49–010 

Calendar No. 646 

109TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 109–352 

EXTEND AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR LAKE 

PONTCHARTRAIN BASIN 

SEPTEMBER 27, 2006.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. INHOFE, from the Committee on Environment and Public 

Works, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 3630] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was 

referred a bill (S. 3630) to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize a program relating to the Lake Pontchartrain Basin, and for other purposes, having considered the 

same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass. 

GENERAL STATEMENT AND BACKGROUND

The Lake Pontchartrain Basin watershed covers a 5,000 square 

mile area and includes 16 Louisiana parishes and four Mississippi 

counties. Almost 1.5 million people live in the area of Lake Pontchartrain, the 630 square mile lake at the center of the basin, making it the most densely populated area in Louisiana. The Basin also 

includes Lakes Borgne and Maurepas, and these three lakes comprise one of the largest estuaries in the U.S. The Basin supports 

numerous species of fish, birds, mammals, and plants, and its fisheries contribute over $35 million to the local economy by providing 

much of the seafood harvested in the Gulf Coast. 

The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program was created 

in 2000 as part of the Estuaries and Clean Waters Act. It authorized $20 million a year for fiscal years 2001 to 2005 to fund research and projects aimed at the restoring the environmental 

health of the Lake. 


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OBJECTIVES OF THE LEGISLATION

S. 3630 would extend the authorization of appropriations for the 

Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Lake Pontchartrain 

Basin Restoration Program through 2011. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1—Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Reauthorization—This section extends the authorization for the Lake Pontchartrain Basin program through 2011. 

Section 2—Makes a technical correction redesignating Section 

121 of the Clean Water Act as Section 122. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

On July 10, 2006, Senator David Vitter introduced S. 3630. 

ROLLCALL VOTES

The Committee on Environment and Public Works met to consider S. 3630 on September 13, 2006. There were no recorded votes 

taken in connection with ordering S. 3630 reported. A motion to 

order S. 3630 reported to the Senate was agreed to by voice vote. 

REGULATORY IMPACT STATEMENT

In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the committee makes evaluation of the regulatory impact of the reported bill. 

The bill 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. 2781 would not impose Federal intergovernmental unfunded mandates on State, local, 

or tribal governments. 

COST OF LEGISLATION

Section 403 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act requires that a statement of the cost of the reported bill, 

prepared by the Congressional Budget Office, be included in the report. That statement follows: 

S. 3630—A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act 

to reauthorize a program relating to the Lake Pontchartrain 

Basin, and for other purposes 

Summary: CBO estimates that implementing this legislation 

would cost $84 million over the next five years, assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts. S. 3630 would extend the authorization of appropriations for the Environmental Protection 

Agency’s (EPA’s) Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program 

through 2011. (That authorization terminated in 2005.) The legislation would authorize the appropriation of $20 million annually 

through 2011 for this program. Such funding would be used to supVerDate Aug 31 2005 20:16 Sep 29, 2006 Jkt 049010 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR352.XXX SR352

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port public education projects and efforts to restore the ecological 

health of the lake basin. 

Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or revenues. S. 

3630 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: For this estimate, 

CBO assumes that the bill will be enacted near the beginning of 

fiscal year 2007 and that the authorized amounts will be appropriated for each fiscal year, beginning with fiscal year 2007. Estimated outlays are based on historical spending patterns for ongoing activities. The estimated budgetary impact of S. 3630 is shown 

in the following table. The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 300 (natural resources and the environment). 

By fiscal year, in millions of dollars— 

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 

SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION 

Spending Under Current Law for the Lake 

Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program: 

Budget Authority 1 ............................................................... 2 0 0 0 0 0 

Estimated Outlays ............................................................... 1 1 0 0 0 0 

Proposed Changes: 

Authorization Level .............................................................. 0 20 20 20 20 20 

Estimated Outlays ............................................................... 0 8 17 19 20 20 

Spending Under S. 3630 for the Lake 

Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program: 

Authorization Level 1 ............................................................ 2 20 20 20 20 20 

Estimated Outlays ............................................................... 1 9 17 19 20 20 

1 The 2006 level is the amount appropriated for that year to EPA to implement the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program. 

Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: S. 3630 contains no 

intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA. 

Louisiana and Mississippi, and local governments in those states, 

that participate in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program would benefit from the bill’s reauthorization of grants, research, and restoration activities for the basin. Any costs to participate in the program would be incurred voluntarily. 

Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Susanne S. Mehlman. Impact on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Lisa RamirezBranum. Impact on the Private Sector: Amy Petz. 

Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, 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 black brackets, new matter is printed in italic, existing 

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

FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ACT 

* * * * * * * 


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TITLE I—RESEARCH AND RELATED 

PROGRAMS 

DECLARATION OF GOALS AND POLICY

SEC. 101. (a) The objective of this Act is to restore and maintain 

the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters. In order to achieve this objective it is hereby declared that, 

consistent with the provisions of this Act—— (1) * * * 

* * * * * * * 

SEC. 121. LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN BASIN. 

(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF RESTORATION PROGRAM.—* * * 

* * * * * * * 

(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appropriated to 

carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2001 

through ø2005¿ 2011. Such sums shall remain available until 

expended. 

(2) PUBLIC EDUCATION PROJECTS.—Not more than 15 percent 

of the amount appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1) in a fiscal year may be expended on grants for public education 

projects under subsection (d)(2). 

SEC. ø121¿122. WET WEATHER WATERSHED PILOT PROJECTS. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—* * * 

* * * * * * * 

Æ 


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