Columbia River Basin Restoration Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-2469
Sponsor: Rep. Blumenauer, Earl [D-OR-3]
Introduced: 2015-05-20 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Executive agency funding and structure
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Idaho
Lakes and rivers
Montana
Oregon
Pacific Ocean
Washington State
Water quality
Watersheds
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-20
text: 

Columbia River Basin Restoration Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a Columbia River Basin Restoration Program to reduce toxic contamination and clean up contaminated sites. The program must be collaborative and stakeholder-based.
 
The EPA must: (1) assess trends in water quality and toxic contamination or toxics reduction; (2) collect, characterize and assess data on toxics and water quality to identify possible causes of environmental problems; (3) update the Columbia River Basin Toxics Reduction Plan (Action Plan) and the Estuary Partnership Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (Estuary Plan) and ensure that the plans form a coherent toxic contamination reduction strategy; and (4) provide technical assistance in implementing and updating the Action Plan.
 
The EPA must establish a Columbia River Basin Toxics Reduction Working Group to: (1) participate in developing updates to the Action Plan, (2) recommend and prioritize projects and actions for the Action Plan, and (3) review progress made.
 
The Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership has to perform those duties and fulfill those responsibilities of the Working Group relating to the Lower Columbia River Estuary.
 
The EPA must establish a Columbia River Basin toxics grant program to provide funding to develop or implement projects to implement the Action Plan and the Estuary Plan.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
action_date: 2015-05-20
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: 2015-05-20
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: 2015-05-20
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: 2015-05-20
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E757)
action_date: 2015-05-20
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-05-20
text: Introduced in House