49–006 

109TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 109–293 

LONG ISLAND SOUND AUTHORIZATION OF 

APPROPRIATIONS 

NOVEMBER 14, 2005.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 

State of the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, from the Committee on Transportation and 

Infrastructure, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 3963] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom 

was referred the bill (H.R. 3963) to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to extend the authorization of appropriations for 

Long Island Sound, having considered the same, report favorably 

thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. 

PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION

The purpose of H.R. 3963 is to amend section 119 of the Federal 

Water Pollution Control Act (the Clean Water Act) to reauthorize 

appropriations for the Long Island Sound Program within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

More than 8 million people live within the watershed of the Long Island Sound. The Sound generates more than $5 billion annually 

for the regional economy from boating, swimming, commercial and 

sport fishing, and other activities. The Long Island Sound, like 

many estuaries across the nation, supports multiple uses and demands, and provides habitat for a multitude of fish and wildlife 

species. Increasing population growth and development have led to 

water quality issues arising from stormwater and agricultural runoff, wastewater discharges with high nutrient levels, industrial pollution, and commercial and recreational waste. 

The Long Island Sound is one of the estuaries included in the 

National Estuary Program within EPA. The program is designed to 

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promote comprehensive planning for long-term protection of estuaries through collaborative voluntary efforts of Federal, State, 

local, non-profit, and private interests. Stakeholders developed a 

long-term Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan 

(CCMP) for the Long Island Sound. EPA approved the Long Island 

Sound’s CCMP in 1994. 

Section 119 of the Clean Water Act, added in 1990, established 

the EPA Long Island Sound Program Office in the vicinity of the 

Sound, for the purposes of carrying out the CCMP, coordinating 

Federal and regional Long Island Sound activities, conducting studies, and supporting the Sound’s management conference, among 

other activities. As amended in 2000 by P.L. 106–457, section 

119(f) of the Clean Water Act authorizes, for each of the fiscal 

years 2001 through 2005, such sums as may be necessary to carry 

out the Long Island Sound program and $40 million for EPA to 

make grants for projects and studies to help implement the Sound’s 

CCMP. 

SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION

Section 1. Long Island Sound authorization of appropriations 

Section 1 of H.R. 3963 amends section 119(f) of the Clean Water 

Act to extend the authorization of appropriations, through fiscal 

year 2010, of such sums as may be necessary for implementing the 

Long Island Sound program and of $40 million for grants for 

projects and studies to help implement the Sound’s Comprehensive 

Conservation and Management Plan. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure met in 

open session on October 26, 2005, and ordered H.R. 3963 reported, 

without amendment, to the House by voice vote. 

ROLLCALL VOTES

Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the House of Representatives requires 

each committee report to include the total number of votes cast for 

and against on each rollcall vote on a motion to report and on any 

amendment offered to the measure or matter, and the names of 

those members voting for and against. There were no recorded 

votes taken in connection with ordering H.R. 3963 reported. A motion to order H.R. 3963 reported to the House was agreed to by 

voice vote. 

COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS

With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of 

the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee’s oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in this report. 

COST OF LEGISLATION

Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives does not apply where a cost estimate and comparison 

prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under 

section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 has been timeVerDate Aug 31 2005 05:14 Nov 15, 2005 Jkt 049006 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR293.XXX HR293
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ly submitted prior to the filing of the report and is included in the 

report. Such a cost estimate is included in this report. 

COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII 

1. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII 

of the Rules of the House of Representatives, and section 308(a) of 

the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee references 

the report of the Congressional Budget Office included below. 

2. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII 

of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the performance goals 

and objective of this legislation are to restore and protect Long Island Sound water quality and the living resources of the Sound 

through the cooperative efforts of the Long Island Sound Program. 

3. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII 

of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 402 of the 

Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has received the 

following cost estimate for H.R. 3963 from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office: 

NOVEMBER 9, 2005. 

Hon. DON YOUNG, 

Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 

House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 3963, a bill to amend the 

Federal Water Pollution Control Act to extend the authorization of 

appropriations for Long Island Sound. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contacts are Susanne S. Mehlman 

(for federal costs) and Lisa Ramirez-Branum (for the state and 

local impact). 

Sincerely, 

DOUGLAS HOLTZ-EAKIN. 

Enclosure. 

H.R. 3963—A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act 

to extend the authorization of appropriations for Long Island 

Sound 

Summary: H.R. 3963 would extend the authorization of appropriations for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Long 

Island Sound program office through 2010. This office is responsible for monitoring the environmental health of Long Island Sound 

and for providing grants to state, interstate, and regional waterpollution-control agencies and other public and nonprofit agencies 

to support efforts to improve the environmental quality of Long Island Sound. Under current law, the office was authorized to receive 

annual appropriations of up to $40 million for grants and additional amounts necessary to support other activities related to 

EPA’s oversight of the Long Island Sound program through 2005. 

CBO estimates that implementing this legislation would cost $2 

million in 2006 and $106 million over the 2006–2010 period, assuming appropriation of the necessary funds. Enacting the bill 

would not affect direct spending or revenues. 

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H.R. 3963 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA). 

Any costs to state or local governments would be the result of complying with grant conditions. 

Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated budgetary impact of H.R. 3963 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— 

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 

CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION 

Spending Under Current Law: 

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

Estimated Outlays ................................................................................ 6 5 3 2 1 

Proposed Changes: 

Estimated Authorization Level ............................................................. 40 42 42 42 42 

Estimated Outlays ................................................................................ 2 12 24 32 36 

Spending Under H.R. 3963: 

Estimated Authorization Level 1 ........................................................... 42 42 42 42 42 

Estimated Outlays ................................................................................ 8 17 27 34 37 

1 The 2006 level is the amount appropriated for that year for EPA to manage the Long Island Sound program. No appropriation was pro- vided for grants. 

Basis of estimate: The bill would authorize the appropriation of 

up to $40 million annually for grants to states to implement public 

notification programs on beach water quality through 2010. For 

this estimate, CBO assumes that the bill will be enacted before the 

end of calendar year 2005 and that the necessary amounts will be 

appropriated for each fiscal year. Based on historical spending patterns for this program, CBO estimates that providing the program 

grants would cost $98 million over the 2006–2010 period, with additional spending occurring in later years. 

H.R. 3963 also would authorize the appropriation of such sums 

as may be necessary for activities related to EPA’s management of 

the Long Island Sound program, including conducting studies and 

supporting conferences through 2010. Assuming appropriations for 

those activities would continue at the 2006 level and would be adjusted for anticipated inflation for this program, CBO estimates 

that implementing the program would cost $8 million over the 

2007–2010 period. 

Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 3963 contains 

no intergovernmental mandates as defined by UMRA. The bill 

would reauthorize the Long Island Sound program office. Much of 

the funding authorized by the bill would provide for a grant program that requires matching funds from participating public or private entities such as qualified state and local governments. Any 

costs to those governments from the requirements of 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: Craig Cammarata. 

Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

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CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

Pursuant to clause (3)(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, committee reports on a bill or joint resolution 

of a public character shall include a statement citing the specific 

powers granted to the Congress in the Constitution to enact the 

measure. The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

finds that Congress has the authority to enact this measure pursuant to its powers granted under article I, section 8 of the Constitution. 

FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT

The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office 

pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act 

(Public Law 104–4). 

PREEMPTION CLARIFICATION

Section 423 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 requires the 

report of any Committee on a bill or joint resolution to include a 

statement on the extent to which the bill or joint resolution is intended to preempt state, local, or tribal law. The Committee states 

that H.R. 3963 does not preempt any state, local, or tribal law. 

ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) of the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this legislation. 

APPLICABILITY TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to the 

terms and conditions of employment or access to public services or 

accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act (Public Law 104–1). 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, 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): 

SECTION 119 OF THE FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION 

CONTROL ACT 

SEC. 119. LONG ISLAND SOUND.—(a) * * * 

* * * * * * * 

(f) AUTHORIZATIONS.—(1) There is authorized to be appropriated 

to the Administrator for the implementation of this section, other 

than subsection (d), such sums as may be necessary for each of the 

fiscal years 2001 through ø2005¿ 2010. 

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(2) There is authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator for the implementation of subsection (d) not to exceed $40,000,000 

for each of fiscal years 2001 through ø2005¿ 2010. 

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