PUBLIC LAW 113–273—DEC. 18, 2014 128 STAT. 2967 

Public Law 113–273 

113th Congress 

An Act 

To require the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to prepare a 

crosscut budget for restoration activities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and 

for other purposes. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Chesapeake Bay Accountability 

and Recovery Act of 2014’’. 

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

In this Act: 

(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the 

Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. 

(2) CHESAPEAKE BAY STATE.—The term ‘‘Chesapeake Bay 

State’’ or ‘‘State’’ means any of— 

(A) the States of Maryland, West Virginia, Delaware, 

and New York; 

(B) the Commonwealths of Virginia and Pennsylvania; 

and 

(C) the District of Columbia. 

(3) CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED.—The term ‘‘Chesapeake 

Bay watershed’’ means all tributaries, backwaters, and side 

channels, including watersheds, draining into the Chesapeake 

Bay. 

(4) CHESAPEAKE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.—The term ‘‘Chesapeake Executive Council’’ has the meaning given the term 

by section 117(a) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act 

(33 U.S.C. 1267(a)). 

(5) CHIEF EXECUTIVE.—The term ‘‘chief executive’’ means, 

in the case of a State or Commonwealth, the Governor of 

the State or Commonwealth and, in the case of the District 

of Columbia, the Mayor of the District of Columbia. 

(6) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means the Director 

of the Office of Management and Budget. 

(7) FEDERAL RESTORATION ACTIVITY.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘Federal restoration 

activity’’ means a Federal program or project carried out 

under Federal authority in existence as of the date of 

enactment of this Act with the express intent to directly 

protect, conserve, or restore living resources, habitat, water 

resources, or water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including programs or projects that provide financial 

and technical assistance to promote responsible land use, 

33 USC 1267 

note. 

Chesapeake Bay 

Accountability 

and Recovery Act 

of 2014. 

Dec. 18, 2014 

[S. 1000] 


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128 STAT. 2968 PUBLIC LAW 113–273—DEC. 18, 2014 

stewardship, and community engagement in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. 

(B) CATEGORIZATION.—Federal restoration activities 

may be categorized as follows: 

(i) Physical restoration. 

(ii) Planning. 

(iii) Feasibility studies. 

(iv) Scientific research. 

(v) Monitoring. 

(vi) Education. 

(vii) Infrastructure development. 

(8) STATE RESTORATION ACTIVITY.— (A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘State restoration activity’’ 

means any State program or project carried out under 

State authority that directly or indirectly protect, conserve, 

or restore living resources, habitat, water resources, or 

water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including 

programs or projects that promote responsible land use, 

stewardship, and community engagement in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. 

(B) CATEGORIZATION.—State restoration activities may 

be categorized as follows: 

(i) Physical restoration. 

(ii) Planning. 

(iii) Feasibility studies. 

(iv) Scientific research. 

(v) Monitoring. 

(vi) Education. 

(vii) Infrastructure development. 

SEC. 3. CHESAPEAKE BAY CROSSCUT BUDGET. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director, in consultation with the Chesapeake Executive Council, the chief executive of each Chesapeake 

Bay State, and the Chesapeake Bay Commission, shall submit 

to Congress a financial report containing— 

(1) an interagency crosscut budget that displays, as 

applicable— 

(A) the proposed funding for any Federal restoration 

activity to be carried out in the succeeding fiscal year, 

including any planned interagency or intra-agency transfer, 

for each of the Federal agencies that carry out restoration 

activities; 

(B) to the extent that information is available, the 

estimated funding for any State restoration activity to be 

carried out in the succeeding fiscal year; 

(C) all expenditures for Federal restoration activities 

from the preceding 2 fiscal years, the current fiscal year, 

and the succeeding fiscal year; 

(D) all expenditures, to the extent that information 

is available, for State restoration activities during the 

equivalent time period described in subparagraph (C); and 

(E) a section that identifies and evaluates, based on 

need and appropriateness, specific opportunities to consolidate similar programs and activities within the budget 

and recommendations to Congress for legislative action 

to streamline, consolidate, or eliminate similar programs 

and activities within the budget; 

Consultation. 

Reports. 


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PUBLIC LAW 113–273—DEC. 18, 2014 128 STAT. 2969 

(2) a detailed accounting of all funds received and obligated 

by each Federal agency for restoration activities during the 

current and preceding fiscal years, including the identification 

of funds that were transferred to a Chesapeake Bay State 

for restoration activities; 

(3) to the extent that information is available, a detailed 

accounting from each State of all funds received and obligated 

from a Federal agency for restoration activities during the 

current and preceding fiscal years; and 

(4) a description of each of the proposed Federal and State 

restoration activities to be carried out in the succeeding fiscal 

year (corresponding to those activities listed in subparagraphs 

(A) and (B) of paragraph (1)), including— 

(A) the project description; 

(B) the current status of the project; 

(C) the Federal or State statutory or regulatory 

authority, program, or responsible agency; 

(D) the authorization level for appropriations; 

(E) the project timeline, including benchmarks; 

(F) references to project documents; 

(G) descriptions of risks and uncertainties of project 

implementation; 

(H) a list of coordinating entities; 

(I) a description of the funding history for the project; 

(J) cost sharing; and 

(K) alignment with the existing Chesapeake Bay Agreement, Chesapeake Executive Council goals and priorities, 

and Annual Action Plan required by section 205 of Executive Order 13508 (33 U.S.C. 1267 note; relating to Chesapeake Bay protection and restoration). 

(b) MINIMUM FUNDING LEVELS.—In describing restoration 

activities in the report required under subsection (a), the Director 

shall only include— 

(1) for the first 3 years that the report is required, descriptions of— 

(A) Federal restoration activities that have funding 

amounts greater than or equal to $300,000; and 

(B) State restoration activities that have funding 

amounts greater than or equal to $300,000; and 

(2) for every year thereafter, descriptions of— 

(A) Federal restoration activities that have funding 

amounts greater than or equal to $100,000; and 

(B) State restoration activities that have funding 

amounts greater than or equal to $100,000. 

(c) DEADLINE.—The Director shall submit to Congress the report 

required by subsection (a) not later than September 30 of each 

year. 

(d) REPORT.—Copies of the report required by subsection (a) 

shall be submitted to the Committees on Appropriations, Natural 

Resources, Energy and Commerce, and Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committees 

on Appropriations, Environment and Public Works, and Commerce, 

Science, and Transportation of the Senate. 

(e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall apply beginning with 

the first fiscal year after the date of enactment of this Act. 


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128 STAT. 2970 PUBLIC LAW 113–273—DEC. 18, 2014 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1000 (H.R. 739): 

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 113–453, Pt. 1 (Comm. on Natural Resources) accompanying 

H.R. 739. 

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 160 (2014): 

Dec. 2, considered and passed Senate. 

Dec. 9, 10, considered and passed House. 

Æ 

SEC. 4. INDEPENDENT EVALUATOR FOR THE CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAM. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—There shall be an Independent Evaluator 

for restoration activities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, who 

shall review and report on— 

(1) restoration activities; and 

(2) any related topics that are suggested by the Chesapeake 

Executive Council. 

(b) APPOINTMENT.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after the date 

of submission of nominees by the Chesapeake Executive 

Council, the Independent Evaluator shall be appointed by the 

Administrator from among nominees submitted by the Chesapeake Executive Council with the consultation of the scientific 

community. 

(2) NOMINATIONS.—The Chesapeake Executive Council may 

nominate for consideration as Independent Evaluator a sciencebased institution of higher education. 

(3) REQUIREMENTS.—The Administrator shall only select 

as Independent Evaluator a nominee that the Administrator 

determines demonstrates excellence in marine science, policy 

evaluation, or other studies relating to complex environmental 

restoration activities. 

(c) REPORTS.—Not later than 180 days after the date of appointment and once every 2 years thereafter, the Independent Evaluator 

shall submit to Congress a report describing the findings and recommendations of reviews conducted under subsection (a). 

SEC. 5. PROHIBITION ON NEW FUNDING. 

No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry 

out this Act. 

Approved December 18, 2014. 

Deadline. 

Review. 

Reports. 


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