A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize the National Estuary Program, and for other purposes.

Bill: 114-s-1523
Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
Introduced: 2015-06-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Aquatic ecology
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Executive agency funding and structure
Floods and storm protection
Lakes and rivers
Mammals
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine pollution
Pest management
Water quality
Wetlands
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2015-06-08
text: 
This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to revise the National Estuary Program by requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to make competitive awards to address urgent and challenging issues that threaten the economic and ecological well-being of coastal areas, including: 
 
 
extensive seagrass habitat losses, 
 
recurring harmful algae blooms, 
 
unusual marine mammal mortalities, 
 
invasive exotic species, 
 
jellyfish proliferation limiting community access to water during peak tourism seasons, 
 
flooding that may be related to sea level rise or wetland degradation or loss, and
 
low dissolved oxygen conditions in estuarine waters and related nutrient management.
 
 
 This bill reauthorizes through FY2020 a program of grants to develop, implement, and monitor comprehensive conservation and management plans for estuaries. 
 

action_date: 2015-08-05
text: 
(Sec. 1) This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to revise the National Estuary Program by requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to make competitive awards to address urgent and challenging issues that threaten the economic and ecological well-being of coastal areas, including: 
 
 
extensive seagrass habitat losses, 
 
recurring harmful algae blooms, 
 
unusual marine mammal mortalities, 
 
invasive exotic species, 
 
jellyfish proliferation limiting community access to water during peak tourism seasons, 
 
flooding that may be related to sea level rise or wetland degradation or loss, and
 
low dissolved oxygen conditions in estuarine waters and related nutrient management.
 
 
 This bill reauthorizes through FY2020 a program of grants to develop, implement, and monitor comprehensive conservation and management plans for estuaries. 
 

action_date: 2016-04-26
text: 
(Sec. 1) This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to revise the National Estuary Program by requiring the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make competitive awards to address urgent and challenging issues that threaten the economic and ecological well-being of coastal areas, including: 
 
 
extensive seagrass habitat losses, 
 
recurring harmful algae blooms, 
 
unusual marine mammal mortalities, 
 
invasive exotic species, 
 
jellyfish proliferation limiting community access to water during peak tourism seasons, 
 
flooding that may be related to sea level rise or wetland degradation or loss, and
 
low dissolved oxygen conditions in estuarine waters and related nutrient management.
 
 
(Sec. 2) The bill authorizes appropriations for FY2017-FY2021 for: (1) EPA administrative expenses relating to a grant or award, and (2) making grants and awards. The bill allocates funding for conservation and management plans for estuaries and for competitive awards. 

action_date: 2016-05-20
text: 
(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on April 26, 2016. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
 
(Sec. 1) This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to revise the National Estuary Program by requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to make competitive awards to address urgent and challenging issues that threaten the economic and ecological well-being of coastal areas, including: 
 
 
extensive seagrass habitat losses, 
 
recurring harmful algae blooms, 
 
unusual marine mammal mortalities, 
 
invasive exotic species, 
 
jellyfish proliferation limiting community access to water during peak tourism seasons, 
 
flooding that may be related to sea level rise or wetland degradation or loss, and
 
low dissolved oxygen conditions in estuarine waters and related nutrient management.
 
 
(Sec. 2) The bill authorizes appropriations for FY2017-FY2021 for: (1) EPA administrative expenses relating to a grant or award, and (2) making grants and awards. The bill allocates funding for conservation and management plans for estuaries and for competitive awards.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-05-20
text: Became Public Law No: 114-162.
action_date: 2016-05-20
text: Became Public Law No: 114-162.
action_date: 2016-05-20
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2016-05-20
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2016-05-18
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2016-05-13
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2016-05-12
text: Senate agreed to the House amendment to the Senate bill by Unanimous Consent. (text as Senate agreed to House amendment: CR S2794)
action_date: 2016-05-12
text: Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to the House amendment to the Senate bill by Unanimous Consent.(text as Senate agreed to House amendment: CR S2794)
action_date: 2016-04-27
text: Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill.
action_date: 2016-04-26
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2016-04-26
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1958)
action_date: 2016-04-26
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H1958)
action_date: 2016-04-26
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 1523.
action_date: 2016-04-26
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1957-1959)
action_date: 2016-04-26
text: Mr. Gibbs moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: By Senator Inhofe from Committee on Environment and Public Works filed written report. Report No. 114-161.
action_date: 2015-10-29
text: By Senator Inhofe from Committee on Environment and Public Works filed written report. Report No. 114-161.
action_date: 2015-09-08
text: Held at the desk.
action_date: 2015-09-08
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2015-08-06
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2015-08-05
text: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR S6349-6350)
action_date: 2015-08-05
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.(text: CR S6349-6350)
action_date: 2015-08-05
text: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S6349-6350)
action_date: 2015-08-05
text: Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2015-08-05
text: Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2015-08-05
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2015-06-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2015-06-08
text: Introduced in Senate

Enacted as: number: 114-162