[Senate Report 110-404]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                                                       Calendar No. 859
110th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session                                                     110-404

======================================================================



 
      CHESAPEAKE BAY GATEWAYS AND WATERTRAILS NETWORK CONTINUING 
                           AUTHORIZATION ACT

                                _______
                                

                 June 27, 2008.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

    Mrs. Boxer, from the Committee on Environment and Public Works, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 2707]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was 
referred a bill (S. 2707) to amend the Chesapeake Bay 
Initiative Act of 1998 to provide for the continuing 
authorization of the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails 
Network, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon 
without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.

                    General Statement and Background

    Originally authorized in 1998, the Chesapeake Gateways and 
Watertrails program set up a network of Chesapeake Bay-related 
sites, such as parks, wildlife refuges, and trails. The 
National Park Service provides matching grants for projects 
that enhance public education of and access to the Chesapeake 
Bay. Visitation at Gateways sites exceeds 10 million people 
annually and the competitive grants program is currently 
oversubscribed.
    At the direction of the Congress, the National Park Service 
completed its Chesapeake Bay Special Resource Study in 2004. 
The study concluded that an enhanced version of the Chesapeake 
Bay Gateways Network would be the most effective and efficient 
way for the National Park Service to help protect and raise 
interest in the Chesapeake Bay. The NPS has incorporated the 
Gateways Network into its permanent operations. The current 
authorization The Chesapeake Gateways and Watertrails Act 
expired last year. ``The Chesapeake Bay Gateways and 
Watertrails Network Continuing Authorization Act,'' S. 2707, 
will make the authorization permanent.

                     Objectives of the Legislation

    Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network Continuing 
Authorization Act amends the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 
1998 to make permanent the authorization of appropriations for 
the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network.

                      Section-by-Section Analysis


Section 1. Short title

    This section provides that this Act may be cited as the 
`Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network Continuing 
Authorization Act'.

Sec. 2. Authorization of appropriations

    This section amends Section 502 of the Chesapeake Bay 
Initiative Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 461 note; Public Law 105-312) 
by making the authorization permanent.

                          Legislative History

    On March 5, 2008, Senator Cardin introduced this 
legislation, which was cosponsored by Senators Biden, Carper, 
Casey, Mikulski, Specter, Warner, and Webb. The bill was 
received, read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on 
Environment and Public Works. The committee met on May 21, 
2008, to consider the bill, and ordered S. 2707 to be reported 
favorably without amendment.

                                Hearings

    No committee hearings were held on S. 2707.

                             Rollcall Votes

    The Committee on Environment and Public Works met to 
consider S. 1468 on May 21, 2008. The bill was ordered 
favorably reported by voice vote. No roll call votes were 
taken.

                      Regulatory Impact Statement

    In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee finds that S. 2707 
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. 2707 would not 
impose Federal intergovernmental unfunded mandates on State, 
local, or tribal governments.

               Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate


S. 2707--Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network Continuing 
        Authorization Act

    S. 2707 would reauthorize funding for the Chesapeake Bay 
Initiative, a program carried out by the National Park Service 
(NPS) and other federal agencies to conserve resources in the 
Chesapeake Bay watershed. Assuming appropriation of the 
necessary amounts, CBO estimates that implementing this 
legislation would cost the NPS about $5 million over the 2009-
2013 period and $1 million a year thereafter. Enacting S. 2707 
would not affect direct spending or revenues.
    S. 2707 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: The estimated 
budgetary impact of S. 2707 is shown in the following table. 
The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 300 
(natural resources and environment).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                                                   2008    2009    2010    2011    2012    2013
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION

Spending Under Current Law:
    Budget Authoritya...........................................       1       0       0       0       0       0
    Estimated Outlays...........................................       1       0       0       0       0       0
Proposed Changes:
    Estimated Authorization Level...............................       0       1       1       1       1       1
    Estimated Outlays...........................................       0       1       1       1       1       1
Spending Under S. 2707:
    Estimated Authorization Levela..............................       1       1       1       1       1       1
    Estimated Outlays...........................................       1       1       1       1       1      1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
aThe 2008 level is the amount appropriated for that year.

    Basis of estimate: S. 2707 would authorize (indefinitely) 
the appropriation of whatever amounts are necessary for 
programs carried out under the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 
1998. Based on recent appropriations for those programs, CBO 
estimates that the NPS would spend about $1 million annually 
under the bill, mostly for grants to nonfederal entities. The 
current authorization of appropriations for the program, which 
will expire at the end of fiscal year 2008, is $3 million 
annually, but appropriations have generally been about one-
third of that amount each year ($1 million).
    Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: S. 2707 
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as 
defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or 
tribal governments. State and local governments could benefit 
from grants authorized by the bill.
    Previous CBO cost estimate: On May 7, 2008, CBO transmitted 
a cost estimate for H.R. 5540, the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and 
Watertrails Network Continuing Authorization Act, as ordered 
reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on April 
30, 2008. H.R. 5540 and S. 2707 are nearly identical, and the 
CBO cost estimates for the two versions of the legislation are 
the same.
    Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Deborah Reis; Impact 
on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Burke Doherty; Impact 
on the Private Sector: Amy Petz.
    Estimate approved by: Theresa Gullo, 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:

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CHESAPEAKE BAY INITIATIVE ACT OF 1998

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *



SEC. 502. CHESAPEAKE BAY GATEWAYS AND WATERTRAILS.

    (a) Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior 
        (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary''), in 
        cooperation with the Administrator of the Environmental 
        Protection Agency (referred to in this section as the 
        ``Administrator''), shall provide technical and 
        financial assistance, in cooperation with other Federal 
        agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit 
        organizations, and the private sector--
                  (A)* * *

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

    [(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out this section $3,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 1999 through 2008.]
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this 
section.

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