[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 17310-17311]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1920
            AMENDING THE FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ACT

  Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committees 
on Transportation and Infrastructure, Natural Resources and the 
Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of the bill (S. 
3687) to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize 
the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program, to designate certain 
Federal buildings, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate 
consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 3687

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

     SECTION 1. LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN BASIN RESTORATION PROGRAM.

       Section 121 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 
     U.S.C. 1273) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (d), by inserting ``to pay not more than 
     75 percent of the costs'' after ``make grants''; and
       (2) in subsection (f)(1), in the first sentence, by 
     striking ``2011'' and inserting ``2012 and the amount 
     appropriated for fiscal year 2009 for each of fiscal years 
     2013 through 2017''.

     SEC. 2. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY HEADQUARTERS.

       (a) Redesignation.--The Environmental Protection Agency 
     Headquarters located at 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. in 
     Washington, D.C., known as the Ariel Rios Building, shall be 
     known and redesignated as the ``William Jefferson Clinton 
     Federal Building''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters referred to in 
     subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the 
     ``William Jefferson Clinton Federal Building''.

     SEC. 3. GEORGE H.W. BUSH AND GEORGE W. BUSH UNITED STATES 
                   COURTHOUSE AND GEORGE MAHON FEDERAL BUILDING.

       (a) Redesignation.--The Federal building and United States 
     Courthouse located at 200 East Wall Street in Midland, Texas, 
     known as the George Mahon Federal Building, shall be known 
     and redesignated as the ``George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush 
     United States Courthouse and George Mahon Federal Building''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     Federal building and United States Courthouse referred to in 
     subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the 
     ``George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush United States 
     Courthouse and George Mahon Federal Building''.

     SEC. 4. THOMAS P. O'NEILL, JR. FEDERAL BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The Federal building currently known as 
     Federal Office Building 8, located at 200 C Street Southwest 
     in the District of Columbia, shall be known and designated as 
     the ``Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr. Federal Building''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     Federal building referred to in subsection (a) shall be 
     deemed to be a reference to the ``Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr. 
     Federal Building''.

     SEC. 5. COMPLIANCE WITH LACEY ACT.

       The Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 (16 U.S.C. 3371 et seq.) 
     and section 42 of title 18, United States Code, shall not 
     apply with respect to any water transfer by the North Texas 
     Municipal Water District and the Greater Texoma Utility 
     Authority using only closed conveyance systems from the Lake 
     Texoma raw water intake structure to treatment facilities at 
     which all zebra mussels are extirpated and removed from the 
     water transferred.

     SEC. 6. CONVEYANCE OF MCKINNEY LAKE NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (2) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of North 
     Carolina.
       (b) Conveyance.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall convey to the 
     State, without reimbursement, all right, title, and interest 
     of the United States in and to the property described in 
     subsection (c), for use by the North Carolina Wildlife 
     Resources Commission as a component of the fish and wildlife 
     management program of the State.
       (c) Description of Property.--The property referred to in 
     subsection (b) is comprised of the property known as the 
     ``McKinney Lake National Fish Hatchery'', which--
       (1) is located at 220 McKinney Lake Road, Hoffman (between 
     Southern Pines and Rockingham), in Richmond County, North 
     Carolina;
       (2) is a warmwater facility consisting of approximately 422 
     acres; and
       (3) includes all improvements and related personal property 
     under the jurisdiction of the Secretary that are located on 
     the property (including buildings, structures, and 
     equipment).
       (d) Use by State.--
       (1) Use.--The property conveyed to the State under this 
     section shall be used by the State for purposes relating to 
     fishery and wildlife resources management.
       (2) Reversion.--
       (A) In general.--If the property conveyed to the State 
     under this section is used for any purpose other than the 
     purpose described in paragraph (1), all right, title, and 
     interest in and to the property shall revert to the United 
     States.
       (B) Condition of property.--If the property described in 
     subparagraph (A) reverts to the United States under this 
     paragraph, the State shall ensure that the property is in 
     substantially the same or better condition as the condition 
     of the property as of the date of the conveyance of the 
     property under this section.
       (C) Exception.--This paragraph shall not apply with respect 
     to use of the property under subsection (e).
       (e) Use by Secretary.--The Secretary shall require, as a 
     condition and term of the conveyance of property under this 
     section, that the State shall, upon the request of the 
     Secretary, allow the United States Fish and Wildlife Service 
     to use the property in cooperation with the Commission for 
     propagation of any critically important aquatic resources 
     held in public trust to address specific restoration or 
     recovery needs of such resource.

  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, as the Ranking Democratic Member 
of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment of the Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure, I rise to address S. 3687, which 
reauthorizes appropriations for the Lake Pontchartrain Basin 
Restoration Program for fiscal years 2012 through 2017, among other 
purposes.
  The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program was authorized by 
the Committee on

[[Page 17311]]

Transportation and Infrastructure in the Estuaries and Clean Waters Act 
of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-456). This Act established a new program office 
within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide 
administrative and technical assistance to the local management 
conference, convened under section 320 of the Clean Water Act, for the 
restoration and protection of Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana, as well as 
provide Federal grant assistance for restoration projects, studies, and 
public education projects, recommended by the conference for the 
benefit of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. The initial authorization of 
the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program was $20 million, 
annually, for fiscal years 2001 through 2005. This $20 million annual 
authorization was extended through fiscal year 2011 in Pub. L. 109-392.
  Section 1 of S. 3687 extends the authorization of appropriations for 
the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program through FY 2017, 
however, at reduced levels. S authorizes ``. . . the amount 
appropriated for fiscal year 2009 for each of the fiscal years 2013 
through 2017.'' According to information provided by EPA, the fiscal 
year 2009 appropriation for the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration 
Program was $978,000. Accordingly, section 1 of S. 3687 reduces the 
authorization of appropriations for the Lake Pontchartrain Basin 
Program from $20 million, annually, to $978,000, annually, for each of 
FY 2013 through FY 2017.
  In addition, section 1 of S. 3687 would establish a maximum 75 
percent Federal share grant assistance authorized under the Lake 
Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program. Under current law, there is no 
statutory cap on the percentage of Federal assistance that can be 
provided by grants under the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration 
Program. Acording to information provided by EPA, the EPA Region 6 
office typically required a 5 percent local match for grants provided 
under this Program--resulting in a Federal share of 95 percent for 
grants provided under this authority. Under section 1 of S. 3687, the 
maximum Federal share of future grants provided under this authority 
would be reduced to 75 percent, with the remaining share to be provided 
by local interests, such as local parishes or municipalities.
  I am encouraged by the House Republican Leadership's willingness to 
schedule this bill and allow it to pass by Unanimous Consent. I am 
hopeful that the Leadership's willingness to move this legislation will 
enable the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to move 
forward quickly in the 113th Congress on a Water Resources Development 
Act (WRDA) bill. Currently, there are 22 Army Corps of Engineers 
Chief's Reports awaiting authorization throu the WRDA process. These 
and other critical flood control, navigation safety, shoreline 
protection, and environmental restoration projects must move forward to 
ensure the safety of our communities, strengthen our National, 
regional, and local economies, protect our natural resources, and 
create jobs.
  The bill was ordered to be read a third time, was read the third 
time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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