Columbia River Restoration Act of 2010

Bill: 111-hr-4652
Sponsor: Rep. Blumenauer, Earl [D-OR-3]
Introduced: 2010-02-23 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Endangered and threatened species
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Lakes and rivers
Oregon
Washington State
Water quality
Watersheds
Wetlands

Summary:
action_date: 2010-02-23
text: 
Columbia River Restoration Act of 2010 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) establish within EPA a Columbia River Program Team, located within the Oregon Operations Office for EPA's Region 10; and (2) appoint a Team Leader who shall be highly qualified to support the development and implementation of projects, programs, and studies necessary to implement the Columbia River Basin Toxics Reduction Action Plan developed by EPA and the Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group in 2010.
 
Directs the Administrator, acting through the Team Leader, to: (1) assist and support the implementation of the Action Plan and the Estuary Partnership Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan adopted by EPA and the Governors of Oregon and Washington on October 20, 1999; (2) coordinate the implementation of, and the development of any updates to, those Plans, with programs and projects in the Middle and Upper Columbia River Basin; (3) make other appropriate updates; (4) provide funding and make grants for implementation consistent with Plan priorities; (5) promote innovative methodologies and technologies that are cost effective and consistent with Plan goals and objectives and EPA's permitting processes; (6) coordinate the major functions of the federal government related to Plan implementation; (7) coordinate authorized research and planning projects; (8) track progress toward meeting Plan goals and objectives; and (9) collect and make available to the public information regarding the environmental quality of the Lower Columbia River and Estuary.
 
Requires the Administrator, through the Team Leader, to carry out projects, programs, and studies to implement the Plans. Authorizes the Administrator to give special emphasis to those projects, programs, and studies identified as priorities by the Estuary Partnership in the Plans. Authorizes the Administrator, through the Team Leader, to make grants to implement the Plans. Sets forth requirements regarding grant allocations and the federal share of costs.
 
Directs the President, as part of his annual budget submission to Congress, to submit information regarding each federal agency involved in protection and restoration of the Columbia River Basin.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-02-24
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
action_date: 2010-02-23
text: Referred to House Budget
action_date: 2010-02-23
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, 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.
action_date: 2010-02-23
text: Referred to House Transportation and Infrastructure
action_date: 2010-02-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E212)
action_date: 2010-02-23
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2010-02-23
text: Introduced in House