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[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2875 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2875

To authorize programs and activities for the improvement and protection 
             of ports and harbors, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 31, 2013

Ms. Velazquez introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the 
Committees on Financial Services and Armed Services, 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 authorize programs and activities for the improvement and protection 
             of ports and harbors, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Waterfront of Tomorrow Act of 
2013''.

SEC. 2. STUDIES.

    (a) Measures To Improve Flood Protection and Climate Resilience for 
New York City.--
            (1) Study.--The Secretary of the Army shall conduct a study 
        of measures to improve flood protection and climate resilience 
        for New York City, using both traditional engineering and green 
        infrastructure technologies.
            (2) Contents.--In conducting the study, the Secretary 
        shall--
                    (A) assess traditional engineering solutions, 
                including tide gates and seawalls;
                    (B) assess, in consultation with the Administrator 
                of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
                the use of alternative approaches, including oyster 
                reef restoration, tidal wetland restoration and 
                construction, and other natural designs that reduce 
                storm surge impacts and retain storm water while 
                providing additional environmental benefits;
                    (C) identify the cost and time associated with 
                implementing the measures described in subparagraphs 
                (A) and (B), the potential impact of such measures on 
                the surrounding environment, and any adverse impacts of 
                such measures on local housing, commerce, or 
                recreation; and
                    (D) make a recommendation as to which of such 
                measures would provide the greatest protection for New 
                York City coastal communities and critical 
                infrastructure from an event of a magnitude that is 
                equal to or greater than Hurricane Sandy.
            (3) Coordination to prevent duplication of efforts.--The 
        Secretary shall carry out the activities under this section in 
        coordination with the study to be conducted by the Secretary 
        under the heading ``Corps of Engineers--Civil--Investigations'' 
        in title II of Public Law 113-2 (127 Stat. 5).
            (4) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress 
        a report on the results of the study.
            (5) Corps of engineers.--The Secretary shall carry out this 
        subsection acting through the Chief of Engineers.
    (b) Environmental Impact of Major Disasters.--
            (1) Study.--The Administrator of the Environmental 
        Protection Agency, in consultation with the Administrator of 
        the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, shall 
        conduct a study of the environmental impact of each major 
        disaster that the Administrator determines will have a 
        significant environmental impact on the waters of the United 
        States.
            (2) Determinations.--In making determinations under 
        paragraph (1), the Administrator of the Environmental 
        Protection Agency shall ensure that the Administrator conducts 
        studies under this subsection with respect to, at a minimum, 10 
        percent of the major disasters declared in a fiscal year.
            (3) Contents.--The Administrator shall conduct a study 
        under this subsection with respect to a major disaster with the 
        specific goal of determining--
                    (A) whether industrial facilities discharged 
                pollutants or other hazards into local waterways or the 
                water supply during the major disaster; and
                    (B) if so, how to avoid or minimize the risk of 
                such pollution incidents in the future.
            (4) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
        declaration of a major disaster described in paragraph (1), the 
        Administrator shall transmit to Congress a report on the 
        results of the study conducted under this subsection with 
        respect to the major disaster.
            (5) Major disaster defined.--In this subsection, the term 
        ``major disaster'' has the meaning given that term in section 
        102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
        Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122).

SEC. 3. NATIONAL FREIGHT POLICY.

    (a) Goals.--Section 167(b) of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (5);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (6) and 
        inserting a semicolon;
            (3) by striking the semicolon at the end of paragraph (7) 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(8) to ensure that the socioeconomic and environmental 
        impacts of moving cargo through a community are fully accounted 
        for in establishing the national freight network.''.
    (b) Ports and Harbors.--Section 167(c) of title 23, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) Ports and harbors.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
        ports and harbors are incorporated into the national freight 
        network.''.

SEC. 4. NEXT GENERATION PORTS.

    (a) Improvements to Port Infrastructure and Intermodal Rail and 
Highway Networks.--
            (1) Grants.--The Secretary of the Army is authorized to 
        make grants to States and local governments for projects to 
        improve port infrastructure and intermodal rail and highway 
        networks.
            (2) Consideration of local preferences and environmental 
        concerns.--In making grants to States and local governments 
        under this subsection, the Secretary shall ensure that local 
        preferences and environmental concerns are incorporated into 
        any port infrastructure and intermodal transportation 
        improvements, so that disruptions and adverse impacts are 
        minimized.
    (b) Green Ports.--
            (1) Designation.--The Administrator of the Maritime 
        Administration, acting jointly with the Administrator of the 
        Environmental Protection Agency, shall establish a green port 
        designation for ports that meet certain environmental 
        standards.
            (2) Grants and technical assistance.--The Administrator of 
        the Maritime Administration is authorized to provide grants and 
        technical assistance to a port designated as a green port 
        pursuant to paragraph (1) to implement innovations that 
        minimize the environmental impacts of port operations.

SEC. 5. WATERFRONTS AS MAIN STREETS.

    (a) Establishment of Grant Program.--The Secretary of Commerce, 
acting through the Administrator of the Economic Development 
Administration, shall carry out a grant program in accordance with the 
requirements of this section.
    (b) Award of Grants.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary 
may make grants to States and local governments for projects to 
establish environmentally sustainable waterfront areas.
    (c) Applications.--A State or local government seeking a grant 
under the program shall submit to the Secretary an application at such 
time and containing such information as the Secretary may require.
    (d) Criteria.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish criteria for 
        awarding grants for projects under the program.
            (2) Priority.--The criteria shall include an assessment of 
        whether the applicant is able to demonstrate the potential of a 
        project--
                    (A) to generate economic growth and job creation; 
                or
                    (B) to improve the environmental sustainability of 
                waterfront areas.
    (e) Maximum Grant Amount.--The Secretary may not make grants under 
this section to a State or local government in an amount that exceeds 
$10,000,000 in the aggregate.
    (f) Reporting Requirement.--As a condition for receiving a grant 
under the program, a State or local government shall agree to submit to 
the Secretary an annual report on the achievement of performance 
measures, including the criteria described in subsection (d)(2), by the 
State or local government for a period of 3 years after the grant is 
awarded.
    (g) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of a project 
carried out with funds from a grant under the program may not exceed 75 
percent.
                                 <all>
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