lcalvobartolome/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Water resources development
Date: 2015-02-05 00:00:00

Amends the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Department of the Interior to participate in the design, planning, and construction of, and land acquisition for, a project to reclaim and reuse wastewater in Sacramento County, California.

Requires the project to consist of three phases, the first of which shall include the planning, design, and construction of water conveyance and related infrastructure to provide recycled water to irrigate approximately 4,500 acres of land in southern Sacramento County.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2015-02-11 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on February 9, 2016. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

This bill modifies certain boundaries of the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System Units located in Collier County, Florida.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-02-11 00:00:00

Regulatory Certainty Act of 2015 - This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to limit the period during which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may prohibit the specification, or restrict the use, of an area as a disposal site for discharges of dredged or fill materials into waters of the United States to the period that:

 begins on the date that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provides notice to the EPA that the Corps has completed all procedures for processing an application for a permit for dredged or fill material and is ready to determine whether the permit should be issued; and ends on the date that the Corps issues the permit. The Corps must ensure that the period consists of at least 30 consecutive days.

The Corps may issue a permit for dredged or fill material only after the Corps provides notice to the EPA.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-02-11 00:00:00

Zika Vector Control Act

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency or a state from requiring a permit until September 30, 2018, under the Clean Water Act for a discharge from a point source into navigable waters of a pesticide authorized for sale, distribution, or use under FIFRA, or a residue resulting from the application of the pesticide. Point source pollution is waste discharged from a distinct place, such as a pipe, channel, or tunnel.

(Sec. 3) The bill establishes exemptions for the following discharges containing a pesticide or pesticide residue: (1) a discharge resulting from the application of a pesticide in violation of FIFRA that is relevant to protecting water quality, if the discharge would not have occurred but for the violation or the amount of pesticide or pesticide residue contained in the discharge is greater than would have occurred without the violation; (2) stormwater discharges regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES); and (3) discharges regulated under NPDES of manufacturing or industrial effluent or treatment works effluent and discharges incidental to the normal operation of a vessel, including a discharge resulting from operations concerning ballast water held in ships to increase stability or vessel biofouling prevention. These exemptions expire on September 30, 2018.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2015-02-12 00:00:00

Douglas County Conservation Act of 2015

Directs the Forest Service to convey approximately 67 acres of certain Forest Service land (Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park) to the state of Nevada to be used for the conservation of wildlife or natural resources or for a public park.

Directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make publicly available a prospectus to solicit one or more concessionaires for the approximately 125 acres of land identified as the Round Hill Pines Resort and the approximately 448 acres of land identified as the Zephyr Shoals.

 Directs the Forest Service for National Forest System land and the Department of Interior for land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to convey approximately 7,990 acres of specified federal land to Douglas County, Nevada, to be used for flood control or any other public purpose. Prohibits such land from being disposed of by the county.

Directs the Forest Service or Interior, as appropriate, to conduct one or more sales of specified public lands in the county to qualified bidders, with the option for the state or county to obtain the land for public purposes before the land is offered for sale. Amends the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act of 1998 to specify the disposition of funds from a sale.

Transfers all interest of the United States in the approximately 1,016 acres of certain federal land which shall be held in trust for the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, and which shall become part of the Tribe's reservation. Prohibits the conduct of certain gaming on such land. Designates approximately 12,330 acres of specified federal land managed by the BLM, to be known as the Burbank Canyons Wilderness, as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System.

Releases the approximately 1,065 acres of public land in the Burbank Canyons Wilderness study area not designated as wilderness by this Act from further study for designation as wilderness.

Authorizes USDA to transfer from the Forest Service to Douglas County, Nevada, certain lands or interests in Forest Service land which are unsuitable for Forest Service administration or necessary for a public purpose.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-02-12 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the House reported version is repeated here.)

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 resulting in significant impacts on fisheries and water quality, recurring harmful algae blooms, unusual marine mammal mortalities, invasive exotic species that may threaten wastewater systems and cause other damage, 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. The bill reauthorizes through FY2020 grants to develop, implement, and monitor comprehensive conservation and management plans for estuaries. A certain portion of the allocation of appropriations must be used for the competitive awards.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-02-26 00:00:00

Clean Water Compliance and Ratepayer Affordability Act of 2015

 This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to carry out a pilot program to facilitate the efforts of at least 15 municipalities to develop and implement integrated plans to meet their wastewater and stormwater obligations under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) in a cost-effective and flexible manner and consistent with the Integrated Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater Approach Framework issued by the EPA in May 2012.

A municipality is eligible to participate in the pilot program if the municipality is: (1) a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit holder or designee; or (2) operating under an administrative order, administrative consent agreement, or judicial consent decree to comply with the requirements of the Clean Water Act.

The EPA may give priority to municipalities seeking to develop and implement an integrated plan that includes approaches that adapt to changed or future uncertain circumstances.

In carrying out the pilot program and in mutual agreement with participating municipalities, the EPA may: (1) extend the allowable NPDES permit term by up to 25 years, (2) modify the implementation terms of a consent decree, and (3) provide additional regulatory flexibility in approving and implementing an integrated plan that includes adaptive approaches.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-02-26 00:00:00

San Francisco Bay Restoration Act

This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to authorize the Environmental Protection Agency to provide funding for prioritized activities, studies, or projects that advance the goals and objectives of the comprehensive management plan for the San Francisco estuary. Funding may be provided through cooperative agreements, grants, or other means. Funding may not be used for the administration of a management conference for the San Francisco estuary under the National Estuary Program.

Funding amounts provided under this Act may not exceed 75% of the total cost of eligible activities to be carried out using those amounts.

This bill authorizes appropriations for the funding program through FY2019.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-03-04 00:00:00

Coastal State Climate Change Planning Act 

This bill amends the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to direct the Department of Commerce to establish a coastal climate change adaptation planning and response program which shall assist coastal states with the voluntary development of coastal climate change adaptation plans in order to: (1) minimize contributions to climate change, and (2) prepare for and reduce the negative consequences that may result from climate change in the coastal zone. The program must also provide financial and technical assistance and training to implement the plans through enforceable state policies.

Commerce may make grants to coastal states for developing the plans and supporting projects that implement strategies contained in approved plans. Commerce must promote and encourage the use of National Estuarine Research Reserves as sites for pilot or demonstration projects carried out with the grants.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2015-03-04 00:00:00

Ocean Acidification Research Partnerships Act

This bill amends the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act of 2009 to require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide grants for collaborative research projects on ocean acidification developed and conducted through partnerships between the seafood industry and the academic community. NOAA must prioritize projects which: (1) address ecosystems and communities vulnerable to the impacts of ocean acidification, (2) demonstrate support from local stakeholders, or (3) utilize seafood industry assets as research and monitoring platforms.

NOAA may make a grant to a partnership in which a marine-dependent industry is substituted for the seafood industry.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Health
Date: 2015-03-04 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on December 7, 2015. The summary of the House passed version is repeated here.)

Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to ban rinse-off cosmetics that contain intentionally-added plastic microbeads beginning on January 1, 2018, and to ban manufacturing of these cosmetics beginning on July 1, 2017. These bans are delayed by one year for cosmetics that are over-the-counter drugs.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2015-03-24 00:00:00

Forest Legacy Management Flexibility Act 

This bill amends the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 to permit states to allow qualified (tax-exempt) organizations, as defined in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, to acquire, hold, and manage conservation easements using funds provided to the state under the Forest Legacy Program. The qualified organizations must be organized for specified conservation purposes.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-03-25 00:00:00

This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to authorize states to issue permits to discharge pollutants into navigable waters for up to 20 years. Currently, permits are allowed to be issued for up to 5 years.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-03-26 00:00:00

Clean Water Affordability 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 comprehensive and integrated planning approach to the permit obligations under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program of a publicly owned treatment works (POTW) or a municipal separate storm sewer system.

A state may extend the term of a NPDES permit to up to 25 years under a state-administered NPDES program, if the permittee has an approved integrated plan.

The EPA must update the guidance entitled "Combined Sewer Overflows--Guidance for Financial Capability Assessment and Schedule Development," to ensure that the evaluations by the EPA of financial capability assessment and schedule development meet specified criteria.

States must set aside 15% of the amount of each capitalization grant they receive for water pollution control revolving funds to provide assistance to municipalities of fewer than 10,000 individuals that meet specified affordability criteria for activities on the state's priority list of POTW construction projects.

Effluent limitations must be applied at the final point of discharge from a POTW treatment facility and not to flows within the facility.

The EPA may issue NPDES permits with modified effluent limits for discharges of pollutants from a collection system servicing a POTW during periods of peak wet weather if a state concurs and the permit applicant has an approved peak wet weather management plan. States may adopt peak wet weather-related water quality standards for receiving waters during periods of peak wet weather events. The EPA must develop and publish guidance with respect to peak wet weather-related water quality standards and waste water management practices.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-04-13 00:00:00

Regulatory Integrity Protection Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) This bill requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to withdraw, within 30 days, the proposed rule, "Definition of 'Waters of the United States' Under the Clean Water Act," dated April 21, 2014, describing the water bodies that fall under the scope of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act), as well as any final rule based on the proposed rule.

(Sec. 3) The Army Corps and the EPA must develop a new proposed rule to define the term, "waters of the United States" as used in that Act. In developing the new rule, the Army Corps and the EPA must meet requirements concerning consultation with states and localities enumerated in this bill. The new rule must specifically identify those waters covered and not covered by the Clean Water Act and incorporate the areas and issues where consensus was reached by the interested parties.

The Army Corps and the EPA must prepare a report with details about the new proposed rule and its development, including: (1) explanations of how the rule addresses public comments filed on certain related rules and reports and addresses recommendations provided in the consultation process; and (2) comprehensive regulatory and economic impact analyses of how the rule will impact interested parties and each program under the Clean Water Act.

The Army Corps and the EPA must: (1) publish the report, a description of the areas and issues where consensus was reached with the state and local officials consulted, and the new proposed rule; and (2) make them available for public review and comment for at least 180 days.

(Sec. 5) Within 90 days of issuing a final rule to define the term, the EPA must determine whether each permit program administered by states under the Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program, the program to regulate the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States, and the program regulating the disposal of sewage sludge is in compliance with the rule. States are given two years to bring any noncompliant programs into compliance before the EPA withdraws approval of the state program.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2015-04-15 00:00:00

Amends the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 to make permanent the authorization for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Requires not less than 1.5% of the annual authorized funding amount or $10 million, whichever is greater, to be used for projects that secure recreational public access to existing federal public land for hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-04-21 00:00:00

Ban Toxic Dispersants Act of 2015

This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to revise requirements governing the schedule of the National Contingency Plan for removal of oil and hazardous substances.

A dispersant, chemical, or other spill mitigating device or substance that is not included on the schedule may be used in carrying out the plan only if it is proposed to be included on the schedule.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must issue a revised regulation for the development of the schedule for the use of those devices and substances. In issuing the regulation, the EPA must: (1) establish minimum toxicity and efficacy testing criteria; (2) establish a requirement that the volume of oil or hazardous substance discharged, and the volume and location of any spill mitigating substance used, be measured and made publicly available on a daily basis; and (3) require the public disclosure of all ingredients of those substance. The EPA must: (1) require manufacturers of mitigating devices to study their risks and effectiveness; (2) provide a mechanism for the delisting of a substance or device that poses a risk to or impact on human health, water quality, or the environment; and (3) initiate a formal review of the potential risks and impacts associated with a substance or device prior to delisting it.

The EPA must: (1) study those potential risks and impacts, (2) impose a moratorium on approval of the use of dispersants until the study is complete, (3) review the schedule for the use of the devices and substances and revise it as necessary every five years, and (4) establish a schedule of fees to be collected from the manufacturers of the substances or devices to offset the costs of evaluating their use.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-04-21 00:00:00

This bill requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, acting as chair of the Great Lakes Interagency Task Force, to appoint a coordinator to work with appropriate governments to address harmful algal blooms in the Great Lakes.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-04-22 00:00:00

Great Lakes Nutrient Removal Assistance Act 

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 program to provide grants to states in the Great Lakes System (i.e., Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin) and municipalities in those states to install nutrient removal technologies at a municipal wastewater treatment facility that has a permitted design capacity to treat an annual average of at least 500,000 gallons of wastewater per day.

The EPA must give priority to facilities at which nutrient removal technology installations would: (1) produce the greatest nutrient load reductions at points of discharge, (2) result in the greatest environmental benefits to the Great Lakes System, and (3) help meet the objectives related to nutrients outlined in Annex 4 of the 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Science, technology, communications
Date: 2015-04-22 00:00:00

Ocean Acidification Innovation Act of 2015

 Amends the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act of 2009 to authorize any federal agency with a representative serving on the Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification, either individually or in cooperation with other agencies, to carry out a program to award prizes competitively under the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 for the purpose of stimulating innovation to advance the nation's ability to understand, research, or monitor ocean acidification or its impacts or to develop management or adaptation options for responding to ocean acidification.

Grants priority to establishing programs that address communities, environments, or industries that are in distress due to the impacts of ocean acidification.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-04-23 00:00:00

Protecting Our Great Lakes Act 

This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to prohibit discharges of dredged material into the Great Lakes System, except for discharges: (1) into a confined disposal facility; or (2) in connection with a beneficial use or habitat establishment, improvement, and/or restoration. The prohibition becomes effective in five years.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, or a state with an approved permit program, may waive application of the prohibition on a discharge during the first two years of the prohibition if: (1) the Environmental Protection Agency or the state determines that the waiver is necessary and appropriate, and (2) each concerned state approves of the waiver in the case of a waiver issued by the Corps of Engineers.

In determining the least costly manner, and the least costly and most practicable location, for discharges of dredged material resulting from Corps of Engineers operations and maintenance activities in the Great Lakes System, the Corps of Engineers must exclude from consideration the use of open-water placement of dredged material.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Water resources development
Date: 2015-05-14 00:00:00

North American Wetlands Conservation Extension Act 

This bill amends the North American Wetlands Conservation Act to extend the authorization for the Department of the Interior to carry out certain wetlands conservation projects through FY2020.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-05-21 00:00:00

This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's authority to make grants to states or local governments for monitoring water quality standards for pathogens, or disease-causing organisms, in coastal recreation waters adjacent to beaches that are used by the public and notifying the public when those standards are exceeded.