IV

107TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. RES. 560

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the

restoration and protection of the Great Lakes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SEPTEMBER 26, 2002

Mr. CAMP submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Resources, Science, and International Relations, 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

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives

regarding the restoration and protection of the Great Lakes.

Whereas the Great Lakes is the largest freshwater system on

Earth;

Whereas over 90 percent of the 29,000,000 United States

residents of the Great Lakes basin rely on the Great

Lakes for drinking water;

Whereas scientists have detected more than 360 contaminants in the Great Lakes ecosystem, many of which may

have a negative impact on plant, animal, and human life;

Whereas section 1109(b)(2) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (42 U.S.C. 1962d–20(b)(2)) encour-
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ages the Great Lakes States, in consultation with the Canadian Provinces of Ontario and Quebec, to develop and

implement a mechanism that provides a common conservation standard embodying the principles of water conservation and resource improvement for making decisions

concerning the withdrawal and use of water from the

Great Lakes Basin;

Whereas annual combined sewer overflow discharges are estimated at 1,260,000,000 gallons per year and a heavy

concentration of combined sewer overflows are found in

the Great Lakes region;

Whereas $450,000,000 for combined sewer overflow control

programs has been requested by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in its previous year’s budget, but to date funds for such purposes have not been appropriated; and

Whereas more than 130 invasive species have been introduced

in the Great Lakes and costs of controlling these invasive

species are estimated to be as high as $5,000,000,000

over a 10-year period: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved,

2 SECTION 1. BALLAST WATER TREATMENT REGULATIONS

3 REQUIRED.

4 It is the sense of the House of Representatives that

5 the Secretary of Transportation should issue under the

6 Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control

7 Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 4701 et seq.) regulations to pre8 vent the introduction and spread of aquatic nuisance spe9 cies within the Great Lakes.
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1 SEC. 2. EXPORT OF WATER FROM GREAT LAKES.

2 It is the sense of the House of Representatives that—

3 (1) the Great Lakes States, in consultation with

4 the Canadian Provinces of Ontario and Quebec,

5 should develop and implement a mechanism that

6 provides a common conservation standard embodying

7 the principles of water conservation and resource im8 provement for making decisions concerning the with9 drawal and use of water from the Great Lakes

10 Basin; and

11 (2) the Secretary of State should work with the

12 Canadian Government to encourage and support the

13 Provinces in the development and implementation of

14 a mechanism and standard concerning the with15 drawal and use of water from the Great Lakes

16 Basin consistent with those mechanisms and stand17 ards developed by the Great Lakes States.

18 SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR THE REMEDIATION OF SEDIMENT

19 CONTAMINATION IN AREAS OF CONCERN.

20 It is the sense of the House of Representatives that

21 the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agen22 cy should make grants to States, Indian tribes, regional

23 agencies, and local governments to carry out projects in

24 areas of concern located wholly or in part in the United

25 States—
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1 (1) to monitor or evaluate contaminated sedi2 ment;

3 (2) to remediate contaminated sediment; and

4 (3) to prevent further or renewed contamination

5 of sediment.

6 SEC. 4. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

7 It is the sense of the House of Representatives that

8 the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agen9 cy should conduct research on the development and use

10 of innovative approaches, technologies, and techniques for

11 the remediation of sediment contamination in areas of

12 concern in the Great Lakes.

13 SEC. 5. SEWER OVERFLOW CONTROL GRANTS.

14 It is the sense of the House of Representatives that

15 funding for section 221 of the Federal Water Pollution

16 Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1301), relating to sewer overflow

17 control grants, should be extended through fiscal year

18 2004 in accordance with H.R. 5183 of the 107th Con19 gress.

20 SEC. 6. NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM.

21 It is the sense of the House of Representatives that

22 appropriations for the national sea grant college program

23 in fiscal year 2003 be funded at the level authorized in
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1 the National Sea Grant College Program Reauthorization

2 Act of 1998 (Public Law 105–160).

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