[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 157 (Wednesday, October 19, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S6768]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Warner, Mr. Webb, 
        Mr. Carper, and Mr. Coons):
  S. 1740. A bill to amend the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998 to 
provide for the reauthorization of the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and 
Watertrails Network; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, authorized under P.L. 105-312 in 1998 and 
reauthorized by P.L. 107-308 in 2002, the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and 
Watertrails Network helps several million visitors and residents find, 
enjoy, and learn about the special places and stories of the Chesapeake 
and its watershed. Today I am introducing legislation to reauthorize 
this successful program.
  For visitors and residents, the Gateways are the ``Chesapeake 
connection.'' The Network members provide an experience of such high 
quality that their visitors will indeed connect to the Chesapeake 
emotionally as well as intellectually, and thus to its conservation.
  The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure. The Chesapeake ranks as 
the largest of America's 130 estuaries and one of the Nation's largest 
and longest fresh water and estuarine systems. The Atlantic Ocean 
delivers half the bay's 18 trillion gallons of water and the other half 
flows through over 150 major rivers and streams draining 64,000 square 
miles within 6 States and the District of Columbia. The Chesapeake 
watershed is among the most significant cultural, natural and historic 
assets of our Nation.
  The Chesapeake is enormous and vastly diverse--how could you possibly 
experience the whole story in any one place? Better to connect and use 
the scores of existing public places to collaborate on presenting the 
many chapters and tales of the bay story. Visitors and residents go to 
more places for more experiences, all through a coordinated Gateways 
Network.
  Beyond simply coordinating the Network, publishing a map and guides, 
and providing standard exhibits at all Gateways, the National Park 
Service has helped Gateways with matching grants and expertise for 200 
projects with a total value of more than $12 million. This is a great 
deal for the bay--it helps network members tell the Chesapeake story 
better and inspires people to care for this National Treasure--and it 
is a good deal for the Park Service. In this legislation, we cap the 
Gateways authorization at just $2 million annually. It serves all 150+ 
Gateways and their 10 million visitors. No other National Park can 
provide such a dramatic ratio of public dollars spent to number of 
visitors served.
  With the National Park Service's expertise and support, Gateways have 
made significant progress in their mission to tell the bay's stories to 
their millions of members and visitors, extend access to the bay and 
its watershed, and develop a conservation awareness and ethic. It is 
time to reauthorize the Chesapeake Gateways and Watertrails program. It 
is my hope that the Congress will act quickly to adopt this 
legislation.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1740

       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 Gateways and 
     Watertrails Network Reauthorization Act''.

     SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 502(c) of the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998 
     (16 U.S.C. 461 note; Public Law 105-312) is amended by 
     striking ``fiscal years'' and all that follows through the 
     period at the end and inserting ``fiscal years 2012 through 
     2016.''.

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