To reauthorize the National Estuary Program, and for other purposes.

To reauthorize the National Estuary Program, and for other purposes. 1. Competitive awards Section 320(g) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1330(g) (4) Competitive awards (A) In general Using the amounts made available under subsection (i)(2)(B), the Administrator shall make competitive awards under this paragraph. (B) Application for awards The Administrator shall solicit applications for awards under this paragraph from State, interstate, and regional water pollution control agencies and entities, State coastal zone management agencies, interstate agencies, other public or nonprofit private agencies, institutions, organizations, and individuals. (C) Selection of recipients In selecting award recipients under this paragraph, the Administrator shall select recipients that are best able to address urgent and challenging issues that threaten the ecological and economic well-being of coastal areas. Such issues shall include— (i) extensive seagrass habitat losses resulting in significant impacts on fisheries and water quality; (ii) recurring harmful algae blooms; (iii) unusual marine mammal mortalities; (iv) invasive exotic species that may threaten wastewater systems and cause other damage; (v) jellyfish proliferation limiting community access to water during peak tourism seasons; (vi) flooding that may be related to sea level rise or wetland degradation or loss; and (vii) low dissolved oxygen conditions in estuarine waters and related nutrient management. . 2. Authorization of appropriations Section 320 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1330 (i) Authorization of appropriations (1) In general There is authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator $27,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2020 for— (A) expenses relating to the administration of grants or awards by the Administrator under this section, including the award and oversight of grants and awards, except that such expenses may not exceed 5 percent of the amount appropriated under this subsection for a fiscal year; and (B) making grants and awards under subsection (g). (2) Allocations (A) Conservation and management plans Not less than 80 percent of the amount made available under this subsection for a fiscal year shall be used by the Administrator for the development, implementation, and monitoring of each of the conservation and management plans eligible for grant assistance under subsection (g)(2). (B) Competitive awards Not less than 15 percent of the amount made available under this subsection for a fiscal year shall be used by the Administrator for making competitive awards described in subsection (g)(4). . May 8, 2015 Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

Summary: This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to revise the National Estuary Program by requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to make competitive awards to address urgent and challenging issues that threaten the economic and ecological well-being of coastal areas, including: extensive seagrass habitat losses resulting in significant impacts on fisheries and water quality, recurring harmful algae blooms, unusual marine mammal mortalities, invasive exotic species that may threaten wastewater systems and cause other damage, jellyfish proliferation limiting community access to water during peak tourism seasons, flooding that may be related to sea level rise or wetland degradation or loss, and low dissolved oxygen conditions in estuarine waters and related nutrient management. The bill reauthorizes through FY2020 grants to develop, implement, and monitor comprehensive conservation and management plans for estuaries. A certain portion of the allocation of appropriations must be used for the competitive awards.