I
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1564
To save Florida Bay.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 31, 1993
Mr. SHAW (for himself, Mr. DEUTSCH, Mr. LEWIS of Florida, Ms. ROS-
LEHTINEN, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. MCCOLLUM, Mr. GOSS,
Mr. GIBBONS, Mr. BACCHUS of Florida, Mr. JOHNSTON of Florida, Mr.
MILLER of Florida, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. HUTTO, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Mr.
MICA, Mr. PETERSON of Florida, Mrs. THURMAN, Mrs. FOWLER, Ms.
BROWN of Florida, Mr. CANADY, Mr. YOUNG of Florida, and Mrs. MEEK
of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred jointly to the
Committees on Merchant Marine and Fisheries and Natural Resources
MAY 17, 1993
Rereferred jointly to the Committees on Merchant Marine and Fisheries,
Natural Resources, and Public Works and Transportation
A BILL
To save Florida Bay.
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 ‘‘Save Florida Bay Act
of 1993’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Florida Bay is vitally important to both the
economy and ecology of the State of Florida.
(2) Florida Bay’s environmental health has
been deteriorating at a rapid rate, which for un-
known reasons is presently accelerating.
(3) Florida Bay is the principal nursery for
Florida’s largest commercial and sport fishing fish-
eries.
(4) 55 square miles of seagrasses in Florida
Bay have died since 1987.
(5) The number of pink shrimp caught after
maturing in Florida Bay is near a 30-year low.
(6) Mangroves and sponges in Florida Bay are
dying at an alarming rate.
(7) Florida Bay is currently abnormally saline
and warm, causing an unhealthy habitat for juvenile
shrimp, lobster, fish, and other creatures.
(8) The nearby coral reefs, the only living coral
reefs in the Nation, are endangered by the changes
occurring in Florida Bay.
(9) The most massive plankton bloom ever
found in Florida Bay was recorded in the summer
of 1992 and still exists.
(10) A dearth of knowledge exists on how Flor-
ida Bay’s ecosystem functions.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMITTEE.
Not later than 30 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Chairman of the Council on Environ-
mental Quality (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Chair-
man’’) shall establish and thereafter coordinate an inter-
agency committee, including representatives from the De-
partment of the Interior, the Environmental Protection
Agency, the Corps of Engineers, and the National Marine
Fisheries Service, to develop a program for facilitating the
restoration of Florida Bay and to define the roles and re-
sponsibilities of each of those agencies in facilitating that
restoration.
SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING INCLUSION OF
FLORIDA BAY IN COASTAL AMERICA PRO-
GRAM.
It is the sense of the Congress that not later than
30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Chairman should include Florida Bay as part of the
Coastal America program.
SEC. 5. FLORIDA BAY ELIGIBLE FOR PRIORITY CONSIDER-
ATION 
UNDER 
NATIONAL 
ESTUARY 
PRO-
GRAM.
Section 320(a)(2)(B) of the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1330(a)(2)(B)) is amended by in-
serting ‘‘Florida Bay, Florida;’’ after ‘‘Sarasota Bay,
Florida;’’.
SEC. 6. STUDY.
(a) STUDY REQUIRED.—Not later than 30 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
the Interior shall direct the superintendent of the Ever-
glades National Park to conduct a study of the problems
plaguing Florida Bay, including an assessment of the im-
pact of Hurricane Andrew. Such study shall be completed
no later than September 30, 1993, and upon completion
the Secretary of the Interior shall submit a report to the
Congress describing the findings, conclusions, and rec-
ommendations of the study.
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Inte-
rior for the study under subsection (a) $3,000,000 for fis-
cal year 1994, to remain available until expended.
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