I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1665

To modify certain water resources projects for the Apalachicola, 

Chattahoochee, and Flint Rivers, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 8, 2003

Mr. BOYD introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Transportation and Infrastructure 

A BILL

To modify certain water resources projects for the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint Rivers, Georgia, Florida, 

and Alabama.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Restore the Apalachi5 cola River Ecosystem Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. APALACHICOLA, CHATTAHOOCHEE, AND FLINT RIV7 ERS, GEORGIA, FLORIDA, AND ALABAMA. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—The project for navigation, Apa9 lachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint Rivers, Georgia, Flor10 ida, and Alabama, authorized by section 2 of the Act of 
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1 March 2, 1945 (59 Stat. 17, chapter 19), and modified 

2 by the first section of the Act of July 24, 1946 (60 Stat. 

3 635, chapter 595), and the project for the West Point Res4 ervoir, Chattahoochee River, Georgia, authorized by sec5 tion 203 of the Flood Control Act of 1962 (76 Stat. 1182), 

6 are modified—

7 (1) to deauthorize the 9-foot by 100-foot chan8 nel between the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near 

9 Apalachicola, Florida, to Jim Woodruff Dam near 

10 Chattahoochee, Florida; and 

11 (2) to authorize the Secretary of the Army, in 

12 consultation with the State of Florida, to develop the 

13 plan described in subsection (b). 

14 (b) PLAN FOR RESTORATION OF APALACHICOLA

15 RIVER.—

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after 

17 the date of enactment of this Act and before com18 mencement of any restoration activity under sub19 section (a), the Secretary of the Army, in coordina20 tion with the State of Florida, the United States 

21 Fish and Wildlife Service, and the United States Ge22 ological Survey, shall—

23 (A) develop a comprehensive plan to re24 store the Apalachicola River basin; and 
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1 (B) submit to the Committee on Environ2 ment and Public Works of the Senate and the 

3 Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc4 ture of the House of Representatives the plan 

5 developed under subparagraph (A). 

6 (2) REQUIRED ELEMENTS.—The plan under 

7 paragraph (1) shall—

8 (A) have as its sole goal the reestablish9 ment of the ecological integrity of the Apalachi10 cola River basin ecosystem (including restora11 tion of bendways, interconnecting waterways, 

12 sloughs, watersheds, associated land areas, and 

13 fish and wildlife habitat); 

14 (B) reestablish an ecosystem that supports 

15 and sustains a balanced, integrated, adaptive 

16 community of organisms having species com17 position, diversity, and functional organization 

18 comparable to those of the natural habitat of 

19 the Apalachicola River; and 

20 (C) include a method of monitoring and 

21 assessing the biota, habitats, and water quality 

22 of the Apalachicola River basin for use in as23 sessing restoration activities and impacts of res24 toration activities. 
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1 (3) FUNDING.—The plan under paragraph (1) 

2 shall be developed at a total cost of $4,000,000. 

3 (c) PUBLIC OUTREACH.—In carrying out this sec4 tion, the Secretary of the Army shall engage in significant 

5 public outreach. 

6 (d) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER ACTIVITIES.—The 

7 Secretary of the Army shall ensure that activities con8 ducted under this section do not interfere with water com9 pact activities and negotiations being carried out as of the 

10 date of enactment of this Act with respect to the Apalachi11 cola, Chattahoochee, and Flint Rivers, Georgia, Florida, 

12 and Alabama. 

13 (e) EFFECT ON OTHER LAW.—Nothing in this sec14 tion limits the authority of any agency under any other 

15 provision of law to require compliance with any applicable 

16 statutory or regulatory requirement.

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