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103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1394
To improve coordination of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Great Lakes activities.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 17, 1993
Mr. STUPAK introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries
A BILL
To improve coordination of National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration Great Lakes activities.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration Great Lakes Improvements
Act’’.
SEC. 2. GREAT LAKES OFFICE.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Under Secretary shall es-
tablish and maintain within the Administration a Great
Lakes Office in the Washington, District of Columbia
area.
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Great Lakes Of-
fice shall be to promote and coordinate Administration re-
search, monitoring, and assessment work in the Great
Lakes region consistent with the goals of the Great Lakes
Water Quality Agreement.
(c) DIRECTOR.—The Director of the Great Lakes Of-
fice shall be an individual with extensive knowledge and
expertise in the Great Lakes ecosystem, and with appro-
priate administrative experience.
SEC. 3. GREAT LAKES REPORT.
(a) CONTENTS.—The Under Secretary, in consulta-
tion with the Director of the Great Lakes Office, shall pre-
pare and submit to Congress an annual Great Lakes Re-
port. The Report shall provide information relating to
Great Lakes ecosystem research, monitoring, and assess-
ment, including—
(1) the individual activities, projects, or propos-
als conducted by the Administration in the previous
fiscal year, including a summary of funds expended
in support of these activities, projects, or proposals;
(2) the amount of funds received from the Ad-
ministration by each State or local government unit
bordering the Great Lakes;
(3) the amount of funds received by individuals
or institutions residing or located within a State bor-
dering the Great Lakes;
(4) an inventory of Administration facilities and
personnel located in a State bordering the Great
Lakes or in the Great Lakes used to conduct or sup-
port Administration-funded activities, projects, or
proposals in the Great Lakes, including vessels;
(5) the proposed Administration activities,
projects, and proposals to benefit the Great Lakes
ecosystem for the current fiscal year, including re-
quested funds; and
(6) a proposal for increasing the presence of the
Administration in the Great Lakes, and improving
the coordination of research within the Administra-
tion and with other entities, including the Govern-
ment of Canada.
(b) DEADLINE.—The Under Secretary shall submit
the Great Lakes Report to Congress by October 1 of each
year beginning after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act—
(1) the term ‘‘Administration’’ means the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;
(2) the term ‘‘Great Lakes’’ means—
(A) Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michi-
gan, Lake Ontario, and Lake Superior;
(B) their connecting waters, including the
St. Marys River, the St. Clair River, Lake St.
Clair, the Detroit River, and the Niagara River;
and
(C) the St. Lawrence River;
(3) the term ‘‘Great Lakes Water Quality
Agreement’’ means the bilateral agreement between
the United States and Canada which was signed in
1978 and amended by the Protocol of 1987; and
(4) the term ‘‘Under Secretary’’ means the
Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and At-
mosphere.
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