Title: Gulf States Coordination Act
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Gulf States Coordination Act
This bill designates the Gulf of Mexico Alliance as a regional coordination partnership that will strengthen collaboration efforts among federal, state, local, and private participants in the five Gulf states (Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas) to restore and protect the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem.
The alliance may provide grants to carry out this bill, including to research the effects of natural and human-induced environmental changes on the water quality and living resources of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem.


[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2923 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2923

  To designate the Gulf of Mexico Alliance as a regional coordination 
 partnership of Federal and State actions related to the management of 
         the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 15, 2017

 Mr. Graves of Louisiana (for himself, Mr. Palazzo, and Mr. Richmond) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on 
Natural Resources, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to 
      be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To designate the Gulf of Mexico Alliance as a regional coordination 
 partnership of Federal and State actions related to the management of 
         the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem, 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 ``Gulf States Coordination Act''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the United 
States should seek to attain coordination of the regional conservation 
and restoration efforts for the Gulf of Mexico in order to facilitate 
the continued economic uses of the Gulf of Mexico for the benefit of 
the people of the United States, to reduce duplication of efforts, and 
to maximize efficiencies, through a collaborative regional effort 
through the Gulf of Mexico Alliance in consultation with Federal 
agencies and State and local authorities.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are the following:
            (1) To expand and strengthen cooperative voluntary efforts 
        to conserve and restore the Gulf of Mexico and maintain its 
        highly productive multiple uses.
            (2) To recognize and enable the Gulf of Mexico Alliance as 
        a lead coordinator of Federal and State authorities with other 
        voluntary efforts for the collaborative management of the Gulf 
        of Mexico and to coordinate such management with Mexico.
            (3) To enable the Gulf of Mexico Alliance to receive 
        Federal funding through an appropriation to conduct the 
        necessary scientific research and conservation and restoration 
        management to achieve these purposes.

SEC. 3. GULF STATES PROTECTION AND RESTORATION COORDINATION.

    (a) Designation as a Regional Coordination Partnership.--
            (1) Designation.--The Gulf of Mexico Alliance is designated 
        as a regional coordination partnership of Federal and State 
        actions related to the management of the Gulf of Mexico 
        ecosystem.
            (2) Location.--The Gulf of Mexico Alliance shall be located 
        in a State all, or a portion of the coastline, of which is on 
        the Gulf of Mexico.
            (3) Functions.--The Gulf of Mexico Alliance may--
                    (A) promote coordination of the actions of State 
                agencies in the States that border the Gulf of Mexico 
                and other authorities with the actions of the 
                appropriate officials of the Federal agencies, local 
                authorities, and representatives of key regional 
                industries in the Gulf of Mexico region in developing 
                strategies--
                            (i) to improve the water quality, protect 
                        living resources, increase valuable habitats, 
                        and enhance coastal resilience in the Gulf of 
                        Mexico ecosystem; and
                            (ii) to obtain the support of appropriate 
                        officials;
                    (B) in cooperation and consultation with 
                appropriate Federal, State, and local authorities, and 
                industry representatives, develop and implement 
                specific action plans to carry out the Gulf of Mexico 
                Alliance regional coordination goals;
                    (C) coordinate and implement plans and projects, 
                and facilitate science, research, modeling, monitoring, 
                data collection, and other activities, that support the 
                Gulf of Mexico Alliance's goals through the provision 
                of grants under subsection (c);
                    (D) implement outreach programs for public 
                information, education, and participation to foster 
                stewardship of the resources of the Gulf of Mexico;
                    (E) develop and make available, through 
                publications, technical assistance, and other 
                appropriate means, information pertaining to the 
                environmental quality and living resources of the Gulf 
                of Mexico ecosystem;
                    (F) serve as the liaison with, and provide 
                information to, the Mexican members of the Gulf of 
                Mexico States Accord and Mexican counterparts; and
                    (G) focus the efforts and resources of the Gulf of 
                Mexico Alliance on activities that will result in 
                measurable improvements to water quality and living 
                resources of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem by 
                coordinating protection and restoration programs to 
                minimize duplication and maximize leveraging 
                opportunities.
    (b) Grants.--
            (1) In general.--The Gulf of Mexico Alliance may provide 
        grants to nonprofit organizations, State and local governments, 
        colleges, universities, interstate agencies, and individuals to 
        carry out this section for use in--
                    (A) monitoring the water quality and living 
                resources of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem;
                    (B) researching the effects of natural and human-
                induced environmental changes on the water quality and 
                living resources of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem;
                    (C) developing and executing cooperative strategies 
                that address the water quality, coastal resilience, and 
                living resource needs in the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem;
                    (D) developing and implementing locally based 
                protection and restoration programs or projects within 
                a watershed that complement such strategies, including 
                the creation, restoration, protection, or enhancement 
                of habitat associated with the Gulf of Mexico 
                ecosystem; and
                    (E) eliminating or reducing nonpoint sources that 
                discharge pollutants that contaminate the Gulf of 
                Mexico ecosystem, including activities to eliminate 
                leaking septic systems and construct connections to 
                local sewage systems.
            (2) Administrative costs.--Administrative costs in the form 
        of salaries, overhead, or indirect costs for services provided 
        and charged against programs or projects carried out using 
        funds made available through a grant under this subsection 
        shall not exceed 25 percent of the amount of the grant.
    (c) Limitation on Regulatory Authority.--Nothing in this section 
establishes any new legal or regulatory authority of the Gulf of Mexico 
Alliance, itself, other than the authority to provide grants in 
accordance with this section.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Gulf of mexico alliance.--The term ``Gulf of Mexico 
        Alliance'' means the formal collaborative organization of 
        Federal, State, local, and private participants established by 
        the 5 Gulf States in 2004 as a non-regulatory, inclusive 
        network of partners to provide a broad geographic focus on the 
        primary environmental issues affecting the Gulf of Mexico.
            (2) Gulf of mexico ecosystem.--The term ``Gulf of Mexico 
        ecosystem'' means the ecosystem of the Gulf of Mexico and its 
        watershed.

SEC. 4. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

    (a) Gifts and Transfers to Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration 
Council.--Section 311(t)(2)(E) of the Federal Water Pollution Control 
Act (33 U.S.C. 1321(t)(2)(E)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
                            ``(iii) Gifts and transfers; separate 
                        fund.--
                                    ``(I) In general.--Subject to 
                                subclause (II), the Council may accept, 
                                hold, administer, and utilize for the 
                                purpose of aiding or facilitating the 
                                work and operations of the Council--
                                            ``(aa) gifts, donations, 
                                        and bequests from any 
                                        individual or entity; and
                                            ``(bb) transfers from 
                                        Federal and State agencies of 
                                        funds, goods, services, and 
                                        personal and real property.
                                    ``(II) Treatment.--Any funds 
                                accepted by the Council or transferred 
                                to the Council under this clause 
                                shall--
                                            ``(aa) remain available 
                                        until expended;
                                            ``(bb) be deposited in the 
                                        Treasury in a separate fund; 
                                        and
                                            ``(cc) be disbursed upon 
                                        order by the Council.''.
    (b) Borrowing Authority.--Section 1602 of the Resources and 
Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies 
of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (33 U.S.C. 1321 note) is amended 
by adding at the end the following:
    ``(g) Borrowing Authority.--
            ``(1) In general.--To aid and facilitate the purposes of 
        this subtitle and the amendments made by this subtitle, and 
        subject to the terms and conditions of this subsection, the 
        Secretary of the Treasury (referred to in this subsection as 
        the `Secretary') and the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration 
        Council (referred to in this subsection as the `Council') may 
        each--
                    ``(A) borrow money from any source; and
                    ``(B) issue and sell notes, bonds, obligations, and 
                other instruments of indebtedness.
            ``(2) Terms and conditions.--Each instrument of 
        indebtedness issued under this subsection shall have a term, 
        bear an interest rate, and contain other terms and conditions 
        as may determined by the party issuing the instrument.
            ``(3) Limitations on amounts.--The aggregate of the 
        principal of funds borrowed under this subsection and interest 
        payable thereon may not exceed--
                    ``(A) as to the Secretary, 35 percent of the 
                aggregate amounts paid or payable into the Trust Fund 
                from any source over the duration of the Trust Fund; 
                and
                    ``(B) as to the Council, 60 percent of the 
                aggregate amounts paid or payable into the Trust Fund 
                from any source over the duration of the Trust Fund.
            ``(4) Disbursements.--Subject to paragraph (6), the 
        Secretary and the Council may disburse funds borrowed under 
        this subsection upon order--
                    ``(A) by the Secretary, for any purpose authorized 
                under section 311(t)(1) of the Federal Water Pollution 
                Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1321(t)(1)), as if such borrowed 
                funds were available in the Trust Fund for such 
                purpose; and
                    ``(B) by the Council, for any purpose authorized 
                under section 311(t)(2) or 311(t)(3) of that Act (33 
                U.S.C. 1321(t)(2), 1321(t)(3)), as if such borrowed 
                funds were available in the Trust Fund for such 
                purpose.
            ``(5) Repayments.--The Secretary and the Council may repay 
        funds borrowed under this subsection and disbursed for the 
        applicable purposes set forth in paragraph (4) from funds 
        available in the Trust Fund and allocated for such purposes by 
        this subtitle.
            ``(6) Financing costs.--The Secretary and the Council may 
        pay interest and any other financing costs payable in 
        connection with funds borrowed under this subsection from--
                    ``(A) the principal of such borrowed funds; and
                    ``(B) funds otherwise available in the Trust Fund 
                for repayment of the principal of such borrowed 
                funds.''.
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