including all lands and waters in the upstream wa-
tershed of those receiving bodies within— 
(A) the South Florida ecosystem; or 
(B) the study area boundaries of the In-
dian River Lagoon National Estuary Program 
and the Coastal and Heartland Estuary Part-
nership, authorized pursuant to section 320 of 
the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. 
(b) COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.— 
(A) DEVELOPMENT.—The Secretary shall 
develop, in cooperation with the non-Federal 
sponsors of the Central and Southern Florida 
project and any relevant Federal, State, and 
Tribal agencies, a comprehensive plan for the 
purpose of restoring, preserving, and protecting 
Lake Okeechobee and the northern estuaries. 
(B) INCLUSIONS.—In carrying out sub-
paragraph (A), the Secretary shall ensure that 
the comprehensive plan provides for the protec-
tion and improvement of water quality within 
the study area through activities that include— 
(i) the elimination of harmful dis-
charges from Lake Okeechobee; 
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(ii) the reduction and elimination of 
harmful algal blooms; 
(iii) the restoration of hydrological 
connections and conditions; 
(iv) the enhancement of habitat, emer-
gent and submerged aquatic vegetation, 
and keystone species populations; and 
(v) the dredging and beneficial reuse 
of harmful silt and muck deposits in Lake 
Okeechobee and the northern estuaries. 
(C) SUBMISSION.—Not later than 3 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall submit to Congress— 
(i) the comprehensive plan developed 
under this paragraph; and 
(ii) a feasibility report and a pro-
grammatic environmental impact state-
ment for any proposed Federal actions set 
forth in such plan. 
(D) INTERIM REPORTS.—Not later than 1 
year after the date of enactment of this Act, 
and annually thereafter until the submission of 
the comprehensive plan under subparagraph 
(C), the Secretary shall submit to Congress an 
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interim report on the development of the com-
prehensive plan. 
(E) ADDITIONAL
STUDIES
AND
ANAL-
YSES.—Notwithstanding the submission of a 
feasibility report under subparagraph (C), the 
Secretary shall continue to conduct such studies 
and analyses after the date of such submission 
as are necessary for the purpose of restoring, 
preserving, and protecting Lake Okeechobee 
and the northern estuaries. 
(2) WATER QUALITY.—In carrying out this sub-
section, the Secretary shall take into account the 
protection of water quality, in consultation with the 
State of Florida and by considering applicable State 
water quality standards. 
(3) INTEGRATION OF OTHER ACTIVITIES.—In 
carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall inte-
grate the activities included in the comprehensive 
plan with ongoing Federal, State, and Tribal 
projects and activities, including— 
(A) the Lake Okeechobee System Oper-
ating Manual and any subsequent water control 
plan for Lake Okeechobee; and 
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(B) the projects authorized under the Cen-
tral and Southern Florida project and the Com-
prehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. 
(c) JUSTIFICATION.—Notwithstanding section 209 of 
the Flood Control Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 1962–2) or any 
other provision of law, in carrying out any activity in-
cluded in the comprehensive plan developed under sub-
section (b), the Secretary may determine that— 
(1) the activity is justified by the environmental 
benefits derived by Lake Okeechobee and the north-
ern estuaries; and 
(2) no further economic justification for the ac-
tivity is required, if the Secretary determines that 
the activity is cost-effective. 
Æ 
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