I
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1209
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to coordinate and promote
Great Lakes activities, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 10, 1995
Mr. QUINN (for himself and Mr. LATOURETTE) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture, and in addition to the Committee on Science, for a period to be sub-
sequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of
such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to coordi-
nate and promote Great Lakes activities, and for other
purposes.
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 ‘‘Great Lakes Federal
Effectiveness Act’’.
SEC. 2. GREAT LAKES RESEARCH COUNCIL.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 118 of the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1268) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)(3)—
(A) by striking subparagraph (E) and in-
serting the following:
‘‘(E) ‘Council’ means the Great Lakes Re-
search 
Council 
established 
by 
subsection
(d)(1);’’;
(B) in subparagraph (I), by striking ‘‘and’’
at the end;
(C) in subparagraph (J), by striking the
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(K) ‘Great Lakes research’ means the ap-
plication of scientific or engineering expertise to
explain, understand, and predict a physical,
chemical, biological, or socioeconomic process,
or the interaction of 1 or more of the processes,
in the Great Lakes ecosystem.’’;
(2) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the
following:
‘‘(d) GREAT LAKES RESEARCH COUNCIL.—
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT OF COUNCIL.—There is
established a Great Lakes Research Council.
‘‘(2) 
DUTIES
OF
COUNCIL.—The 
Council
shall—
‘‘(A) advise and promote the coordination
of Federal Great Lakes research activities to
avoid unnecessary duplication and ensure great-
er effectiveness in achieving protection of the
Great Lakes ecosystem through the goals of the
Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement;
‘‘(B) not later than 1 year after the date
of the enactment of this subparagraph and bi-
ennially thereafter, after providing opportunity
for public review and comment, prepare and
provide to interested parties a document that
includes—
‘‘(i) an assessment of the Great Lakes
research activities needed to fulfill the
goals of the Great Lakes Water Quality
Agreement;
‘‘(ii) an assessment of Federal exper-
tise and capabilities in the activities needed
to fulfill the goals of the Great Lakes
Water Quality Agreement, including an in-
ventory of Federal Great Lakes research
programs, projects, facilities, and person-
nel; and
‘‘(iii) recommendations for long-term
and short-term priorities for Federal Great
Lakes research, based on a comparison of
the assessment conducted under clause (i)
and the assessment conducted under clause
(ii);
‘‘(C) identify topics for and participate in
meetings, workshops, symposia, and conferences
on Great Lakes research issues;
‘‘(D) make recommendations for the uni-
form collection of data for enhancing Great
Lakes research and management protocols re-
lating to the Great Lakes ecosystem;
‘‘(E) advise and cooperate in—
‘‘(i) improving the compatible integra-
tion of multimedia data concerning the
Great Lakes ecosystem; and
‘‘(ii) any effort to establish a com-
prehensive multimedia data base for the
Great Lakes ecosystem; and
‘‘(F) ensure that the results, findings, and
information regarding Great Lakes research
programs conducted or sponsored by the Fed-
eral Government are disseminated in a timely
manner, and in useful forms, to interested per-
sons, using to the maximum extent practicable
mechanisms in existence on the date of the dis-
semination, such as the Great Lakes Research
Inventory prepared by the International Joint
Commission.
‘‘(3) MEMBERSHIP.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Council shall con-
sist of 1 research manager with extensive
knowledge of, and scientific expertise and expe-
rience in, the Great Lakes ecosystem from each
of the following agencies and instrumentalities:
‘‘(i) The Agency.
‘‘(ii) The National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration.
‘‘(iii) The National Biological Service.
‘‘(iv) The United States Fish and
Wildlife Service.
‘‘(v) Any other Federal agency or in-
strumentality that expends $1,000,000 or
more for a fiscal year on Great Lakes re-
search.
‘‘(vi) Any other Federal agency or in-
strumentality that a majority of the Coun-
cil membership determines should be rep-
resented on the Council.
‘‘(B) NONVOTING MEMBERS.—At the re-
quest of a majority of the Council membership,
any person who is a representative of a Federal
agency or instrumentality not described in sub-
paragraph (A) or any person who is not a Fed-
eral employee may serve as a nonvoting member
of the Council.
‘‘(4) CHAIRPERSON.—The chairperson of the
Council shall be a member of the Council from an
agency specified in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) of para-
graph (3)(A) who is elected by a majority vote of the
members of the Council. The chairperson shall serve
as chairperson for a period of 2 years. A member of
the Council may not serve as chairperson for more
than 2 consecutive terms.
‘‘(5) EXPENSES.—While performing official du-
ties as a member of the Council, a member shall be
allowed travel or transportation expenses under sec-
tion 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
‘‘(6) INTERAGENCY COOPERATION.—The head
of each Federal agency or instrumentality that is
represented on the Council—
‘‘(A) shall cooperate with the Council in
implementing the recommendations developed
under paragraph (2);
‘‘(B) may, on written request of the chair-
person of the Council, make available, on a re-
imbursable basis or otherwise, such personnel,
services, or facilities as may be necessary to as-
sist the Council in carrying out the duties of
the Council under this section; and
‘‘(C) shall, on written request from the
chairperson, furnish data or information nec-
essary to carry out the duties of the Council
under this section.
‘‘(7) 
INTERNATIONAL
COOPERATION.—The
Council shall cooperate, to the maximum extent
practicable, with the research coordination efforts of
the Council of Great Lakes Research Managers of
the International Joint Commission.
‘‘(8) REIMBURSEMENT FOR REQUESTED ACTIVI-
TIES.—Each Federal agency or instrumentality rep-
resented on the Council may reimburse another Fed-
eral agency or instrumentality or a non-Federal en-
tity for costs associated with activities authorized
under this subsection that are carried out by the
other agency, instrumentality, or entity at the re-
quest of the Council.
‘‘(9) FEDERAL
ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
ACT.—
The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C.
App.) shall not apply to the Council.
‘‘(10) EFFECT
ON
OTHER
LAW.—Nothing in
this subsection affects the authority of any Federal
agency or instrumentality, under any law, to under-
take Great Lakes research activities.’’;
(3) in subsection (e)—
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘the Pro-
gram Office and the Research Office shall pre-
pare a joint research plan’’ and inserting ‘‘the
Program Office, in consultation with the Coun-
cil, shall prepare a research plan’’; and
(B) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking ‘‘the
Research Office, the Agency for Toxic Sub-
stances and Disease Registry, and Great Lakes
States’’ and inserting ‘‘the Council, the Agency
for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and
Great Lakes States,’’; and
(4) in subsection (h)—
(A) in paragraph (1), by adding ‘‘and’’ at
the end;
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘; and’’
and inserting a period; and
(C) by striking paragraph (3).
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The second sen-
tence of section 403(a) of the Marine Protection, Re-
search, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1447b(a))
is amended by striking ‘‘Great Lakes Research Office au-
thorized under’’ and inserting ‘‘Great Lakes Research
Council established by’’.
Æ