Great Bay Regulatory Improvement Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-3615
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Guinta, Frank C. [R-NH-1]
Introduced: 2015-09-25
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Aquatic ecology

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Environmental assessment, monitoring, research

Environmental regulatory procedures

Marine and coastal resources, fisheries

Marine pollution

New Hampshire

Water quality

Wildlife conservation and habitat protection
Latest action: action_date: 2015-09-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-09-25
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Great Bay Regulatory Improvement Act of 2015</b></p> <p>This bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to postpone for five years establishing water quality standards or effluent limitations under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) if those standards or limitations reduce nitrogen discharges into the Great Bay Estuary. That estuary extends from the mouth of Portsmouth Harbor, in the vicinity of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to the head-of-tide for the eight rivers (including the tributaries of those rivers) that flow into Great Bay, Little Bay, and the Piscataqua River.</p> <p>During that five-year period, the EPA may not require a publicly owned treatment works (POTW) to commence construction on any upgrade of a facility for the purpose of enforcing those standards or limitations if the POTW contributes nitrogen loadings in that estuary.</p> <p>The EPA must study eelgrass levels and the causes of any loss of eelgrass habitat in the Great Bay Estuary, and allow public participation in the development of the study. </p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3615 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 25, 2015 Mr. Guinta introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure A BILL To delay enforcement and establishment of certain water quality standards within the Great Bay Estuary, and for other purposes.

1. Short Title This Act may be cited as the Great Bay Regulatory Improvement Act of 2015 . 2. Great Bay Estuary (a) Delay of enforcement and establishment During the 5-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency may not— (1) require a covered treatment works to commence construction on any upgrade of a facility for the purpose of enforcing water quality standards or effluent limitations with regard to nitrogen under section 402 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1342 ); or (2) establish any water quality standard or effluent limitation with regard to nitrogen in the Great Bay Estuary under title III of such Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1311 et seq. ). (b) Study required (1) In general Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall conduct, and make available to the public the results of, a peer-reviewed study regarding eelgrass levels, and the causes of any loss of eelgrass habitat, in the Great Bay Estuary. (2) Public participation The Administrator shall allow for public participation in the development of the study conducted under this subsection. (c) Definitions In this section: (1) Covered treatment works The term covered treatment works means a publicly owned treatment works, as that term is defined in section 212 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1292 ), that contributes nitrogen loadings to the Great Bay Estuary. (2) Great Bay Estuary The term Great Bay Estuary means the estuarine zone that extends from the mouth of Portsmouth Harbor, in the vicinity of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to the head-of-tide for the 8 rivers (including the tributaries of those rivers) that flow into Great Bay, Little Bay, and the Piscataqua River. (3) Estuarine zone The term estuarine zone has the meaning given that term in section 320(k) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1330(k) ).