II

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 2296

To provide grants for special environmental assistance for the regulation

of communities and habitat (SEARCH) to small communities.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

MARCH 27, 2000

Mr. CRAPO introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred

to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

A BILL

To provide grants for special environmental assistance for

the regulation of communities and habitat (SEARCH)

to small communities.

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 ‘‘Project SEARCH Act

5 of 2000’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

7 Congress finds that—

8 (1) small communities often struggle to meet

9 environmental goals due to difficulty in securing

10 funding;
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1 (2) often, traditional sources of funding for en2 vironmental projects require expensive, complex

3 studies or other application materials;

4 (3) a small community that secures funding for

5 an environmental project from a traditional source

6 often is unable to provide matching funds required

7 by the traditional source; and

8 (4) small communities would benefit from a

9 grant program designed to provide funding for envi10 ronmental projects—

11 (A) through a simplified application proc12 ess; and

13 (B) without the requirement of matching

14 funds.

15 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

16 In this Act:

17 (1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis18 trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ19 mental Protection Agency.

20 (2) COUNCIL.—The term ‘‘council’’ means an

21 independent citizens’ council established by section

22 4(b) .

23 (3) ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT.—

24 (A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘environ25 mental project’’ means a project that is carried
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1 out for the benefit of the public health or wel2 fare or the environment.

3 (B) INCLUSION.—The term ‘‘environ4 mental project’’ includes an initial feasibility

5 study.

6 (4) REGION.—The term ‘‘region’’ means a geo7 graphic area of a State, as determined by the Gov8 ernor of the State.

9 (5) SEARCH GRANT.—The term ‘‘SEARCH

10 grant’’ means a grant for special environmental as11 sistance for the regulation of communities and habi12 tat awarded under section 4(c)(3).

13 (6) SMALL COMMUNITY.—The term ‘‘small

14 community’’ means an incorporated or unincor15 porated community having a population of not more

16 than 2500 individuals.

17 SEC. 4. SEARCH GRANT PROGRAM.

18 (a) IN GENERAL.—

19 (1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the

20 SEARCH Grant Program.

21 (2) GRANT TO COUNCIL.—Not later than No22 vember 1 of each year after the date of enactment

23 of this Act, the Administrator shall transfer

24 $1,000,000 to the Governor of each State, for use

25 by the council in the State.
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1 (b) INDEPENDENT CITIZENS’ COUNCIL.—

2 (1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in

3 each State an independent citizens’ council.

4 (2) COMPOSITION.—

5 (A) IN GENERAL.—

6 (i) REPRESENTATION.—Each council

7 shall be composed of 9 members that

8 broadly represent the general population of

9 the State in which the council is estab10 lished, as determined by the Governor of

11 the State.

12 (ii) APPOINTMENT.—A member of a

13 council shall be appointed by the Governor

14 of the State, except that—

15 (I) not more than 1 member shall

16 be an agent, employee, or official of

17 the Federal Government; and

18 (II) not more than 1 member

19 shall be an agent, employee, or official

20 of the State government.

21 (B) CHAIRPERSON.—Each council shall se22 lect a chairperson from among the members of

23 the council, except that a member described in

24 subclause (I) or (II) of subparagraph (A)(ii)

25 shall not serve as chairperson.
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1 (3) SEARCH GRANTS.—

2 (A) IN GENERAL.—Each council shall re3 view applications for and award SEARCH

4 grants from the funds transferred under sub5 section (a)(1) to small communities that meet

6 the eligibility criteria under subsection (c).

7 (B) NO MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—A

8 small community that receives a SEARCH

9 grant under this section shall not be required to

10 provide matching funds.

11 (c) SEARCH GRANTS TO SMALL COMMUNITIES.—

12 (1) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.—Each council may

13 award a SEARCH grant under this section to a

14 small community for an environmental project for

15 which the small community—

16 (A)(i) is unable to secure funding; or

17 (ii) is underfunded;

18 (B) has incurred unexpected expenses dur19 ing construction of the environmental project;

20 or

21 (C) needs funds for initial feasibility or en22 vironmental studies before applying to tradi23 tional funding sources.

24 (2) APPLICATION.—To apply for a SEARCH

25 grant under this section, a small community shall
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1 submit to the council in the State in which the small

2 community is located an application that includes—

3 (A) a description of the proposed environ4 mental project (including an explanation of how

5 the project would assist the small community in

6 complying with environmental regulations);

7 (B) an explanation of why the project is

8 important to the community;

9 (C) a description of all actions taken with

10 respect to the project, including any attempt to

11 secure funding, as of the date of the applica12 tion; and

13 (D) a SEARCH grant application form

14 provided by the council, completed and with all

15 required supporting documentation.

16 (3) APPLICATION AND REVIEW.—

17 (A) APPLICATION.—An application for a

18 SEARCH grant under this section shall be sub19 mitted to a council not later than February 5

20 of the fiscal year for which the grant is to be

21 awarded.

22 (B) REVIEW AND AWARD.—Not later than

23 March 5 of each year, each council shall—

24 (i) review all applications received

25 under subparagraph (A); and
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1 (ii) award SEARCH grants to small

2 communities based on an evaluation of the

3 eligibility criteria under paragraph (1).

4 (C) UNEXPENDED FUNDS.—

5 (i) IN GENERAL.—If any unexpended

6 funds remain after SEARCH grants are

7 awarded under subparagraph (B), the

8 council may repeat the application and re9 view process so that any remaining funds

10 may be awarded not later than July 30.

11 (ii) RETENTION OF FUNDS.—Any un12 expended funds that are not awarded

13 under subparagraph (B) or clause (i) shall

14 be retained by the council for award during

15 the following year.

16 (d) REPORT.—Not later than September 1 of the

17 first fiscal year for which a SEARCH grant is awarded

18 by a council under this section, and annually thereafter,

19 the council shall submit to the Administrator a report

20 that—

21 (1) describes the number of SEARCH grants

22 awarded during the fiscal year;

23 (2) identifies each small community that re24 ceived a SEARCH grant during the fiscal year;
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1 (3) describes the project or purpose for which

2 each SEARCH grant was awarded; and

3 (4) describes the status of each project or por4 tion of a project for which a SEARCH grant was

5 awarded, including a project or portion of a project

6 for which a SEARCH grant was awarded for any

7 fiscal year before the fiscal year in which the report

8 is submitted.

9 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—

10 (1) GRANT FUNDING.—

11 (A) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to

12 be appropriated to carry out section 4(a)(2)

13 $1,000,000 for each State for each fiscal year.

14 (B) ACTUAL APPROPRIATION.—If funds to

15 carry out section 4(a)(2) are made available for

16 a fiscal year in an amount that is less than the

17 amount authorized under subparagraph (A) for

18 the fiscal year, the appropriated funds shall be

19 divided equally among the 50 States.

20 (2) OTHER EXPENSES.—There are authorized

21 to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to

22 carry out the provisions of this Act other than sec23 tion 4(a)(2).

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