[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 167 (Thursday, November 3, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7139-S7140]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           TEXT OF AMENDMENTS

  SA 922. Mr. CARDIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by

[[Page S7140]]

him to the bill H.R. 2354, making appropriations for energy and water 
development and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 
30, 2012, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the 
table; as follows:

       On page __, between lines __ and __, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. WATER INFRASTRUCTURE JOBS AMENDMENT.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) the State water pollution control and State drinking 
     water revolving funds create jobs, repair crumbling 
     infrastructure, and protect public health;
       (2) the State water pollution control and State drinking 
     water revolving funds invest in short- and long-term 
     improvements in communities across the United States, 
     providing significant environmental, economic, and public 
     health benefits;
       (3) the water infrastructure of the United States is 
     approaching a tipping point, as each day, the poor condition 
     of water infrastructure of the United States results in 
     significant losses and damage from broken water and sewer 
     mains, sewage overflows, and other negative impacts of a 
     water infrastructure system that is nearing the end of the 
     useful life cycle of the system;
       (4) the most recent infrastructure report card of the 
     American Society of Civil Engineers gave the water 
     infrastructure of the United States a D-, the lowest of any 
     category;
       (5) the Environmental Protection Agency estimates for the 
     next 20 years put wastewater needs at $187,900,000,000 and 
     drinking water needs at $334,800,000,000;
       (6) investments in water infrastructure provide significant 
     economic benefits and enjoy a strong return on investment;
       (7) the United States Conference of Mayors notes that each 
     public dollar invested in water infrastructure increases 
     private, long-term Gross Domestic Product output by $6.35;
       (8) The National Association of Utility Contractors 
     estimates that $1,000,000,000 of water infrastructure 
     investment can create more than 26,000 jobs; and
       (9) the Department of Commerce estimates that each job 
     created in the local water and sewer industry creates 3.68 
     jobs in the national economy, and each public dollar spent 
     yields $2.62 in economic output in other industries.
       (b) Capitalization Grants.--Of the total amount made 
     available by this Act, 4 percent shall be made available to 
     the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency 
     (referred to in this section as the ``Administrator'') to 
     establish water infrastructure grants, of which--
       (1) \2/3\ shall be for capitalization grants for State 
     water pollution control revolving funds under title VI of the 
     Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.); 
     and
       (2) \1/3\ shall be for capitalization grants for State 
     drinking water treatment revolving loan funds under section 
     1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-12).
       (c) Federal Share.--Notwithstanding section 202 and 
     paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 602(b) of the Federal Water 
     Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1282, 1382(b)) and section 
     1452(e) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-
     12(e)), the Federal share of the costs of a grant under this 
     section shall be 90 percent.
       (d) Availability.--
       (1) In general.--The amounts made available to the 
     Administrator under this section shall be available for 
     obligation until the date that is 2 years after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act.
       (2) Schedule.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall obligate not 
     less than 50 percent of the amounts made available under this 
     section.
       (e) Use of Amounts.--
       (1) Priority.--The Administrator shall only make a grant 
     available under this section for projects that are on a State 
     priority list and ready to proceed to construction not later 
     than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act.
       (2) Transfer of funds.--Notwithstanding section 603 of the 
     Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1383), the 
     Governor of a State may--
       (A) reserve an amount equal to not more than the greater 
     of--
       (i) 33 percent of a capitalization grant made under this 
     section; and
       (ii) 33 percent of a capitalization grant made under 
     section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-
     12); and
       (B) add the reserved funds to any funds provided to the 
     State under section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 
     U.S.C. 300j-12).
       (3) Green projects.--To the extent there are sufficient 
     eligible project applications, not less than 20 percent of 
     the funds made available under this section to State water 
     pollution control revolving funds, and not less than 10 
     percent of the funds made available under this section to 
     State drinking water treatment revolving funds, shall be for 
     projects that address--
       (A) watershed restoration;
       (B) green infrastructure, including through the use of 
     watershed-based environmental management approaches;
       (C) water or energy efficiency improvements; or
       (D) other environmentally innovative activities.
       (4) Tribal grants.--Notwithstanding section 518(c) of the 
     Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1377(c)), the 
     Administrator shall reserve not less than 1.5 percent of the 
     amounts made available under this section to carry out that 
     section.
       (5) Administrative expenses.--The Administrator may retain 
     up to .15 percent of the amounts made available under this 
     section for management and oversight purposes.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 923. Mr. REID (for Mrs. Feinstein (for herself and Mr. Toomey)) 
proposed an amendment to the bill S. 1759, to facilitate the hosting in 
the United States of the 34th America's Cup by authorizing certain 
eligible vessels to participate in activities related to the 
competition; as follows:

       At the end, add the following:

     SEC. 7. VESSEL DOCUMENTATION EXEMPTION.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding sections 12112 and 12132 
     and chapter 551 of title 46, United States Code, the 
     Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is 
     operating may issue a certificate of documentation with a 
     coastwise endorsement for each of the following vessels:
       (1) LNG GEMINI (United States official number 595752).
       (2) LNG LEO (United States official number 595753).
       (3) LNG VIRGO (United States official number 595755).
       (b) Limitation on Operation.--Coastwise trade authorized 
     under subsection (a) shall be limited to carriage of natural 
     gas, as that term is defined in section 3(13) of the 
     Deepwater Port Act of 1974 (33 U.S.C. 1502(13)).
       (c) Termination of Effectiveness of Endorsements.--The 
     coastwise endorsement issued under subsection (a) for a 
     vessel shall expire on the date of the sale of the vessel by 
     the owner of the vessel on the date of enactment of this Act 
     to a person who is not related by ownership or control to 
     such owner.

     SEC. 8. OPERATION OF DRY DOCK IN KETCHIKAN, ALASKA.

       A vessel transported in Dry Dock #2 (State of Alaska 
     registration AIDEA FDD-2) is not merchandise for purposes of 
     section 55102 of title 46, United States Code, if, during 
     such transportation, Dry Dock #2 remains connected by a 
     utility or other connecting line to pierside moorage located 
     in Ketchikan, Alaska.

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