I 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2129 

To improve the coordination of programs for the Great Lakes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 5, 2005 

Mr. EHLERS (for himself, Mr. KIRK, Mr. DINGELL, Mr. PETRI, Mr. KILDEE, 

Mr. UPTON, Mr. EVANS, Mr. CAMP, Mr. LEVIN, Ms. KAPTUR, Ms. 

SLAUGHTER, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. KIND, Ms. KILPATRICK

of Michigan, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois, and Mr. 

MCCOTTER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Resources, Agriculture, and Science, 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 improve the coordination of programs for the Great 

Lakes. 

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 ‘‘Great Lakes Environ5 mental Protection and Restoration Programs Reauthoriza6 tion Act’’ . 
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1 SEC. 2. GREAT LAKES DEFINED. 

2 For purposes of this Act, the term ‘‘Great Lakes’’ 

3 means Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Huron (including 

4 Lake St. Clair), Lake Michigan, and Lake Superior, and 

5 the connecting channels (Saint Mary’s River, Saint Clair 

6 River, Detroit River, Niagara River, and Saint Lawrence 

7 River to the Canadian Border). 

8 TITLE I—FUNDING 

9 REAUTHORIZATIONS 

10 SEC. 101. GREAT LAKES FISHERY AND ECOSYSTEM RES11 TORATION. 

12 Section 506(g) of the Water Resources Development 

13 Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 1962d–22) is amended— 

14 (1) by striking paragraph (2); and 

15 (2) inserting the following: 

16 ‘‘(2) There are authorized to carry out para17 graphs (2) and (3) of subsection (c)— 

18 ‘‘(A) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; 

19 ‘‘(B) $35,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; 

20 ‘‘(C) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; 

21 ‘‘(D) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; 

22 ‘‘(E) $90,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and 

23 ‘‘(F) $110,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.’’. 
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1 SEC. 102. GREAT LAKES REMEDIAL ACTION PLANS AND 

2 SEDIMENT REMEDIATION. 

3 Section 401 of the Water Resources Development Act 

4 of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 1268nt) is amended— 

5 (1) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the 

6 following: 

7 ‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

8 are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this sec9 tion— 

10 ‘‘(1) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; 

11 ‘‘(2) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; 

12 ‘‘(3) $75,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; 

13 ‘‘(4) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; 

14 ‘‘(5) $125,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and 

15 ‘‘(6) $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.’’. 

16 SEC. 103. SEDIMENT MANAGEMENT. 

17 Section 516(g) of the Water Resources Development 

18 Act of 1996 (33 U.S.C. 2326b) is amended— 

19 (1) by striking paragraph (2); and 

20 (2) by inserting the following: 

21 ‘‘(2) GREAT LAKES TRIBUTARY MODEL.—In ad22 dition to any amounts made available under para23 graph (1), there are authorized to be appropriated to 

24 carry out subsection (e) $10,000,000 for each of fis25 cal years 2006 through 2011.’’. 
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1 SEC. 104. GREAT LAKES BASIN PROGRAM FOR SOIL ERO2 SION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL. 

3 Subsection (c) of section 1240P of the Food Security 

4 Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839bb–3) is amended to read 

5 as follows: 

6 ‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

7 is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 

8 out the program the following amounts: 

9 ‘‘(1) $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 

10 through 2006. 

11 ‘‘(2) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2007. 

12 ‘‘(3) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2008. 

13 ‘‘(4) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2009. 

14 ‘‘(5) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2010. 

15 ‘‘(6) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.’’. 

16 SEC. 105. GREAT LAKES LEGACY ACT. 

17 (a) REMEDIATION OF SEDIMENT CONTAMINATION IN

18 AREAS OF CONCERN.—Clause (i) of section 

19 118(c)(12)(H) is amended to read as follows: 

20 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—In addition to other amounts au21 thorized under this section, there are authorized to be ap22 propriated to carry out this paragraph— 

23 ‘‘(1) $80,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; 

24 ‘‘(2) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; 

25 ‘‘(3) $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; 

26 ‘‘(4) $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; 
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1 ‘‘(5) $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and 

2 ‘‘(6) $350,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.’’. 

3 (b) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.—Sec4 tion 106(b)(1) of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain 

5 Act of 2002 (33 U.S.C. 1271a(b)(1)) is amended to read 

6 as follows: 

7 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 

8 appropriated to carry out this section— 

9 ‘‘(A) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; 

10 ‘‘(B) $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

11 2007 and 2008; and 

12 ‘‘(C) $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

13 2009 through 2011’’. 

14 SEC. 106. GREAT LAKES NATIONAL PROGRAM OFFICE. 

15 Subsection (h) of section 118 of the Federal Water 

16 Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1268(h)) is amended to 

17 read as follows: 

18 ‘‘(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

19 are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this sec20 tion— 

21 ‘‘(1) $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; 

22 ‘‘(2) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; 

23 ‘‘(3) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; 

24 ‘‘(4) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; 

25 ‘‘(5) $140,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and 
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1 ‘‘(6) $190,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.’’. 

2 SEC. 107. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PROGRAMS RE3 LATING TO GREAT LAKES FISHERIES RES4 TORATION. 

5 (a) GREAT LAKES FISH AND WILDLIFE RESTORA6 TION PROGRAM.—To develop and implement proposals for 

7 restoring fish and wildlife resources in the Great Lakes 

8 Basin under the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restora9 tion Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 941 et seq.), and to encourage 

10 cooperative conservation, restoration, and management of 

11 fish and wildlife resources and their habitats under such 

12 Act, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec13 retary of the Interior— 

14 (1) for activities of the Great Lakes Coordina15 tion Office— 

16 (A) $4,000,000 for fiscal years 2006 and 

17 2007; 

18 (B) $5,000,000 for fiscal years 2008 and 

19 2009; and 

20 (C) $6,000,000 for fiscal years 2010 and 

21 2011; and 

22 (2) to implement proposals for the restoration 

23 of fish and wildlife resources— 

24 (A) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; 

25 (B) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; 
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1 (C) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; 

2 (D) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; 

3 (E) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and 

4 (F) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2011. 

5 (b) LOWER GREAT LAKES FISHERIES RESEARCH.— 

6 To coordinate and fund programs for research on fisheries 

7 and ecosystems in the Lower Great Lakes under the Great 

8 Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act of 1990 (16 

9 U.S.C. 941 et seq.), there are authorized to be appro10 priated to the Secretary of the Interior— 

11 (1) for the activities of the Great Lakes Coordi12 nation Office, the Upper Great Lakes Fishery Re13 sources Office, and the Lower Great Lakes Fishery 

14 Resources Office— 

15 (A) $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

16 2006 and 2007; 

17 (B) $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

18 2008 and 2009; and 

19 (C) $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

20 2010 and 2011; and 

21 (2) for implementation of fish and wildlife res22 toration research— 

23 (A) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; 

24 (B) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; 

25 (C) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; 
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1 (D) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; and 

2 (E) $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

3 2010 and 2011. 

4 TITLE II—RESEARCH PROGRAM 

5 SEC. 201. RESEARCH REAUTHORIZATIONS. 

6 Section 118(e) of the Federal Water Pollution Con7 trol Act (33 U.S.C. 1268(e)) is amended— 

8 (1) by striking subsection (e) and inserting the 

9 following: 

10 ‘‘(e) RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT COORDINA11 TION.— 

12 ‘‘(1) JOINT PLAN.—Before October 1 of each 

13 year, the Program Office and the Research Office 

14 shall prepare and submit to the Executive Com15 mittee of the Regional Collaboration a joint research 

16 plan for the fiscal year which begins in the following 

17 calendar year. The plan shall be transmitted to Con18 gress at the time of transmission of the President’s 

19 annual budget request. 

20 ‘‘(2) CONTENTS OF PLAN.—Each plan prepared 

21 under paragraph (1) shall— 

22 ‘‘(A) identify all proposed research dedi23 cated to activities conducted under the Great 

24 Lakes Water Quality Agreement of 1978, as 

25 amended by the Water Quality Agreement of 
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1 1987, and any other agreements and amend2 ments; 

3 ‘‘(B) include the Regional Collaboration’s 

4 assessment of priorities for research needed to 

5 fulfill the terms of such Agreement; and 

6 ‘‘(C) identify all proposed research that 

7 may be used to develop a comprehensive envi8 ronmental data base for the Great Lakes Sys9 tem and establish priorities for development of 

10 such data base. ’’. 

11 SEC. 202. GREAT LAKES SCIENCE CENTER. 

12 There are authorized to be appropriated to the Direc13 tor of the United States Geological Survey, for use by the 

14 Great Lakes Science Center, to carry out research activi15 ties that advance scientific knowledge and provide sci16 entific information for restoring, enhancing, managing, 

17 and protecting the living marine resources and habitats 

18 in the Great Lakes basin ecosystem the following: 

19 (1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2006. 

20 (2) $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2007. 

21 (3) $60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 

22 through 2011. 
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1 SEC. 203. GREAT LAKES ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LAB2 ORATORY. 

3 (a) AUTHORIZATIONS.—Section 118(h) of the Fed4 eral Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1268(h)) is 

5 amended — 

6 (1) by inserting ‘‘, for use by the Research Of7 fice,’’ after ‘‘Administrator’’; 

8 (2) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 

9 (2); and 

10 (3) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the 

11 following: 

12 ‘‘(3) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2005; 

13 ‘‘(4) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; 

14 ‘‘(5) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; 

15 ‘‘(6) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; 

16 ‘‘(7) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; 

17 ‘‘(8) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and 

18 ‘‘(9) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.’’. 

19 (b) GRANTS.—Section 118(d)(6) of the Federal 

20 Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C.) is amended by 

21 adding at the end the following: ‘‘The Laboratory may 

22 provide grants for such research and monitoring activi23 ties.’’. 
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1 TITLE III—STATE REVOLVING 

2 FUNDS FOR CLEAN WATER 

3 SEC. 301. REFERENCES. 

4 Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in 

5 this title an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms 

6 of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provi7 sion, the reference shall be considered to be made to a 

8 section or other provision of the Federal Water Pollution 

9 Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.). 

10 SEC. 302. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. 

11 (a) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR RURAL AND SMALL

12 TREATMENT WORKS.—Section 104(b) (33 U.S.C. 

13 1254(b)) is amended— 

14 (1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 

15 (6); 

16 (2) by striking the period at the end of para17 graph (7) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

18 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

19 ‘‘(8) make grants to nonprofit organizations— 

20 ‘‘(A) to provide technical assistance to 

21 rural and small municipalities for the purpose 

22 of assisting, in consultation with the State in 

23 which the assistance is provided, such munici24 palities in the planning, developing, and acquisi-
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1 tion of financing for wastewater infrastructure 

2 assistance; 

3 ‘‘(B) to capitalize revolving loan funds for 

4 the purpose of providing loans, in consultation 

5 with the State in which the assistance is pro6 vided, to rural and small municipalities for 

7 predevelopment costs associated with waste8 water infrastructure projects or short-term 

9 costs incurred for equipment replacement that 

10 is not part of regular operation and mainte11 nance activities for existing wastewater systems, 

12 subject to the conditions that any loan from the 

13 fund will be made at a below market interest 

14 rate, for a term not to exceed 10 years, and in 

15 an amount not to exceed $100,000 and that all 

16 loan repayments will be credited to the fund; 

17 ‘‘(C) to provide technical assistance and 

18 training for rural and small publicly owned 

19 treatment works and decentralized wastewater 

20 treatment systems to enable such treatment 

21 works and systems to protect water quality and 

22 achieve and maintain compliance with the re23 quirements of this Act; and 

24 ‘‘(D) to disseminate information to rural 

25 and small municipalities and municipalities that 
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1 meet the affordability criteria established pur2 suant to section 603(i)(2) by the State in which 

3 the municipality is located with respect to plan4 ning, design, construction, and operation of 

5 publicly owned treatment works and decentral6 ized wastewater treatment systems.’’. 

7 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 

8 104(u) (33 U.S.C. 1254(u)) is amended— 

9 (1) by striking ‘‘and (6)’’ and inserting ‘‘(6)’’; 

10 and 

11 (2) by inserting before the period at the end the 

12 following: ‘‘; and (7) not to exceed $75,000,000 for 

13 each of fiscal years 2006 through 2010 for carrying 

14 out paragraphs (3) and (8) of subsection (b), except 

15 that not less than 20 percent of the amounts appro16 priated pursuant to this paragraph in a fiscal year 

17 shall be used for carrying out paragraph (8) of sub18 section (b) and not more than one-third of the 

19 amount used in a fiscal year for carrying out para20 graph (8) of subsection (b) may be used to carry out 

21 subparagraph (B) of that paragraph’’. 

22 (c) COMPETITIVE PROCEDURES FOR AWARDING

23 GRANTS.—Section 104 (33 U.S.C. 1254(b)) is amended 

24 by adding at the end the following: 
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1 ‘‘(w) COMPETITIVE PROCEDURES FOR AWARDING

2 GRANTS.—The Administrator shall establish procedures 

3 that, to the maximum extent practicable, promote com4 petition and openness in the award of grants to nonprofit 

5 private agencies, institutions, and organizations under this 

6 section.’’. 

7 SEC. 303. SEWER OVERFLOW CONTROL GRANTS. 

8 Section 221(c) (33 U.S.C. 1301) is amended to read 

9 as follows: 

10 ‘‘(c) FINANCIALLY DISTRESSED COMMUNITY DE11 FINED.—In subsection (b), the term ‘financially distressed 

12 community’ means a community that meets affordability 

13 criteria established pursuant to section 603(i)(2) by the 

14 State in which the community is located under section 

15 603(i)(2).’’. 

16 SEC. 304. WATER POLLUTION CONTROL REVOLVING LOAN 

17 FUNDS. 

18 (a) EXTENDED PAYMENT PERIOD.—Section 

19 603(d)(1) (33 U.S.C. 1383(d)(1)) is amended— 

20 (1) in subparagraph (A) by striking ‘‘20 years’’ 

21 and inserting ‘‘the lesser of 30 years or the design 

22 life of the project to be financed with the proceeds 

23 of the loan’’; and 
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1 (2) in subparagraph (B) by striking ‘‘not later 

2 than 20 years after project completion’’ and insert3 ing ‘‘upon the expiration of the term of the loan’’. 

4 (b) TECHNICAL AND PLANNING ASSISTANCE FOR

5 SMALL SYSTEMS.—Section 603(d) (33 U.S.C. 1383(d)) is 

6 amended— 

7 (1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 

8 (6); 

9 (2) by striking the period at the end of para10 graph (7) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

11 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

12 ‘‘(8) to provide owners and operators of small 

13 treatment works (for a municipality or intermunic14 ipal interstate or State agency that is seeking assist15 ance under this title and serves a population of 

16 20,000 or fewer) with technical and planning assist17 ance and assistance in financial management, user 

18 fee analysis, budgeting, capital improvement plan19 ning, facility operation and maintenance, repair 

20 schedules, and other activities to improve wastewater 

21 treatment plant management and operations; except 

22 that such amounts shall not exceed 2 percent of 

23 grant awards to such fund under this title.’’. 
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1 (c) ADDITIONAL SUBSIDIZATION.—Section 603 (33 

2 U.S.C. 1383) is amended by adding at the end the fol3 lowing: 

4 ‘‘(i) ADDITIONAL SUBSIDIZATION.— 

5 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In any case in which a 

6 State provides assistance to a municipality or inter7 municipal, interstate, or State agency under sub8 section (d), the State may provide additional sub9 sidization, including forgiveness of principal and 

10 negative interest loans— 

11 ‘‘(A) to benefit a municipality that— 

12 ‘‘(i) meets the State’s affordability 

13 criteria established under paragraph (2); 

14 or 

15 ‘‘(ii) does not meet the State’s afford16 ability criteria if the recipient— 

17 ‘‘(I) seeks additional subsidiza18 tion to benefit individual ratepayers in 

19 the residential user rate class; 

20 ‘‘(II) demonstrates to the State 

21 that such ratepayers will experience a 

22 significant hardship from the increase 

23 in rates necessary to finance the 

24 project or activity for which assistance 

25 is sought; and 
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1 ‘‘(III) ensures, as part of an as2 sistance agreement between the State 

3 and the recipient, that the additional 

4 subsidization provided under this 

5 paragraph is directed through a user 

6 charge rate system (or other appro7 priate method) to such ratepayers; or 

8 ‘‘(B) to implement alternative processes, 

9 materials, and techniques (including non10 structural protection of surface waters, new or 

11 improved methods of waste treatment, and pol12 lutant trading) that may result in cost savings 

13 or increased environmental benefit when com14 pared to standard processes, materials, and 

15 techniques. 

16 ‘‘(2) AFFORDABILITY CRITERIA.— 

17 ‘‘(A) ESTABLISHMENT.—On or before Sep18 tember 30, 2006, and after providing notice 

19 and an opportunity for public comment, a State 

20 shall establish affordability criteria to assist in 

21 identifying municipalities that would experience 

22 a significant hardship raising the revenue nec23 essary to finance a project or activity eligible 

24 for assistance under section 603(c)(1) if addi25 tional subsidization is not provided. Such cri-
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1 teria shall be based on income data, population 

2 trends, and other data determined relevant by 

3 the State. 

4 ‘‘(B) EXISTING CRITERIA.—If a State has 

5 previously established, after providing notice 

6 and an opportunity for public comment, afford7 ability criteria that meet the requirements of 

8 subparagraph (A), the State may use the cri9 teria for the purposes of this subsection. For 

10 purposes of this Act, any such criteria shall be 

11 treated as affordability criteria established 

12 under this paragraph. 

13 ‘‘(C) INFORMATION TO ASSIST STATES.— 

14 The Administrator may publish information to 

15 assist States in establishing affordability cri16 teria described in subparagraph (A). 

17 ‘‘(3) PRIORITY.—A State may give priority to a 

18 recipient for a project or activity eligible for funding 

19 under section 603(c)(1) if the recipient meets the 

20 State’s affordability criteria. 

21 ‘‘(4) SET-ASIDE.— 

22 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In any fiscal year in 

23 which the Administrator has available for obli24 gation more than $1,400,000,000 for the pur25 poses of carrying out this title, a State shall 
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1 provide additional subsidization under this sub2 section in the amount specified in subparagraph 

3 (B) to eligible entities described in paragraph 

4 (1) for projects and activities identified in the 

5 State’s intended use plan prepared under sec6 tion 606(c) to the extent that there are suffi7 cient applications for such assistance. 

8 ‘‘(B) AMOUNT.—In a fiscal year described 

9 in subparagraph (A), a State shall set aside for 

10 purposes of subparagraph (A) an amount not 

11 less than 25 percent of the difference be12 tween— 

13 ‘‘(i) the total amount that would have 

14 been allotted to the State under section 

15 604 for such fiscal year if the amount 

16 available to the Administrator for obliga17 tion under this title for such fiscal year 

18 was equal to $1,400,000,000; and 

19 ‘‘(ii) the total amount allotted to the 

20 State under section 604 for such fiscal 

21 year. 

22 ‘‘(5) LIMITATION.—The total amount of addi23 tional subsidization provided under this subsection 

24 by a State may not exceed 30 percent of the total 

25 amount of capitalization grants received by the State 
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1 under this title in fiscal years beginning after Sep2 tember 30, 2005.’’. 

3 SEC. 305. ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 604(a) (33 U.S.C. 

5 1384(a)) is amended to read as follows: 

6 ‘‘(a) ALLOTMENTS.— 

7 ‘‘(1) FISCAL YEARS 2005 AND 2006.—Sums ap8 propriated to carry out this title for each of fiscal 

9 years 2005 and 2006 shall be allotted by the Admin10 istrator in accordance with the formula used to allot 

11 sums appropriated to carry out this title for fiscal 

12 year 2004. 

13 ‘‘(2) FISCAL YEAR 2007 AND THEREAFTER.— 

14 Sums appropriated to carry out this title for fiscal 

15 year 2007 and each fiscal year thereafter shall be al16 lotted by the Administrator as follows: 

17 ‘‘(A) Amounts that do not exceed 

18 $1,350,000,000 shall be allotted in accordance 

19 with the formula described in paragraph (1). 

20 ‘‘(B) Amounts that exceed $1,350,000,000 

21 shall be allotted in accordance with the formula 

22 developed by the Administrator under sub23 section (d).’’. 
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1 (b) PLANNING ASSISTANCE.—Section 604(b) (33 

2 U.S.C. 1384(b)) is amended by striking ‘‘1 percent’’ and 

3 inserting ‘‘2 percent’’. 

4 (c) FORMULA.—Section 604 (33 U.S.C. 1384) is 

5 amended by adding at the end the following: 

6 ‘‘(d) FORMULA BASED ON WATER QUALITY

7 NEEDS.—Not later than September 30, 2006, and after 

8 providing notice and an opportunity for public comment, 

9 the Administrator shall publish an allotment formula 

10 based on water quality needs in accordance with the most 

11 recent survey of needs developed by the Administrator 

12 under section 516(b).’’. 

13 SEC. 306. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

14 Section 607 is amended by striking paragraphs (1) 

15 through (5) and inserting the following: 

16 ‘‘(1) $2,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; 

17 ‘‘(2) $3,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; 

18 ‘‘(3) $4,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; 

19 ‘‘(4) $5,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; and 

20 ‘‘(5) $6,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.’’. 

21 TITLE IV—INTERAGENCY 

22 COORDINATION 

23 SEC. 401. TASK FORCE. 

24 There is a Great Lakes Interagency Task Force with25 in the Environmental Protection Agency, as originally es-
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1 tablished by Executive Order No. 13340. In addition to 

2 the duties described in the Executive Order, such Task 

3 Force shall— 

4 (1) ensure that program and project implemen5 tation is coordinated, effective, and cost-efficient; 

6 and 

7 (2) work in cooperation on the development of 

8 budgets regarding the Great Lakes for the annual 

9 submissions by the President to Congress of the 

10 budget of the United States. 

11 TITLE V—FRAMEWORK FOR 

12 GREAT LAKES REGIONAL 

13 COLLABORATION 

14 SEC. 501. COLLABORATION. 

15 There is a Framework for the Great Lakes Regional 

16 Collaboration, a document signed and endorsed on Decem17 ber 3, 2004, by several members of the Great Lakes Gov18 ernors, Great Lakes Mayors, the Great Lakes Interagency 

19 Task Force, tribal leaders, and members of the Great 

20 Lakes Congressional Delegation. The duties of such Col21 laboration include— 

22 (1) developing a restoration and protection 

23 strategy to inform future program implementation 

24 funding decisions; 
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1 (2) serving as a forum for addressing near-term 

2 regional issues related to ecosystem restoration and 

3 protection; and 

4 (3) creating an oversight forum to coordinate 

5 and enhance implementation of the strategy. 

Æ