I

104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1371

To ensure the protection of the coastal marine coral environment off the

west coast of Puerto Rico by requiring the Director of the United

States Geological Service to assess the environmental and economic costs

and benefits of relocating an existing wastewater treatment plant outfall

to a deepwater location, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 30, 1995

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO ́ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by

the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To ensure the protection of the coastal marine coral environment off the west coast of Puerto Rico by requiring

the Director of the United States Geological Service to

assess the environmental and economic costs and benefits

of relocating an existing wastewater treatment plant

outfall to a deepwater location, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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1 SECTION 1. STUDY BY THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Geological

3 Survey (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Director’’), upon

4 entering into a cooperative agreement under subsection (c)

5 and subject to the availability of appropriations, shall con6 duct a mapping and study of the marine environment of

7 Anasco Bay off the coast of the Mayaguez region of Puer8 to Rico, and of the marine environment in the ocean area

9 adjacent to Anasco Bay, to determine the feasibility of

10 constructing a deepwater outfall for the publicly owned

11 treatment works located at Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, con12 sistent with the goals and objectives of the Magnuson

13 Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C.

14 1801 et seq.). The Director shall conduct the mapping and

15 study in coordination and consultation with the Secretary

16 of Commerce and in cooperation with the government of

17 the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

18 (b) CONTENTS OF STUDY.—The study under sub19 section (a) shall—

20 (1) determine whether environmental and eco21 nomic benefits can be achieved by constructing a

22 new, deepwater outfall for the publicly owned treat23 ment works located at Mayaguez, Puerto Rico;

24 (2) determine and map possible locations for

25 such a deepwater outfall and determine for each lo26 cation the effects of such an outfall on wildlife re-
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1 sources, fisheries, the marine coral environment,

2 other marine communities, and water quality; and

3 (3) determine and compare the environmental

4 and economic costs and benefits of—

5 (A) relocating the existing wastewater

6 treatment plant outfall to any of one or more

7 possible deepwater locations; and

8 (B) operating the existing outfall modified

9 to meet secondary treatment standards.

10 (c) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of the

11 costs of a study under subsection (a) may not exceed 50

12 percent. The Director shall seek to enter into a cooperative

13 agreement with the government of Puerto Rico under

14 which the government of Puerto Rico is required to pay

15 at least 50 percent of the costs of the study.

16 (d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date

17 of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit

18 to the Congress a report on the study under subsection

19 (a) that includes—

20 (1) a recommendation on the best location for

21 construction of a deepwater outfall for the publicly

22 owned treatment works located at Mayaguez, Puerto

23 Rico, based on the effects of such an outfall on ma24 rine resources and the environment; and
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1 (2) if appropriate, a finding that the current

2 discharge of the treatment works from an outfall at

3 that location would not adversely affect the coastal

4 marine environment.

5 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

6 are authorized to be appropriated to the Director to carry

7 out this section $1,000,000 for fiscal year 1996.

8 SEC. 2. APPLICATION FOR A DEEPWATER OUTFALL.

9 Notwithstanding section 301(j)(1)(A) of the Federal

10 Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1311(j)(1)(A)),

11 any publicly owned treatment works for which the Direc12 tor determines that environmental and economic benefits

13 would result from relocation of its existing outfall to a new

14 deepwater location may apply for a modification under

15 section 301(h) of that Act (33 U.S.C. 1311(h)), for con16 struction of a deepwater outfall at any location which the

17 Director has reviewed, recommended, and found to be a

18 point where the current discharge from the treatment

19 works would not adversely affect the coastal marine envi20 ronment. Such an application shall be filed within 1 year

21 after the date the Director issues such a recommendation

22 for the treatment works.

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