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103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1564

To save Florida Bay.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 31, 1993

Mr. SHAW (for himself, Mr. DEUTSCH, Mr. LEWIS of Florida, Ms. ROSLEHTINEN, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. MCCOLLUM, Mr. GOSS,

Mr. GIBBONS, Mr. BACCHUS of Florida, Mr. JOHNSTON of Florida, Mr.

MILLER of Florida, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. HUTTO, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Mr.

MICA, Mr. PETERSON of Florida, Mrs. THURMAN, Mrs. FOWLER, Ms.

BROWN of Florida, Mr. CANADY, Mr. YOUNG of Florida, and Mrs. MEEK

of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred jointly to the

Committees on Merchant Marine and Fisheries and Natural Resources

A BILL

To save Florida Bay.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Save Florida Bay Act

5 of 1993’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

7 The Congress finds the following:

8 (1) Florida Bay is vitally important to both the

9 economy and ecology of the State of Florida.
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1 (2) Florida Bay’s environmental health has

2 been deteriorating at a rapid rate, which for un3 known reasons is presently accelerating.

4 (3) Florida Bay is the principal nursery for

5 Florida’s largest commercial and sport fishing fish6 eries.

7 (4) 55 square miles of seagrasses in Florida

8 Bay have died since 1987.

9 (5) The number of pink shrimp caught after

10 maturing in Florida Bay is near a 30-year low.

11 (6) Mangroves and sponges in Florida Bay are

12 dying at an alarming rate.

13 (7) Florida Bay is currently abnormally saline

14 and warm, causing an unhealthy habitat for juvenile

15 shrimp, lobster, fish, and other creatures.

16 (8) The nearby coral reefs, the only living coral

17 reefs in the Nation, are endangered by the changes

18 occurring in Florida Bay.

19 (9) The most massive plankton bloom ever

20 found in Florida Bay was recorded in the summer

21 of 1992 and still exists.

22 (10) A dearth of knowledge exists on how Flor23 ida Bay’s ecosystem functions.
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1 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMITTEE.

2 Not later than 30 days after the date of the enact3 ment of this Act, the Chairman of the Council on Environ4 mental Quality (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Chair5 man’’) shall establish and thereafter coordinate an inter6 agency committee, including representatives from the De7 partment of the Interior, the Environmental Protection

8 Agency, the Corps of Engineers, and the National Marine

9 Fisheries Service, to develop a program for facilitating the

10 restoration of Florida Bay and to define the roles and re11 sponsibilities of each of those agencies in facilitating that

12 restoration.

13 SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING INCLUSION OF

14 FLORIDA BAY IN COASTAL AMERICA PRO15 GRAM.

16 It is the sense of the Congress that not later than

17 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the

18 Chairman should include Florida Bay as part of the

19 Coastal America program.

20 SEC. 5. FLORIDA BAY ELIGIBLE FOR PRIORITY CONSIDER21 ATION UNDER NATIONAL ESTUARY PRO22 GRAM.

23 Section 320(a)(2)(B) of the Federal Water Pollution

24 Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1330(a)(2)(B)) is amended by in25 serting ‘‘Florida Bay, Florida;’’ after ‘‘Sarasota Bay,

26 Florida;’’.
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1 SEC. 6. STUDY.

2 (a) STUDY REQUIRED.—Not later than 30 days after

3 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of

4 the Interior shall direct the superintendent of the Ever5 glades National Park to conduct a study of the problems

6 plaguing Florida Bay, including an assessment of the im7 pact of Hurricane Andrew. Such study shall be completed

8 no later than September 30, 1993, and upon completion

9 the Secretary of the Interior shall submit a report to the

10 Congress describing the findings, conclusions, and rec11 ommendations of the study.

12 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is

13 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Inte14 rior for the study under subsection (a) $3,000,000 for fis15 cal year 1994, to remain available until expended.

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