89–010 

Calendar No. 326 

111TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 111–164 

CHESAPEAKE BAY GATEWAYS AND WATERTRAILS 

NETWORK CONTINUING AUTHORIZATION ACT 

MARCH 22 (legislative day, MARCH 19), 2010.—Ordered to be printed 

Mrs. BOXER, from the Committee on Environment and Public 

Works, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 479] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was 

referred a bill (S. 479) to amend the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act 

of 1998 to provide for the continuing authorization of the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network, having considered 

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

GENERAL STATEMENT AND BACKGROUND

Originally authorized in 1998, the Chesapeake Gateways and 

Watertrails program set up a network of Chesapeake Bay-related 

sites, such as parks, wildlife refuges, and trails. The National Park 

Service (NPS) provides matching grants for projects that enhance 

public education of and access to the Chesapeake Bay. Visitation 

at Gateways sites exceeds 10 million people annually, and the competitive grants program is currently oversubscribed. 

At the direction of Congress, the National Park Service conducted its Chesapeake Bay Special Resource Study in 2004. The 

draft study concluded that an enhanced version of the Chesapeake 

Bay Gateways Network would be the most effective and efficient 

way for the NPS to help protect and raise interest in the Chesapeake Bay. The NPS has incorporated the Gateways Network into 

its permanent operations. 

The current authorization of the Chesapeake Gateways and 

Watertrails Act expired in 2007. S. 479, the Chesapeake Bay GateVerDate Nov 24 2008 06:46 Mar 23, 2010 Jkt 089010 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR164.XXX SR164

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ways and Watertrails Network Continuing Authorization Act, will 

make the authorization permanent. 

OBJECTIVES OF THE LEGISLATION

The Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network Continuing Authorization Act amends the Chesapeake Bay Initiative 

Act of 1998 to make permanent the authorization of appropriations 

for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title 

This section provides that this Act may be cited as the ‘‘Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network Continuing Authorization Act’’. 

Sec. 2. Authorization of appropriations 

This section amends Section 502 of the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 461 note; Public Law 105–312) by making the authorization permanent. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

On February 25, 2009, Senator Cardin introduced this legislation, which was cosponsored by Senators Carper, Casey, Kaufman, 

Mikulski, Specter, Warner, and Webb. The bill was received, read 

twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and 

Public Works. The committee met on June 18, 2009, to consider the 

bill, and ordered S. 479 to be reported favorably without amendment. 

HEARINGS

No committee hearings were held on S. 479. 

ROLLCALL VOTES

The Committee on Environment and Public Works met to consider S. 479 on June 18, 2009. The bill was ordered favorably reported by voice vote. No rollcall votes were taken. 

REGULATORY IMPACT STATEMENT

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

Rules of the Senate, the committee finds that S. 479 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. 479 would not impose Federal intergovernmental unfunded mandates on State, local, 

or tribal governments. 


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CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

S. 479—Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network Continuing Authorization Act 

Summary: S. 479 would authorize funding for the Chesapeake 

Bay Initiative, a program carried out by the National Park Service 

(NPS) and other federal agencies to conserve resources in the 

Chesapeake Bay watershed. Assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts, CBO estimates that implementing this legislation 

would cost $5 million over the 2010–2014 period. 

The bill 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: The estimated budgetary impact of S. 479 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— 

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2010– 

2014 

CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION 

Estimated Authorization Level .......................................... 1 1 1 1 1 5 

Estimated Outlays ............................................................ 1 1 1 1 1 5 

Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that S. 479 

will be enacted near the end of 2009 and that the amounts estimated to be necessary will be appropriated for each fiscal year. Estimated outlays are based on historical spending patterns for this 

program. 

S. 479 would authorize (indefinitely) the appropriation of whatever amounts are necessary for projects carried out under the 

Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998. Based on recent appropriations for the initiative, CBO estimates that the NPS would spend 

about $1 million annually under the bill, mostly for grants to nonfederal entities. The previous authorization of appropriations for 

the program, which expired at the end of fiscal year 2008, was $3 

million annually, but appropriations have generally been about 

one-third of that amount each year. 

Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: S. 479 contains no 

intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA 

and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. 

State and local governments could benefit from grants authorized 

by the bill. 

Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs, Deborah Reis; Impact on 

State, Local, and Tribal Governments, Melissa Merrell; Impact on 

the Private Sector, Amy Petz. 

Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, 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 enVerDate Nov 24 2008 06:46 Mar 23, 2010 Jkt 089010 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR164.XXX SR164

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closed in øblack brackets¿, new matter is printed in italic, existing 

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

* * * * * * * 

CHESAPEAKE BAY INITIATIVE ACT OF 1998 

* * * * * * * 

(a) CHESAPEAKE BAY GATEWAYS AND WATERTRAILS NETWORK.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—* * * 

* * * * * * * 

ø(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized to 

be appropriated to carry out this section 3,000,000 for each of fiscal 

years 1999 through 2003.¿ 

(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to 

be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section. 

* * * * * * * 

Æ 


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