Great Lakes Authority Act of 2022
Bill: S.5180 | Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie (D-MI)
Policy area: Environmental Protection

Summary:
Great Lakes Authority Act of 2022
This bill establishes a Great Lakes Authority to support economic growth and workforce development, water infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, broadband access, lead abatement, and other initiatives in the Great Lakes region (i.e., Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and parts of Ohio and Illinois).
The authority must be composed of a cochairperson appointed by the President, a state cochairperson, and the governor of each Great Lakes region state that elects to participate in the authority.

To establish the Great Lakes Authority, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Great Lakes Authority Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Authority.--The term ``Authority'' means the Great 
        Lakes Authority established by section 3(a)(1).
            (2) Great lakes.--The term ``Great Lakes'' has the meaning 
        given the term in section 118(a)(3) of the Federal Water 
        Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1268(a)(3)).
            (3) Great lakes commission.--The term ``Great Lakes 
        Commission'' means the Great Lakes Commission established by 
        article IV of the Great Lakes Basin Compact.
            (4) Great lakes basin compact.--The term ``Great Lakes 
        Basin Compact'' means the Great Lakes Basin Compact to which 
        Congress granted consent in the Act of July 24, 1968 (Public 
        Law 90-419; 82 Stat. 414).
            (5) Great lakes region.--The term ``Great Lakes region'' 
        means counties in the States of--
                    (A) Ohio (other than counties served by the 
                Appalachian Regional Commission established by section 
                14301(a) of title 40, United States Code);
                    (B) Illinois (other than counties served by the 
                Delta Regional Authority established under subtitle F 
                of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 
                U.S.C. 2009aa et seq.));
                    (C) Indiana;
                    (D) Michigan; and
                    (E) Wisconsin.
            (6) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
            (7) Land bank.--The term ``land bank'' means a government 
        entity, agency, or program, or a special purpose nonprofit 
        entity formed by 1 or more units of government in accordance 
        with a State or local land bank enabling law, that has been 
        designated by 1 or more State or local governments to acquire, 
        steward, repurpose, or dispose of vacant, abandoned, or other 
        problem properties in accordance with locally determined 
        priorities and goals.
            (8) Local development district.--The term ``local 
        development district'' means any of the following entities for 
        which the Governor of the State in which the entity is located, 
        or the appropriate State officer, certifies to the Authority 
        that the entity has a charter or authority that includes the 
        economic development of counties or parts of counties or other 
        political subdivisions within the Great Lakes region:
                    (A) A nonprofit incorporated body organized or 
                chartered under the law of the State in which it is 
                located.
                    (B) A nonprofit agency or instrumentality of a 
                State or local government.
                    (C) A nonprofit agency or instrumentality created 
                through an interstate compact.
                    (D) An economic development district (as defined in 
                section 3 of the Public Works and Economic Development 
                Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3122)).
                    (E) A nonprofit association or combination of 
                bodies, agencies, entities, and instrumentalities 
                described in subparagraphs (A) through (D).
            (9) Participating state.--The term ``participating State'' 
        means a State located within the Great Lakes region that elects 
        to participate in the Authority.

SEC. 3. GREAT LAKES AUTHORITY.

    (a) Establishment, Membership, and Employees.--
            (1) In general.--There is established the Great Lakes 
        Authority.
            (2) Membership.--
                    (A) Federal and state members.--The Authority shall 
                be composed of the following members:
                            (i) A Federal Cochairperson, to be 
                        appointed by the President, not later than 60 
                        days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
                        by and with the advice and consent of the 
                        Senate.
                            (ii) A State Cochairperson, to be appointed 
                        in accordance with subparagraph (C)(ii).
                            (iii) The Governor of each participating 
                        State.
                    (B) Alternate members.--
                            (i) Alternate federal cochairperson.--
                                    (I) In general.--The President 
                                shall appoint an alternate Federal 
                                Cochairperson for the Authority.
                                    (II) Duties.--The alternate Federal 
                                Cochairperson appointed under subclause 
                                (I), when not actively serving as an 
                                alternate for the Federal 
                                Cochairperson, shall perform such 
                                functions and duties as are delegated 
                                by the Federal Cochairperson.
                            (ii) State alternates.--The State member of 
                        a participating State may have a single 
                        alternate, who shall be appointed by the 
                        Governor of the participating State from among 
                        the members of the cabinet or personal staff of 
                        the Governor.
                            (iii) Voting.--An alternate member shall 
                        vote in the case of the absence, death, 
                        disability, removal, or resignation of the 
                        Federal or State member for which the alternate 
                        member is an alternate.
                    (C) Cochairpersons.--The Authority shall be headed 
                by--
                            (i) the Federal Cochairperson, who shall 
                        serve as a liaison between the Federal 
                        Government and the Authority; and
                            (ii) a State Cochairperson, who shall be a 
                        Governor of a participating State and shall be 
                        elected by the State members for a term of not 
                        less than 1 year.
                    (D) Consecutive terms.--A State member may not be 
                elected to serve as State Cochairperson for more than 2 
                consecutive terms.
                    (E) Qualifications.--To be eligible to be appointed 
                as the Federal Cochairperson under subparagraph (A) or 
                the alternate Federal Cochairperson under subparagraph 
                (B)(i), an individual--
                            (i) shall--
                                    (I) be a citizen of the United 
                                States;
                                    (II) be a legal resident of a State 
                                within the Great Lakes region;
                                    (III) have management expertise 
                                relating to a large for-profit or 
                                nonprofit corporate, government, or 
                                academic institution in a field of 
                                study or industry relating to the 
                                functions of the Authority; and
                                    (IV) make full disclosure to 
                                Congress of any investments or other 
                                financial interests that the individual 
                                may hold; and
                            (ii) shall not be an employee of the 
                        Authority.
            (3) Compensation.--
                    (A) Federal cochairperson.--The Federal 
                Cochairperson shall be compensated by the Federal 
                Government at level III of the Executive Schedule as 
                described in section 5314 of title 5, United States 
                Code.
                    (B) Alternate federal cochairpersons.--Each 
                alternate Federal Cochairperson shall be compensated by 
                the Federal Government at level V of the Executive 
                Schedule as described in section 5316 of title 5, 
                United States Code.
                    (C) State members and alternates.--Each State 
                member and alternate shall be compensated by the 
                applicable participating State represented by the 
                member or alternate at an appropriate rate in 
                accordance with the laws of that State.
            (4) Executive director and staff.--
                    (A) In general.--
                            (i) In general.--Subject to clause (ii), 
                        the Authority shall fix the compensation of an 
                        Executive Director and such other personnel as 
                        are necessary to enable the Authority to carry 
                        out the duties of the Authority.
                            (ii) Maximum compensation.--Compensation 
                        fixed under clause (i) may not exceed the 
                        maximum rate of basic pay established for the 
                        Senior Executive Service under section 5382 of 
                        title 5, United States Code, including any 
                        applicable locality-based comparability payment 
                        that may be authorized under section 
                        5304(h)(2)(C) of that title.
                    (B) Eligibility.--The Executive Director shall 
                comply with the same qualification requirements for the 
                Federal Cochairperson and State members of the 
                Authority, as described in paragraph (2)(E).
                    (C) Duties of executive director.--The Executive 
                Director shall be responsible for--
                            (i) carrying out the administrative duties 
                        of the Authority;
                            (ii) directing the Authority staff; and
                            (iii) such other duties as the Authority 
                        may assign.
            (5) No federal employee status.--No member, alternate, 
        officer, or employee of the Authority (other than the Federal 
        Cochairperson, the alternate Federal Cochairperson, staff of 
        the Federal Cochairperson, and any Federal employee detailed to 
        the Authority) shall be considered to be a Federal employee for 
        any purpose.
            (6) Removal.--The Federal Cochairperson and the alternate 
        Federal Cochairperson may be removed by the President only for 
        inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.
            (7) Commencement of operations.--The Authority shall begin 
        operations when--
                    (A) the Federal Cochairperson has been appointed by 
                the President and confirmed by the Senate; and
                    (B) not fewer than 2 States in the Great Lakes 
                region have elected to participate in the Authority.
    (b) Decisions of the Authority.--
            (1) Requirements for approval.--Except as provided in 
        subsection (d)(3)(C), decisions by the Authority shall require 
        the affirmative vote of the Federal Cochairperson and a 
        majority of the State members (exclusive of members 
        representing participating States that are delinquent under 
        clause (iii) of that subsection) at the applicable meeting in 
        which the decision is being considered.
            (2) Consultation.--In matters coming before the Authority, 
        the Federal Cochairperson shall, to the extent practicable, 
        consult with the Federal and State departments and agencies 
        having an interest in the subject matter, including 
        transportation planning entities in the Great Lakes region.
            (3) Quorum.--A quorum of the Federal Cochairperson or the 
        alternate Federal Cochairperson and 2 State members of the 
        Authority shall be required to be present at any meeting in 
        order for the Authority to make any policy decision, including 
        a modification or revision of a Authority policy decision.
    (c) Functions.--
            (1) In general.--The Authority shall--
                    (A) promote economic development and job creation 
                and to create worldclass worker education and training 
                institutions to spur economic growth, especially in 
                communities that have been disproportionately affected 
                by the outsourcing of jobs, in the Great Lakes region;
                    (B) foster innovation and strengthen and expand the 
                core manufacturing and industrial base in the Great 
                Lakes region;
                    (C) not later than 1 year after the date of 
                enactment of this Act, and after taking into account 
                State plans developed under section 6, develop an 
                economic development plan for the Great Lakes region, 
                including priorities and 5-year regional outcome 
                targets;
                    (D) provide technical assistance to eligible 
                entities receiving a grant from the Authority under the 
                economic development grant program under section 5;
                    (E) develop, on a continuing basis, comprehensive 
                and coordinated economic and workforce development 
                plans and programs and establish priorities under those 
                plans and programs, giving due consideration to other 
                Federal, State, Tribal, and local planning efforts in 
                the Great Lakes region;
                    (F) enhance the capacity of, and provide support 
                for, local development districts in the Great Lakes 
                region;
                    (G) review and study, in cooperation with the 
                applicable Federal, State, Tribal, or local agency or 
                department involved, Federal, State, Tribal, and local 
                public and private economic and workforce development 
                programs and, where appropriate, recommend 
                modifications or additions that will increase the 
                effectiveness of those programs in the Great Lakes 
                region;
                    (H) consult with Federal agencies in the Great 
                Lakes region on economic development activities;
                    (I) promote coordination with the government of 
                Canada, including the provinces and local governmental 
                entities around the Great Lakes region, on economic and 
                workforce development activities;
                    (J) consult with economic development districts 
                throughout the Great Lakes region to advance the 
                functions of the Authority;
                    (K) conduct and sponsor investigations, research, 
                and studies, including an inventory and analysis of the 
                economic resources of the Great Lakes region;
                    (L) in cooperation with Federal, State, Tribal, and 
                local agencies, sponsor demonstration projects designed 
                to foster productivity and growth in the Great Lakes 
                region;
                    (M) encourage private investment in industrial, 
                commercial, and recreational projects in the Great 
                Lakes region;
                    (N) support broadband access and adoption in the 
                Great Lakes region; and
                    (O) in coordination with the Great Lakes 
                Commission, provide a forum for consideration of 
                economic and environmental problems of the Great Lakes 
                region, and proposed solutions to those problems, and 
                establish and utilize, as appropriate, citizens and 
                special advisory councils and public conferences.
            (2) Identify needs and goals of subregional areas.--In 
        carrying out the functions of the Authority under paragraph 
        (1), the Authority shall identify the characteristics, and may 
        distinguish between the economic needs and goals, of 
        appropriate subregional areas, including the respective 
        watersheds of each of the Great Lakes.
    (d) Administrative Powers and Expenses.--
            (1) Powers.--In carrying out the duties of the Authority 
        under this Act, the Authority may--
                    (A) enter into agreements and contracts with 
                eligible recipients (as defined in section 5(a)) in 
                furtherance of the business of the Authority;
                    (B) provide technical assistance to eligible 
                recipients (as so defined) receiving or seeking a grant 
                from the Authority;
                    (C) adopt, amend, and repeal bylaws and regulations 
                governing the conduct of the business of the Authority 
                and the performance of the functions of the Authority;
                    (D) make arrangements, including contracts, with 
                any participating State for inclusion in a suitable 
                retirement and employee benefit system of Authority 
                personnel who may not be eligible for, or continue in, 
                another governmental retirement or employee benefit 
                system, or otherwise provide for that coverage of the 
                personnel of the Authority;
                    (E) enter into and perform contracts, leases 
                (including the lease of office space for any term), 
                cooperative agreements, or other transactions necessary 
                in order to carry out the functions of the Authority, 
                on such terms as the Authority considers to be 
                appropriate, with any--
                            (i) department, agency, or instrumentality 
                        of the Federal Government; or
                            (ii) participating State or political 
                        subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of a 
                        participating State;
                    (F) accept, use, and dispose of gifts, donations, 
                services, or any property;
                    (G) maintain a governmental relations office in the 
                District of Columbia;
                    (H) establish a permanent office and headquarters 
                in the Great Lakes region;
                    (I) establish field offices at other places 
                throughout the Great Lakes region, as determined 
                appropriate by the Authority; and
                    (J) take any other actions and incur any other 
                expenses as may be necessary or appropriate.
            (2) Federal agency cooperation.--Each Federal agency 
        shall--
                    (A) cooperate with the Authority; and
                    (B) provide, to the extent practicable, on request 
                of the Federal Cochairperson, appropriate assistance in 
                carrying out this Act, in accordance with applicable 
                Federal laws (including regulations).
            (3) Administrative expenses.--
                    (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
                administrative expenses of the Authority shall be 
                paid--
                            (i) by the Federal Government, in an amount 
                        equal to 50 percent of the administrative 
                        expenses of the Authority; and
                            (ii) by participating States, in an amount 
                        equal to 50 percent of those administrative 
                        expenses.
                    (B) Expenses of the federal chairperson.--All 
                expenses of the Federal Cochairperson, including 
                expenses of the alternate and staff of the Federal 
                Cochairperson, shall be paid by the Federal Government.
                    (C) State share.--
                            (i) In general.--Subject to clause (ii), 
                        the share of administrative expenses of the 
                        Authority to be paid by each participating 
                        State shall be determined by a majority vote of 
                        the State members of the Authority.
                            (ii) No federal participation.--The Federal 
                        Cochairperson shall not participate or vote in 
                        any decision under clause (i).
                            (iii) Delinquent states.--
                                    (I) In general.--During any period 
                                in which a participating State is more 
                                than 1 year delinquent in payment of 
                                the share of the participating State of 
                                administrative expenses of the 
                                Authority under this paragraph--
                                            (aa) no assistance under 
                                        this Act shall be furnished to 
                                        that participating State; and
                                            (bb) no member of the 
                                        Authority from that 
                                        participating State shall 
                                        participate or vote in any 
                                        action by the Authority.
                                    (II) Economic development 
                                program.--Any ongoing projects in a 
                                delinquent State that are funded under 
                                section 5 may continue during the 
                                period in which the State is 
                                delinquent.
    (e) Meetings.--
            (1) Initial meeting.--The Authority shall hold an initial 
        meeting not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
        this Act.
            (2) Annual meeting.--The Authority shall conduct at least 1 
        meeting each year with the Federal Cochairperson and at least a 
        majority of the State members present.
            (3) Additional meetings.--
                    (A) In general.--The Authority shall conduct 
                additional meetings at such times as the Authority 
                determines appropriate.
                    (B) Format.--The Authority may conduct meetings in 
                person or via electronic means.
    (f) Personal Financial Interests.--
            (1) Conflicts of interest.--
                    (A) No role allowed.--Except as permitted by 
                subparagraph (B), an individual who is the Federal 
                Cochairperson or alternate Federal Cochairperson, a 
                State member or alternate, or an officer or employee of 
                the Authority shall not participate personally and 
                substantially as a member, alternate, officer, or 
                employee of the Authority, through decision, approval, 
                disapproval, recommendation, request for a ruling, or 
                other determination, contract, claim, controversy, or 
                other matter in which, to the knowledge of the 
                individual, any of the following has a financial 
                interest:
                            (i) The individual.
                            (ii) A spouse, minor child, or partner of 
                        the individual.
                            (iii) An organization (except a State or 
                        political subdivision of a State) in which the 
                        individual is serving as an officer, director, 
                        trustee, partner, or employee.
                            (iv) Any person or organization with whom 
                        the individual is negotiating or has any 
                        arrangement concerning prospective employment.
                    (B) Exception.--Subparagraph (A) shall not apply if 
                the individual, in advance of the proceeding, 
                application, request for a ruling, or other 
                determination, contract, claim controversy, or other 
                particular matter presenting a potential conflict of 
                interest--
                            (i) advises the Authority of the nature and 
                        circumstances of the matter presenting the 
                        conflict of interest;
                            (ii) makes full disclosure of the financial 
                        interest; and
                            (iii) receives a written decision of the 
                        Authority that the interest is not so 
                        substantial as to be considered likely to 
                        affect the integrity of the services that the 
                        Authority may expect from the individual.
                    (C) Violation.--An individual violating this 
                paragraph shall be fined under title 18, United States 
                Code, imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both.
            (2) State member or alternate.--A State member or alternate 
        State member of the Authority may not receive any salary, or 
        any contribution to, or supplementation of, salary, for 
        services on the Authority from a source other than the 
        participating State represented by the member or alternate.
            (3) Detailed employees.--
                    (A) In general.--No person detailed to serve the 
                Authority shall receive any salary, or any contribution 
                to, or supplementation of, salary, for services 
                provided to the Authority from any source other than 
                the State, local, or intergovernmental department or 
                agency from which the person was detailed to the 
                Authority.
                    (B) Violation.--Any person that violates this 
                paragraph shall be fined under title 18, United States 
                Code, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.
            (4) Federal cochairperson, alternate to federal 
        cochairperson, and federal officers and employees.--The Federal 
        Cochairperson, the alternate to the Federal Cochairperson, and 
        any Federal officer or employee detailed with the Authority are 
        not subject to this subsection but remain subject to sections 
        202 through 209 of title 18, United States Code.
            (5) Rescission.--The Authority may declare void any 
        contract, loan, or grant of or by the Authority in relation to 
        which the Authority determines that there has been a violation 
        of any of paragraphs (1)(A), (2), or (3), or any of sections 
        202 through 209 of title 18, United States Code.
    (g) Tribal Participation.--Governments of Indian Tribes in the 
Great Lakes region shall be allowed to participate in matters before 
the Authority in the same manner and to the same extent as State 
agencies and instrumentalities in the Great Lakes region.
    (h) Annual Report.--Not later than 90 days after the last day of 
each fiscal year, the Authority shall prepare and submit to the 
Governor of each participating State and the President, for transmittal 
to Congress, a report on the activities carried out under this Act 
during the preceding fiscal year.

SEC. 4. INSPECTOR GENERAL.

    Section 8G(a)(2) of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. 
App.) is amended by inserting ``the Great Lakes Authority,'' after 
``the Federal Trade Commission,''.

SEC. 5. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Definition of Eligible Recipient.--In this section, the term 
``eligible recipient'' means--
            (1) a State;
            (2) a political subdivision of a State or a local 
        government;
            (3) a public agency or publicly chartered authority 
        established by 1 or more States;
            (4) a special purpose district with a transportation, 
        energy, environmental, or economic development function;
            (5) an Indian Tribe or a consortium of Indian Tribes;
            (6) an institution of higher education (as defined in 
        section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1001(a)));
            (7) a nonprofit entity;
            (8) a local development district;
            (9) a multistate or multijurisdictional group of entities 
        described in any of paragraphs (1) through (8); and
            (10) an entity described in any of paragraphs (1) through 
        (8) acting jointly with a private entity or group of private 
        entities.
    (b) Grants.--The Authority may award grants, on a competitive 
basis, to eligible recipients to promote economic and workforce 
development, and to combat poverty and economic decline, in the Great 
Lakes region.
    (c) Use of Funds.--An eligible recipient receiving a grant under 
this section may use the grant to carry out projects in the Great Lakes 
region, which shall include 1 or more of the following activities:
            (1) Acquiring or developing land, including making 
        improvements to that land, for use for public works, public 
        service, or development facilities.
            (2) Supporting the development of, and reinvestment in, 
        land banks in the Great Lakes region.
            (3) Supporting wastewater infrastructure projects.
            (4) Broadband infrastructure projects.
            (5) Water infrastructure projects.
            (6) Weatherization and lead abatement projects.
            (7) Supporting port infrastructure projects, including 
        supporting and expanding seaport infrastructure--
                    (A) to enhance the movement of people or goods;
                    (B) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
                    (C) to improve water quality; and
                    (D) to improve resiliency.
            (8) Promoting workforce education and training programs in 
        the Great Lakes region, including programs that support 
        incumbent workers that have experienced economic displacement 
        or train youth to assume in-demand occupations within the Great 
        Lakes region.
            (9) Promoting the development of renewable and alternative 
        energy sources.
            (10) Promoting resource conservation, tourism, recreation, 
        and preservation of open space in a manner consistent with 
        economic development goals for the Great Lakes region.
            (11) Supporting entrepreneurship, business development, and 
        technology development in the Great Lakes region.
            (12) Growing the capacity for successful community economic 
        development in the Great Lakes region.
            (13) Facilitating the construction or rehabilitation of 
        housing to meet the needs of low-income and moderate-income 
        families and individuals in the Great Lakes region.
            (14) Developing surface transportation infrastructure in 
        the Great Lakes region.
            (15) Supporting severely economically distressed 
        communities in the Great Lakes region by improving basic health 
        care and other public services.
            (16) Any other activity that achieves the purpose of the 
        grants described in subsection (b), as determined by the 
        Authority.
    (d) Considerations.--In selecting activities to receive a grant 
from the Authority under this section, and in establishing a priority 
ranking for applications submitted to the Authority for assistance 
under this section, the Authority shall follow procedures that ensure, 
to the maximum extent practicable, consideration of--
            (1) the relationship of the project or class of projects to 
        overall development and poverty alleviation in the Great Lakes 
        region, including whether the location of the project is in a 
        severely and persistently distressed county or area;
            (2) the population and area to be served by the project or 
        class of projects, including the per capita market income and 
        the unemployment rates in the area;
            (3) the relative financial resources available to the 
        eligible recipient that seeks to undertake the project;
            (4) the importance of the project or class of projects in 
        relation to other projects or classes of projects that may be 
        in competition for the same amounts under this section;
            (5) the prospects that the project for which assistance is 
        sought will improve, on a continuing rather than a temporary 
        basis, the opportunities for employment in the Great Lakes 
        region, including for populations with the highest unemployment 
        rates, the average level of income, or the economic and social 
        development of the area served by the project; and
            (6) the extent to which the project design provides for 
        detailed outcome measurements by which financing expenditures 
        may be evaluated.
    (e) Request for Data for Broadband Infrastructure Projects.--Before 
making a grant for a project or activity described in subsection 
(c)(4), the Authority shall request from the Federal Communications 
Commission, the National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration, the Economic Development Administration, and the 
Department of Agriculture data on--
            (1) the level and extent of broadband service that exists 
        in the area proposed to be served by the broadband service-
        related infrastructure; and
            (2) the level and extent of broadband service that will be 
        deployed in the area proposed to be served by the broadband 
        service-related infrastructure pursuant to another Federal 
        program.
    (f) Maximum Authority Contributions.--
            (1) In general.--In accordance with paragraph (2), the 
        Authority may contribute not more than 90 percent of a project 
        or activity cost eligible for financial assistance under this 
        section from amounts appropriated to carry out this section.
            (2) Distressed communities.--In making a contribution under 
        paragraph (1), the Authority shall ensure that the Authority 
        contributes a higher percentage for a project or activity to be 
        carried out in a distressed community as compared to a project 
        or activity to be carried out in a non-distressed community.
    (g) Maintenance of Effort.--Funds may be provided by the Authority 
for a program or project in a participating State under this section 
only if the Authority determines that the level of Federal or State 
financial assistance provided under a law other than this Act, for the 
same type of program or project in the same area of the State within 
the Great Lakes region, will not be reduced as a result of funds made 
available by this Act.
    (h) Approval of Applications for Assistance.--
            (1) Evaluation by state member.--An application submitted 
        by an eligible recipient to the Authority for a grant under 
        this section shall be made through, and evaluated for approval 
        by, the State member of the Authority representing the eligible 
        recipient.
            (2) Certification.--An application submitted by an eligible 
        recipient to the Authority for a grant under this section shall 
        be eligible for assistance only on certification by the State 
        member of the Authority representing the eligible recipient 
        that the application for the project--
                    (A) describes ways in which the project complies 
                with any applicable State economic development plan 
                developed under section 6(a);
                    (B) describes the 1 or more activities intended to 
                be carried out using grant funds;
                    (C) adequately ensures that the project will be 
                properly administered, operated, and maintained; and
                    (D) otherwise meets the requirements for assistance 
                under this section.
            (3) Votes for decisions.--On certification by a State 
        member of the Authority of an application for a grant under 
        this section, an affirmative vote of the Authority under 
        section 3(b)(1) shall be required for approval of the 
        application.
    (i) Consultation With the Great Lakes Commission on Certain 
Projects.--The Authority shall consult with the Great Lakes Commission 
on any project submitted by an eligible recipient to the Authority 
under this section that impacts the water resources of the Great Lakes 
basin, as described in the Great Lakes Basin Compact, prior to awarding 
a grant under this section for the applicable project.
    (j) Savings Provision.--Nothing in this section limits, alters, or 
amends the Great Lakes Basin Compact.

SEC. 6. COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANS.

    (a) State Plans.--In accordance with policies established by the 
Authority, each State member of the Authority shall develop and submit 
a comprehensive economic development plan for the area of the Great 
Lakes region represented by that member.
    (b) Content of Plan.--A State economic development plan developed 
under subsection (a) shall reflect the goals, objectives, and 
priorities identified in any applicable economic development plan 
developed by the Authority under section 3(c).
    (c) Consultation With Interested Local Parties.--In carrying out 
the development planning process (including the selection of programs 
and projects for assistance) under subsection (a), a participating 
State shall--
            (1) consult with local development districts, local units 
        of government, and local colleges and universities; and
            (2) take into consideration the goals, objectives, 
        priorities, and recommendations of the entities described in 
        paragraph (1).

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated not less than $80,000,000 
for fiscal year 2023 and each fiscal year thereafter--
            (1) to carry out the economic development grant program 
        under section 5; and
            (2) for administrative expenses of the Authority.
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