Anacostia Watershed Initiative Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1959
Sponsor: Sen. Sarbanes, Paul S. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2003-11-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Agricultural conservation
Agriculture and Food
Anadromous fishes
Animals
Bacteria
Biological diversity
Civil engineering
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Conservation easements
District of Columbia
Drainage
Dredging
Ecological surveys
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection
Environmental education
Environmental monitoring
Exotic animals
Exotic plants
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to water pollution control
Federal aid to water resources development
Federal-city relations
Federal-state relations
Fisheries
Fishery management
Fishes
Forest conservation
Geographic information systems
Government Operations and Politics
Grassland ecology
Habitat conservation
Health
Infrastructure
Intergovernmental relations
Job creation
Labor and Employment
Land use
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Maryland
Nature conservation
Non-native species
Nonpoint source pollution
Outdoor recreation
Pollution measurement
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Public meetings
Public-private partnerships
Reforestation
Regional economic development
Regional planning
Restoration ecology
Riparian ecology
River basin commissions
Rivers
Sediment control
Sewage disposal
Sewerage
Shellfish
Shore protection
Soil erosion
Sports and Recreation
Storm drains
Stream conservation
Sustainable development
Urban affairs
Virginia
Waste water treatment
Water quality
Water supply
Watersheds
Wetlands
Wildlife conservation

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-25
text: 
Anacostia Watershed Initiative Act of 2003 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to establish within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the Anacostia Watershed Restoration Initiative.
 
Creates the Anacostia Watershed Council to develop, carry out, and provide assistance and recommendations with respect to the Initiative. Requires the Council to develop a ten-year comprehensive action plan for the Anacostia Watershed in Maryland and the District of Columbia.
 
Requires the EPA Administrator to approve the Council's action plan if it meets the requirements of this Act.
 
Directs the Council to submit annual reports on the Initiative to appropriate committees of Congress.
 
Authorizes the Administrator to provide eligible entities with financial and technical assistance to: (1) conduct research; (2) implement the approved action plan; (3) provide interdisciplinary training; (4) enhance understanding of environmental issues; and (5) develop and disseminate educational resources and opportunities. Limits Federal funds available under this Act or the Water Resources Development Act of 1992 (WRDA) for such assistance to 75 percent of total project costs.
 
Requires specified Federal agencies to assist the Initiative.
 
Amends the WRDA to authorize the Secretary of the Army to provide funding for implementation of a combined sewer overflow control plan in the District of Columbia.
 
Requires the Secretary, acting through the Chief of Engineers, to establish a program to provide environmental assistance to non-Federal interests in the Anacostia River Basin. Limits the Federal share of funds for such cooperation agreements to 75 percent of total project costs, except that the non-Federal share for operation and maintenance costs shall be 100 percent.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2003-11-25
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15985)
action_date: 2003-11-25
text: Introduced in Senate