H.R. 5266 — Introduced in House

I 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5266 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 30, 2014 Mr. LoBiondo (for himself, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Mr. Posey, and Mr. Murphy of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure A BILL To reauthorize the National Estuary Programs, and for other purposes. 1. Competitive awards Section 320(g) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1330(g)) is amended by adding at the end the following: (4) Competitive awards (A) In general Of the amount made available under subsection (i)(2)(B), the Administrator shall make competitive awards under this paragraph. (B) Application for awards The Administrator shall solicit applications for awards under this paragraph from State, interstate, and regional water pollution control agencies and entities, State coastal zone management agencies, interstate agencies, other public or nonprofit private agencies, institutions, organizations, and individuals. (C) Selection of recipients In selecting award recipients under this paragraph, the Administrator shall select recipients that are best able to address urgent and challenging issues that threaten the ecological and economic well-being of coastal areas. Such issues shall include— (i) extensive seagrass habitat losses resulting in significant impacts on fisheries and water quality; (ii) recurring harmful algae blooms, unusual marine mammal mortalities; (iii) invasive exotic species which can threaten wastewater systems and cause other damage; (iv) jellyfish proliferation limiting community access to water during peak tourism seasons; (v) flooding which may be related to sea level rise or wetland degradation or loss; or (vi) low dissolved oxygen conditions in estuarine waters and related nutrient management. (D) Priority The Administrator shall give priority for the competitive awards described in subparagraph (A) to national estuary programs that are not part of the Geographic Programs as described in the explanatory statement referred to in section 4 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 (Public Law 113–76; 128 Stat. 7 and printed on page H978 of the Congressional Record on January 15, 2014). . 2. Authorization of appropriations Section 320 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1330) is amended by striking subsection (i) and inserting the following: (i) Authorization of appropriations (1) In general There is authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator $27,000,000, for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018 for— (A) expenses relating to the administration of grants or awards by the Administrator under this section, including the award and oversight of grants and awards, except that such expenses shall not exceed 5 percent of the amount appropriated under this subsection; and (B) making grants and awards under subsection (g). (2) Allocations (A) Conservation and management plan The Administrator shall provide not less than 80 percent of the amounts made available for this section for each fiscal year referred to in paragraph (1) for the development, implementation, and monitoring of each conservation and management plan eligible for grant assistance under subsection (g)(2). (B) Competitive awards The Administrator shall provide not less than 15 percent of the amounts made available for this section in each fiscal year to make competitive awards described in subsection (g)(3). .