[Senate Report 109-352]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 646
109th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 109-352
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EXTEND AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN BASIN
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September 27, 2006.--Ordered to be printed
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Mr. Inhofe, from the Committee on Environment and Public Works,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 3630]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was
referred a bill (S. 3630) to amend the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act to reauthorize a program relating to the Lake
Pontchartrain Basin, and for other purposes, having considered
the same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and
recommends that the bill do pass.
General Statement and Background
The Lake Pontchartrain Basin watershed covers a 5,000
square mile area and includes 16 Louisiana parishes and four
Mississippi counties. Almost 1.5 million people live in the
area of Lake Pontchartrain, the 630 square mile lake at the
center of the basin, making it the most densely populated area
in Louisiana. The Basin also includes Lakes Borgne and
Maurepas, and these three lakes comprise one of the largest
estuaries in the U.S. The Basin supports numerous species of
fish, birds, mammals, and plants, and its fisheries contribute
over $35 million to the local economy by providing much of the
seafood harvested in the Gulf Coast.
The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program was
created in 2000 as part of the Estuaries and Clean Waters Act.
It authorized $20 million a year for fiscal years 2001 to 2005
to fund research and projects aimed at the restoring the
environmental health of the Lake.
Objectives of the Legislation
S. 3630 would extend the authorization of appropriations
for the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Lake
Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program through 2011.
Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1--Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration
Reauthorization--This section extends the authorization for the
Lake Pontchartrain Basin program through 2011.
Section 2--Makes a technical correction redesignating
Section 121 of the Clean Water Act as Section 122.
Legislative History
On July 10, 2006, Senator David Vitter introduced S. 3630.
Rollcall Votes
The Committee on Environment and Public Works met to
consider S. 3630 on September 13, 2006. There were no recorded
votes taken in connection with ordering S. 3630 reported. A
motion to order S. 3630 reported to the Senate was agreed to by
voice vote.
Regulatory Impact Statement
In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee makes evaluation of
the regulatory impact of the reported bill.
The bill does not create any additional regulatory burdens,
nor will it cause any adverse impact on the personal privacy of
individuals.
Mandates Assessment
In compliance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
(Public Law 104-4), the committee finds that S. 2781 would not
impose Federal intergovernmental unfunded mandates on State,
local, or tribal governments.
Cost of Legislation
Section 403 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment
Control Act requires that a statement of the cost of the
reported bill, prepared by the Congressional Budget Office, be
included in the report. That statement follows:
S. 3630--A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to
reauthorize a program relating to the Lake Pontchartrain Basin,
and for other purposes
Summary: CBO estimates that implementing this legislation
would cost $84 million over the next five years, assuming
appropriation of the authorized amounts. S. 3630 would extend
the authorization of appropriations for the Environmental
Protection Agency's (EPA's) Lake Pontchartrain Basin
Restoration Program through 2011. (That authorization
terminated in 2005.) The legislation would authorize the
appropriation of $20 million annually through 2011 for this
program. Such funding would be used to support public education
projects and efforts to restore the ecological health of the
lake basin.
Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or
revenues. S. 3630 contains no intergovernmental or private-
sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
(UMRA) and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal
governments.
Estimated cost to the Federal Government: For this
estimate, CBO assumes that the bill will be enacted near the
beginning of fiscal year 2007 and that the authorized amounts
will be appropriated for each fiscal year, beginning with
fiscal year 2007. Estimated outlays are based on historical
spending patterns for ongoing activities. The estimated
budgetary impact of S. 3630 is shown in the following table.
The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 300
(natural resources and the environment).
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By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
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2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
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SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
Spending Under Current Law for the Lake
Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program:
Budget Authority\1\................................... 2 0 0 0 0 0
Estimated Outlays..................................... 1 1 0 0 0 0
Proposed Changes:
Authorization Level................................... 0 20 20 20 20 20
Estimated Outlays..................................... 0 8 17 19 20 20
Spending Under S. 3630 for the Lake
Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program:
Authorization Level\1\................................ 2 20 20 20 20 20
Estimated Outlays..................................... 1 9 17 19 20 20
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\1\The 2006 level is the amount appropriated for that year to EPA to implement the Lake Pontchartrain Basin
Restoration Program.
Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: S. 3630
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as
defined in UMRA. Louisiana and Mississippi, and local
governments in those states, that participate in the Lake
Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program would benefit from the
bill's reauthorization of grants, research, and restoration
activities for the basin. Any costs to participate in the
program would be incurred voluntarily.
Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Susanne S. Mehlman.
Impact on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Lisa Ramirez-
Branum. Impact on the Private Sector: Amy Petz.
Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with section 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the bill
as reported are shown as follows: Existing law proposed to be
omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in
italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in
roman:
FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ACT
* * * * * * *
TITLE I--RESEARCH AND RELATED PROGRAMS
DECLARATION OF GOALS AND POLICY
Sec. 101. (a) The objective of this Act is to restore and
maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of
the Nation's waters. In order to achieve this objective it is
hereby declared that, consistent with the provisions of this
Act----
(1) * * *
* * * * * * *
SEC. 121. LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN BASIN.
(a) Establishment of Restoration Program.--* * *
* * * * * * *
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2001 through [2005] 2011. Such
sums shall remain available until expended.
(2) Public education projects.--Not more than 15
percent of the amount appropriated pursuant to
paragraph (1) in a fiscal year may be expended on
grants for public education projects under subsection
(d)(2).
SEC. [121]122. WET WEATHER WATERSHED PILOT PROJECTS.
(a) In General.--* * *
* * * * * * *