currently underway.
       However, in signing Chesapeake 2000, the signatories (both 
     state and federal) vowed to substantially enhance their 
     efforts to reduce nutrient pollution and restore the Bay's 
     fisheries. With science driving these decisions, the 
     expenditure of some $18.7 billion dollars will be required to 
     restore the Bay to its former health and abundance. A 
     commitment of this size will require the substantial 
     involvement of all partners, including the federal, state, 
     and local governments and the private sector.
       With this financial need solidly in focus, we are writing 
     to convey our unanimous, tri-state support for your 
     Chesapeake Bay legislative package. Together, these five 
     bills promote the kinds of enhanced funding and technical 
     assistance called for in Cheasapeake 2000 (C2K). We hope that 
     the 108th Congress will join us in our support of:
       1. The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Nutrient Removal Act;
       2. The reauthorization and improvement of The Chesapeake 
     Bay Environmental Restoration and Protection Program of WRDA.
       3. The Chesapeake Bay Environmental Education Pilot Program 
     Act;
       4. The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Forestry Act; and
       5. NOAA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education, Training and 
     Restoration Act.
       The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Nutrient Removal Assistance 
     Act is of keen interest to this Commission. As a signatory to 
     C2K, we have committed to reducing the Bay's nitrogen loads 
     by 110 million pounds. Translated, this goal represents a 
     doubling of the load reductions achieved since 1983. If 
     accomplished, it will restore the Bay waters to conditions 
     that are clean, clear and productive.
       The Act provides grants to upgrade the major wasterwater 
     treatment plants (WWTP) in our six-state watershed with 
     nutrient removal technologies. It will allow the region to 
     demonstrate that state-of-the-art nutrient removal is 
     possible on a large scale. It will single-handedly result in 
     the removal of 41 million pounds of nitrogen, or 40 percent 
     of the total nitrogen reduction needed. Only the federal 
     government is in the position to trigger such remarkable 
     reductions. It is an opportunity that should not and 
     cannot be ignored.
       In addition to the removal of nitrogen loads from our 
     WWIPs, The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Forestry Act will help to 
     control pollution running off the land. Forests and riparian 
     buffers play a critical role in filtering and absorbing 
     sediment and nutrient runoff, while providing valuable 
     habitat for animals and birds and food and shelter for fish. 
     Enhanced support for the Bay Program Forest Service will ramp 
     up its provision of interstate coordination, technical 
     assistance, and forest assessment and planning services that 
     are otherwise limited or unavailable in our region.
       Finally, let us emphasize the important support for 
     education that this package provides. Sustaining hard won 
     progress in the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay will 
     ultimately rest in the hands of citizens and their 
     communities. Sustainability, then, rests in our ability to 
     provide ample education and opportunity for community 
     involvement. This effort to supply financial and technical 
     support is provided by the The Chesapeake Bay Environmental 
     Education Pilot Program Act and the NOAA Chesapeake Bay 
     Watershed Education, Training and Restoration Act. Education 
     and community engagement are two activities of C2K that are 
     woefully underfunded. The monies provided by these two acts 
     will substantially improve our ability to keep our 
     commitments on track and reach our stated goals.
       Since the Bay Program's inception the federal government 
     has been a strong partner, providing approximately 18 percent 
     of the funds needed. For the federal government to maintain 
     its level of support in the face of rising costs to attain 
     our C2K objectives, it will need to triple its investment. 
     Your five-bill package puts the federal government soundly on 
     this track. As a Bay-region leader, you are to be commended. 
     Please instruct us as to how we can further support these 
     measures.
           Sincerely,
                                        Delegate Robert S. Bloxom,
                                                         Chairman.
                                 ______