II

105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 2218

To require the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers,

to evaluate, develop, and implement a strategic master plan for States

on the Atlantic Ocean to address problems associated with toxic microorganisms in tidal and non-tidal wetlands and waters.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

JUNE 25, 1998

Mr. SARBANES (for himself, Mr. FAIRCLOTH, Mr. WARNER, Ms. MIKULSKI,

and Mr. ROBB) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and

referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

A BILL

To require the Secretary of the Army, acting through the

Chief of Engineers, to evaluate, develop, and implement

a strategic master plan for States on the Atlantic Ocean

to address problems associated with toxic microorganisms

in tidal and non-tidal wetlands and waters.

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 ‘‘Atlantic Coast Toxic

5 Microorganism Environmental Remediation Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

7 Congress finds that—
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1 (1) effective protection of tidal and nontidal

2 wetlands and waters of the United States is essential

3 to sustain and protect ecosystems, as well as rec4 reational, subsistence, and economic activities de5 pendent on those ecosystems;

6 (2) the effects of increasing occurrences of toxic

7 microorganism outbreaks can adversely affect those

8 ecosystems and their dependent activities; and

9 (3) there needs to be a comprehensive evalua10 tion, development, and implementation of strategic

11 master plans for States.

12 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

13 In this Act:

14 (1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means

15 the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief

16 of Engineers.

17 (2) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means a State

18 on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.

19 (3) TOXIC MICROORGANISMS.—The term ‘‘toxic

20 microorganisms’’ includes Pfiesteria piscicida and

21 other potentially harmful aquatic dinoflagellates.

22 SEC. 4. STUDY AND STRATEGY FOR AQUATIC HABITAT RE23 MEDIATION.

24 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the

25 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall evaluate,
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1 develop, and implement a strategic master plan for each

2 State (on a watershed basis) to address problems associ3 ated with the degradation of ecosystems and their depend4 ent activities resulting from toxic microorganisms in tidal

5 and nontidal wetlands and waters.

6 (b) FEDERAL AND NON-FEDERAL SHARES.—

7 (1) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of

8 the cost of evaluating, developing, and implementing

9 a strategic master plan for a State under subsection

10 (a) shall be 75 percent.

11 (2) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—The non-Federal

12 share of the cost of evaluating, developing, and im13 plementing a strategic master plan for a State under

14 subsection (a) shall be provided in the form of cash,

15 in-kind services, or materials.

16 (c) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—Subject to sub17 section (b), in carrying out this section, the Secretary may

18 enter into cooperative agreements with Federal, State, and

19 local government agencies under which the Secretary shall

20 provide financial assistance to implement actions identi21 fied in each watershed strategic master plan.

22 (d) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary shall carry

23 out this section in cooperation with—

24 (1) the Secretary of the Interior;

25 (2) the Secretary of Agriculture;
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1 (3) the Administrator of the Environmental

2 Protection Agency;

3 (4) the Administrator of the National Oceanic

4 and Atmospheric Administration;

5 (5) the heads of other appropriate Federal,

6 State, and local government agencies; and

7 (6) affected local landowners, businesses, and

8 commercial entities.

9 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is

10 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section

11 $15,000,000.

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