Great Lakes Federal Effectiveness Act

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Great Lakes Federal Effectiveness 
Act''.

SEC. 2. GREAT LAKES RESEARCH COUNCIL.

    (a) In General.--Section 118 of the Federal Water Pollution Control 
Act (33 U.S.C. 1268) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(3)--
                    (A) by striking subparagraph (E) and inserting the 
                following:
                    ``(E) `Council' means the Great Lakes Research 
                Council established by subsection (d)(1);'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (I), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (C) in subparagraph (J), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(K) `Great Lakes research' means the application 
                of scientific or engineering expertise to explain, 
                understand, and predict a physical, chemical, 
                biological, or socioeconomic process, or the 
                interaction of 1 or more of the processes, in the Great 
                Lakes ecosystem.'';
            (2) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
    ``(d) Great Lakes Research Council.--
            ``(1) Establishment of council.--There is established a 
        Great Lakes Research Council.
            ``(2) Duties of council.--The Council shall--
                    ``(A) advise and promote the coordination of 
                Federal Great Lakes research activities to avoid 
                unnecessary duplication and ensure greater 
                effectiveness in achieving protection of the Great 
                Lakes ecosystem through the goals of the Great Lakes 
                Water Quality Agreement;
                    ``(B) not later than 1 year after the date of the 
                enactment of this subparagraph and biennially 
                thereafter, after providing opportunity for public 
                review and comment, prepare and provide to interested 
                parties a document that includes--
                            ``(i) an assessment of the Great Lakes 
                        research activities needed to fulfill the goals 
                        of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement;
                            ``(ii) an assessment of Federal expertise 
                        and capabilities in the activities needed to 
                        fulfill the goals of the Great Lakes Water 
                        Quality Agreement, including an inventory of 
                        Federal Great Lakes research programs, 
                        projects, facilities, and personnel; and
                            ``(iii) recommendations for long-term and 
                        short-term priorities for Federal Great Lakes 
                        research, based on a comparison of the 
                        assessment conducted under clause (i) and the 
                        assessment conducted under clause (ii);
                    ``(C) identify topics for and participate in 
                meetings, workshops, symposia, and conferences on Great 
                Lakes research issues;
                    ``(D) make recommendations for the uniform 
                collection of data for enhancing Great Lakes research 
                and management protocols relating to the Great Lakes 
                ecosystem;
                    ``(E) advise and cooperate in--
                            ``(i) improving the compatible integration 
                        of multimedia data concerning the Great Lakes 
                        ecosystem; and
                            ``(ii) any effort to establish a 
                        comprehensive multimedia data base for the 
                        Great Lakes ecosystem; and
                    ``(F) ensure that the results, findings, and 
                information regarding Great Lakes research programs 
                conducted or sponsored by the Federal Government are 
                disseminated in a timely manner, and in useful forms, 
                to interested persons, using to the maximum extent 
                practicable mechanisms in existence on the date of the 
                dissemination, such as the Great Lakes 
Research Inventory prepared by the International Joint Commission.
            ``(3) Membership.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Council shall consist of 1 
                research manager with extensive knowledge of, and 
                scientific expertise and experience in, the Great Lakes 
                ecosystem from each of the following agencies and 
                instrumentalities:
                            ``(i) The Agency.
                            ``(ii) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                        Administration.
                            ``(iii) The National Biological Service.
                            ``(iv) The United States Fish and Wildlife 
                        Service.
                            ``(v) Any other Federal agency or 
                        instrumentality that expends $1,000,000 or more 
                        for a fiscal year on Great Lakes research.
                            ``(vi) Any other Federal agency or 
                        instrumentality that a majority of the Council 
                        membership determines should be represented on 
                        the Council.
                    ``(B) Nonvoting members.--At the request of a 
                majority of the Council membership, any person who is a 
                representative of a Federal agency or instrumentality 
                not described in subparagraph (A) or any person who is 
                not a Federal employee may serve as a nonvoting member 
                of the Council.
            ``(4) Chairperson.--The chairperson of the Council shall be 
        a member of the Council from an agency specified in clause (i), 
        (ii), or (iii) of paragraph (3)(A) who is elected by a majority 
        vote of the members of the Council. The chairperson shall serve 
        as chairperson for a period of 2 years. A member of the Council 
        may not serve as chairperson for more than 2 consecutive terms.
            ``(5) Expenses.--While performing official duties as a 
        member of the Council, a member shall be allowed travel or 
        transportation expenses under section 5703 of title 5, United 
        States Code.
            ``(6) Interagency cooperation.--The head of each Federal 
        agency or instrumentality that is represented on the Council--
                    ``(A) shall cooperate with the Council in 
                implementing the recommendations developed under 
                paragraph (2);
                    ``(B) may, on written request of the chairperson of 
                the Council, make available, on a reimbursable basis or 
                otherwise, such personnel, services, or facilities as 
                may be necessary to assist the Council in carrying out 
                the duties of the Council under this section; and
                    ``(C) shall, on written request from the 
                chairperson, furnish data or information necessary to 
                carry out the duties of the Council under this section.
            ``(7) International cooperation.--The Council shall 
        cooperate, to the maximum extent practicable, with the research 
        coordination efforts of the Council of Great Lakes Research 
        Managers of the International Joint Commission.
            ``(8) Reimbursement for requested activities.--Each Federal 
        agency or instrumentality represented on the Council may 
        reimburse another Federal agency or instrumentality or a non-
        Federal entity for costs associated with activities authorized 
        under this subsection that are carried out by the other agency, 
        instrumentality, or entity at the request of the Council.
            ``(9) Federal advisory committee act.--The Federal Advisory 
        Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Council.
            ``(10) Effect on other law.--Nothing in this subsection 
        affects the authority of any Federal agency or instrumentality, 
        under any law, to undertake Great Lakes research activities.'';
            (3) in subsection (e)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``the Program 
                Office and the Research Office shall prepare a joint 
                research plan'' and inserting ``the Program Office, in 
                consultation with the Council, shall prepare a research 
                plan''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking ``the Research 
                Office, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease 
                Registry, and Great Lakes States'' and inserting ``the 
                Council, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease 
                Registry, and Great Lakes States,''; and
            (4) in subsection (h)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by adding ``and'' at the end;
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``; and'' and 
                inserting a period; and
                    (C) by striking paragraph (3).
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The second sentence of section 403(a) of 
the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 
1447b(a)) is amended by striking ``Great Lakes Research Office 
authorized under'' and inserting ``Great Lakes Research Council 
established by''.

Summary: Great Lakes Federal Effectiveness Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to replace provisions regarding the Great Lakes Research Office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with those establishing an interagency Great Lakes Research Council. Directs the Council to: (1) promote the coordination of Federal Great Lakes research activities to avoid duplication and ensure effectiveness in achieving protection of the Great Lakes ecosystem through the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. (2) prepare a document that assesses research activities and Federal expertise in such activities needed to fulfill Agreement goals. (3) identify topics for and participate in workshops and conferences on Great Lakes research issues. (4) make recommendations for the uniform collection of data for enhancing research and management protocols relating to the Great Lakes ecosystem. (5) advise in improving the integration of multimedia data concerning the ecosystem and in efforts to establish a multimedia data base for the ecosystem. And (6) ensure that findings and information regarding such research are disseminated in a timely manner.