Gulf of Mexico Restoration and Protection Act

Bill: 111-s-1311
Sponsor: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]
Introduced: 2009-06-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Ecology
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Executive agency funding and structure
Gulf of Mexico
Intergovernmental relations
International organizations and cooperation
Latin America
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Mexico
Water quality
Watersheds

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-19
text: 
Gulf of Mexico Restoration and Protection Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to reestablish the Program Office of the Gulf of Mexico Program as an office of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to be headed by a Director. Requires the Office to: (1) coordinate the actions of EPA and of other federal agencies and state and local authorities; (2) assist in developing specific action plans to carry out the program; (3) coordinate and implement priority state- and community-led restoration plans and projects and facilitate activities that support the program; (4) implement outreach programs to foster stewardship of the Gulf's resources; (5) develop and make available information about the environmental quality and living resources of the Gulf; (6) serve as the liaison with the Mexican members of the Gulf of Mexico States Accord and Mexican counterparts of the EPA; and (7) focus on activities that will result in measurable improvements to water quality and living resources of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem.
 
Authorizes the EPA Administrator to enter into interagency agreements to carry out this Act. Authorizes the Administrator to provide grants for use in: (1) monitoring the water quality and living resources of the Gulf ecosystem; (2) researching the effects of environmental changes on such water quality and resources; (3) developing cooperative strategies that address the water quality and needs of Gulf resources; (4) developing locally-based protection and restoration programs or projects within a watershed that complement those strategies; and (5) eliminating or reducing point sources that discharge pollutants that contaminate the Gulf ecosystem.

action_date: 2010-08-02
text: 
Gulf of Mexico Restoration and Protection Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to reestablish the Program Office of the Gulf of Mexico Program as an office of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to be headed by a Director. Requires the Office to: (1) coordinate the actions of EPA and of other federal agencies and state and local authorities in developing strategies to improve the water quality and living resources in the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem and obtain the support of appropriate officials; (2) assist in developing specific action plans to carry out the Program; (3) coordinate and implement priority state- and community-led restoration plans and projects and facilitate activities that support the Program through the provision of grants authorized by this Act; (4) implement outreach programs to foster stewardship of the Gulf's resources; (5) develop and make available information about the environmental quality and living resources of the Gulf ecosystem; (6) serve as the liaison with the Mexican members of the Gulf of Mexico States Accord and Mexican counterparts of the EPA; and (7) focus on activities that will result in measurable improvements to water quality and living resources of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem.
 
Authorizes the EPA Administrator, acting through such Office, to enter into interagency agreements to carry out this Act. Authorizes the Administrator to provide grants for use in: (1) monitoring the water quality and living resources of the Gulf ecosystem; (2) researching the effects of environmental changes on such water quality and resources; (3) developing cooperative strategies that address the water quality and needs of Gulf resources; (4) developing locally-based protection and restoration programs or projects within a watershed that complement those strategies; and (5) eliminating or reducing nonpoint sources that discharge pollutants that contaminate the Gulf ecosystem. Limits the federal share of the cost of any project carried out using a grant to 75% of the project's total costs. Limits administrative costs in the form of salaries, overhead, or indirect costs for services provided and charged against programs carried out using fund made available through a grant to 15% of the grant amount.
 
Requires the Director to report to the Administrator and the public on projects funded by such grants. Requires the Administrator to: (1) complete an assessment of the Program and submit to Congress a comprehensive report on the Program's performance no later than April 30, 2011, and every five years thereafter; and (2) include a funding line item request for the Program Office as a separate budget line item in the annual submission to Congress of EPA's budget.
 
Authorizes appropriations for FY2010-FY2014.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-08-02
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 501.
action_date: 2010-08-02
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Boxer with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 111-241.
action_date: 2010-08-02
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Boxer with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 111-241.
action_date: 2010-06-30
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2009-11-09
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife. Hearings held.
action_date: 2009-06-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2009-06-19
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6848)
action_date: 2009-06-19
text: Introduced in Senate