Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2014

Summary: .  Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2014 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to authorize the Environmental Protection Agency's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for FY2015-FY2019.  Requires that the Initiative carry out programs and projects for Great Lakes protection and restoration. Directs the Initiative to prioritize programs and projects, including:   the remediation of toxic substances and areas of concern;  the prevention and control of invasive species and their impacts;  the protection and restoration of near-shore health and the prevention and mitigation of nonpoint source pollution (water pollution that comes from many diffuse sources, such as pollution on the ground picked up by rain or snow);  habitat and wildlife protection and restoration; and  accountability, monitoring, evaluation, communication, and partnership activities.  Prohibits funding made available to implement the Initiative from being used for any water infrastructure activity (other than a green infrastructure project that improves habitat and other ecosystem functions in the Great Lakes) for which funding is made available under the clean water or drinking water state revolving fund program. Requires federal agencies to maintain the base level of funding for their Great Lakes activities without regard to funding under the Initiative and identify new activities to support the environmental goals of the Initiative.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Great Lakes Restoration Initiative 
Act of 2014''.

SEC. 2. GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE.

    Section 118(c) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 
U.S.C. 1268(c)) is amended by striking paragraph (7) and inserting the 
following:
            ``(7) Great lakes restoration initiative.--
                    ``(A) Establishment.--There is established in the 
                Agency a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (referred 
                to in this paragraph as the `Initiative') to carry out 
                programs and projects for Great Lakes protection and 
                restoration.
                    ``(B) Focus areas.--The Initiative shall prioritize 
                programs and projects carried out in coordination with 
                non-Federal partners and programs and projects that 
                address priority areas each fiscal year, including--
                            ``(i) the remediation of toxic substances 
                        and areas of concern;
                            ``(ii) the prevention and control of 
                        invasive species and the impacts of invasive 
                        species;
                            ``(iii) the protection and restoration of 
                        nearshore health and the prevention and 
                        mitigation of nonpoint source pollution;
                            ``(iv) habitat and wildlife protection and 
                        restoration, including wetlands restoration and 
                        preservation; and
                            ``(v) accountability, monitoring, 
                        evaluation, communication, and partnership 
                        activities.
                    ``(C) Projects.--Under the Initiative, the Agency 
                shall collaborate with Federal partners, including the 
                Great Lakes Interagency Task Force, to select the best 
                combination of programs and projects for Great Lakes 
                protection and restoration using appropriate principles 
                and criteria, including whether a program or project 
                provides--
                            ``(i) the ability to achieve strategic and 
                        measurable environmental outcomes that 
                        implement the Great Lakes Action Plan and the 
                        Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement;
                            ``(ii) the feasibility of--
                                    ``(I) prompt implementation;
                                    ``(II) timely achievement of 
                                results; and
                                    ``(III) resource leveraging; and
                            ``(iii) the opportunity to improve 
                        interagency and inter-organizational 
                        coordination and collaboration to reduce 
                        duplication and streamline efforts.
                    ``(D) Implementation of projects.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Funds made available to 
                        carry out the Initiative shall be used to 
                        strategically implement--
                                    ``(I) Federal projects; and
                                    ``(II) projects carried out in 
                                coordination with States, Indian 
                                tribes, municipalities, institutions of 
                                higher education, and other 
                                organizations.
                            ``(ii) Transfer of funds.--With amounts 
                        made available for the Initiative each fiscal 
                        year, the Administrator may--
                                    ``(I) transfer not more than 
                                $300,000,000 to the head of any Federal 
                                department or agency, with the 
                                concurrence of the department or agency 
                                head, to carry out activities to 
                                support the Initiative and the Great 
                                Lakes Water Quality Agreement; and
                                    ``(II) enter into an interagency 
                                agreement with the head of any Federal 
                                department or agency to carry out 
                                activities described in subclause (I).
                    ``(E) Scope.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Projects shall be 
                        carried out under the Initiative on multiple 
                        levels, including--
                                    ``(I) Great Lakes-wide; and
                                    ``(II) Great Lakes basin-wide.
                            ``(ii) Limitation.--No funds made available 
                        to carry out the Initiative may be used for any 
                        water infrastructure activity (other than a 
                        green infrastructure project that improves 
                        habitat and other ecosystem functions in the 
                        Great Lakes) for which amounts are made 
                        available from--
                                    ``(I) a State water pollution 
                                control revolving fund established 
                                under title VI; or
                                    ``(II) a State drinking water 
                                revolving loan fund established under 
                                section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water 
                                Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-12).
                    ``(F) Activities by other federal agencies.--Each 
                relevant Federal department or agency shall, to the 
                maximum extent practicable--
                            ``(i) maintain the base level of funding 
                        for the Great Lakes activities of that 
                        department or agency without regard to funding 
                        under the Initiative; and
                            ``(ii) identify new activities and projects 
                        to support the environmental goals of the 
                        Initiative.
                    ``(G) Funding.--There is authorized to be 
                appropriated to carry out the Initiative $300,000,000 
                for each of fiscal years 2015 through 2019.''.

            Passed the House of Representatives December 9, 2014.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.