69–010 

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 


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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. 


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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 Authority a ........................................................................... 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 Level a ...................................................... 1 1 1 1 1 1 

Estimated Outlays ........................................................................... 1 1 1 1 1 1 

a The 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. 


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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 øblack brackets¿, new matter is printed in italic, existing 

law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman: 

* * * * * * * 

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)* * * 

* * * * * * * 

ø(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. 

* * * * * * * 

Æ 


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