lcalvobartolome/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2012-05-18 00:00:00

Coordinating Water Research for a Clean Water Future Act of 2012 - Requires the President to begin to implement a National Water Research and Development Initiative through the National Science and Technology Council, the National Water Research Coordination Office, and federal agencies. Requires such Initiative to: (1) establish the goals, priorities, and metrics for the evaluation of federal water research and development and other activities related to water; (2) invest in research and development activities related to water to achieve the goals established under the National Water Research and Development Strategic Plan; and (3) provide for interagency coordination of such research, development, and activities undertaken pursuant to such Initiative. Sets forth minimum activities that the Initiative is required to carry out. Requires such Council to: (1) oversee the planning, management, and coordination of such Initiative; (2) establish goals and priorities for the Initiative based on national needs; (3) coordinate all federal research, development, demonstration, data collection and dissemination, education, and technology development and transfer activities pertaining to water; (4) coordinate the Initiative's activities with the water-related research and development activities of the United States Global Change Research Program; (5) develop and submit an Annual National Water Research Report that analyzes the progress made toward achieving the goals and priorities established for the Initiative; (6) develop and update every three years a five-year National Water Research and Development Strategic Plan to guide the Initiative and prioritize its activities; and (7) through the Coordination Office, provide for public input and outreach to be integrated into the Initiative. Requires the President to establish a National Water Research Coordination Office to: (1) support such Council and the National Water Research Initiative Advisory Committee; (2) serve as the primary point of contact on federal water research and development activities; (3) conduct public outreach; (4) solicit input and recommendations from stakeholders during the development of each Strategic Plan and Annual Report; and (5) promote access to and early application of innovations, best practices, and expertise derived from Initiative activities. Establishes a National Water Research Initiative Advisory Committee to advise the President and the Council on matters relating to the Initiative.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2012-06-29 00:00:00

Chesapeake Bay Watershed Fairness Act of 2012 - Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to provide technical assistance to a Chesapeake Bay state (Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia) to assist in developing water quality goals that reduce losses of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment from agricultural or nonindustrial private forest land in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Authorizes the Secretary to provide financial and technical assistance to such a state to assist agricultural producers or owners to promote state water quality goals. Authorizes the Secretary to provide technical assistance to producers and owners in such watershed, either directly or through a technical service provider, an agricultural or silvicultural producer association, a state or local government, an Indian tribe, a farmer cooperative, an institution of higher education, or an organization with an established history of working with producers on agricultural land, to address: (1) local conservation priorities related to agricultural production, wildlife habitat development, and nonindustrial private forest land management; or (2) critical watershed-scale soil erosion, water quality, sediment reduction, or other natural resource concerns. Authorizes such technical assistance to be provided for: (1) conservation services to reduce losses of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment from agricultural and nonindustrial private forest land in such watershed; or (2) identifying best management practices and assessing practices required to achieve compliance with state and federal water quality laws. Authorizes funding for each of FY2013-FY2018 for such activities in such watershed.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2012-09-20 00:00:00

Water and Agriculture Technology Economic Revitalization Act of 2012 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit tax-exempt mutual ditch or irrigation companies to earn income from dispositions of certain real property and stock interests without affecting their tax exempt status. Requires that such income be used to pay the costs of operations, maintenance, and capital improvements of such a company.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Water resources development
Date: 2012-12-19 00:00:00

Amends the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary 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: 2011-05-05 00:00:00

Making Public Lands Public Access Act - Amends the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure, from amounts requested for the Land and Water Conservation Fund per fiscal year, that not less than the greater of 1.5% of the requested amounts or $10 million be made available for certain projects identified on an annual priority list to be developed pursuant to this Act. Requires projects identified on such a list to secure, through rights-of-way or the acquisition of lands or interests from willing sellers, recreational public access to existing federal public lands that have significantly restricted access to hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2011-06-23 00:00:00

Land and Water Conservation Authorization and Funding Act of 2011 - Amends the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 to make permanent the authorization for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Makes monies covered into the Fund available for expenditure to carry out the purposes of the Act without further appropriation. Requires not less than 1.5% of the annual authorized funding amount to be made available for projects that secure recreational public access to existing federal public land for hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2011-09-21 00:00:00

Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to provide payments to owners and operators of qualifying muck land (as determined by the Secretary) in agricultural production to conserve and improve such land's soil, water, and wildlife resources.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Water resources development
Date: 2012-09-13 00:00:00

North Texas Zebra Mussel Barrier Act of 2012 - Makes the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 and provisions of the federal criminal code prohibiting importation of injurious animals inapplicable to any water transfer by the North Texas Municipal Water District and the Greater Texoma Utility Authority using only closed conveyance systems from the Lake Texoma raw water intake structure to treatment facilities at which all zebra mussels are extirpated and removed from the transferred water.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2012-09-19 00:00:00

Farmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship Act or the FUELS Act - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in implementing the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure rule with respect to any farm, to require certification of compliance with such rule by: (1) a professional engineer for a farm with an individual tank with an aboveground storage capacity greater than 10,000 gallons, an aggregate aboveground storage capacity of at least 42,000 gallons, or a history that includes a spill, as determined by the Administrator; or (2) the owner or operator of the farm (via self-certification) for a farm with an aggregate aboveground storage capacity greater than 10,000 gallons but less than 42,000 gallons and no history of spills. Exempts from all requirements of such rule any farm with an aggregate aboveground storage capacity of at least 10,000 gallons and no history of spills. Excludes all containers on separate parcels that have a capacity that is less than 1,320 gallons from the aggregate storage capacity of a farm.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2012-11-29 00:00:00

Ditch and Irrigation Company Tax Reform Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit tax-exempt mutual ditch or irrigation companies to earn income from dispositions of certain real property and stock interests without affecting their tax exempt status. Requires that such income be used to pay the operational and maintenance expenses of such a company.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2013-01-03 00:00:00

Coral Reef Conservation Act Reauthorization and Enhancement Amendments of 2013 - Amends the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 to extend the award of remaining coral reef conservation program grant funds to appropriate projects, including monitoring and assessment, research, pollution reduction, education, and technical support.

Authorizes actions to: (1) minimize injury to a coral reef or loss of an ecosystem function resulting from human activities; and (2) stabilize, repair, or restore the reef.

Deems specified terms (such as "sanctuary resources" and "national marine sanctuary") to include any coral reef that is subject to the jurisdiction of the United States or (subject to state consent) any state, regardless of whether the reef is in a national marine sanctuary.

Makes the destruction, loss, or injury of a coral reef not unlawful in certain circumstances, including if it was: (1) from permitted usage of fishing gear; (2) caused by an authorized activity; (3) subject to exception, the necessary result of marine scientific research; (4) caused by a federal agency in certain circumstances; or (5) unavoidable.

Modifies the Act's purposes, the goals and objectives of the national coral reef action strategy, and the Act's authorized activities.

Allows the Coral Reef Conservation Fund to be used to address emergency response actions.

Authorizes the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to: (1) make community-based planning grants for increased protection of high priority coral reefs, (2) maintain an inventory of all coral reef vessel groundings, (3) identify all coral reefs with a high incidence of vessel impacts, and (4) identify measures to reduce such impacts.

Directs the Secretary of Commerce to submit an international coral reef ecosystem strategy to Congress and authorizes the Secretary to establish an international coral reef ecosystem partnership program.

Establishes the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force to coordinate federal actions.

Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, subject to appropriations, to provide financial assistance for coral reef conservation.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2013-01-03 00:00:00

Water Advanced Technologies for Efficient Resource Use Act of 2013 - Establishes within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a WaterSense program to identify and promote water efficient products, buildings and landscapes, and services to reduce water use, conserve energy, and preserve water resources. Sets forth the duties of the EPA Administrator for promoting, publicizing, and administering the WaterSense program.

Requires federal agencies to purchase WaterSense products or services or a Federal Energy Management Program designated product through their procurement process.

Establishes a program to provide financial incentives for consumer purchase and installation of residential water efficient products and services.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2013-01-04 00:00:00

Replaces the map included in the set of maps entitled "Coastal Barrier Resources System" (referred to in specified provisions of the Coastal Barrier Resources Act and relating to Unit L06 in the state of North Carolina) with another map relating to the same unit entitled "John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System Corrected Unit L06."
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2013-01-18 00:00:00

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

Farmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship Act or the FUELS Act - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in implementing the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure rule with respect to any farm, to require certification of compliance with such rule by: (1) a professional engineer for a farm with an individual tank with an aboveground storage capacity greater than 10,000 gallons, an aggregate aboveground storage capacity of at least 42,000 gallons, or a history that includes a spill, as determined by the Administrator; or (2) the owner or operator of the farm (via self-certification) for a farm with an aggregate aboveground storage capacity greater than 10,000 gallons but less than 42,000 gallons and no history of spills. Directs the Administrator to exempt from all requirements of such rule any farm with an aggregate aboveground storage capacity of 10,000 gallons or less and no history of spills.

Excludes from the aggregate storage capacity of a farm all containers on separate parcels that have a capacity that is less than 1,320 gallons.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2013-01-22 00:00:00

Preserving Marginal Lands and Protecting Farming Act of 2013 - Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to set the maximum number of acres that may be enrolled at any one time in the conservation reserve program (CRP) at: (1) 29 million acres for FY2013, (2) 26 million acres for FY2014, and (3) 26 million acres for each of FY2015 through FY2018.

Prohibits the enrollment of land in the conservation reserve that is classified as class I or class II land under the National Soil Survey Handbook's land capability classification system unless such land is enrolled as a buffer, filterstrip, or strip adjacent to a riparian area.

Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA), during FY2014, to permit a participant that entered into a CRP contract to terminate the contract at any time if the contract has been in effect for at least five years.

Revises the types of land that are not subject to early contract termination.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2013-02-04 00:00:00

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to deny a tax deduction for business-related expenses paid or incurred by a responsible party relating to an incident resulting in the discharge of oil into the navigable waters, other than an incident caused by an act of God or an act of war.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2013-02-06 00:00:00

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

 Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to remove the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to 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 once the Army Corps of Engineers has issued a permit for the discharge.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2013-02-08 00:00:00

Great Lakes Nutrient Removal Assistance Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a program to provide grants to Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin and municipalities in such states to upgrade eligible municipal wastewater treatment plants with nutrient removal technologies. Requires the Administrator to give priority to plants at which nutrient removal technology upgrades 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 four of the 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

Defines as "eligible" a plant that: (1) has a permitted design capacity to treat an annual average of at least 500,000 gallons of wastewater per day, and (2) is located within the Great Lakes System in any of such states.

Prohibits the federal share from exceeding 55% of the total cost of upgrading such plants.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2013-02-15 00:00:00

Coastal State Climate Change Planning Act - Amends the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a coastal climate change adaptation planning and response program to: (1) provide assistance to coastal states to voluntarily develop coastal climate change adaptation plans to minimize contributions to climate change and to prepare for and reduce the negative consequences that may result from climate change in the coastal zone, and (2) provide financial and technical assistance and training to enable coastal states to implement such plans through coastal states' enforceable policies.

Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to coastal states to develop such plans and to support projects that implement strategies contained in such plans. Requires the Secretary to promote and encourage the use of National Estuarine Research Reserves as sites for pilot or demonstration projects carried out with such grants.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2013-02-26 00:00:00

Sunshine on Conflicts Act of 2013 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue a rule within 60 days to prohibit any member of a board or body that approves permit applications for the discharge of pollutants from seeking to influence the approval of any permit in which that member has a financial interest.

Provides that the requirement that state national pollutant discharge elimination system programs ensure that any board or body that approves permits excludes as a member any person who receives or has received during the previous two years a significant portion of income from permit holders or applicants shall have no force or effect after the earlier of the date on which such rule is issued or 120 days after this Act's enactment.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2013-02-26 00:00:00

San Francisco Bay Restoration Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide funding for activities, studies, or projects, including restoration projects and habitat improvement for fish, waterfowl, and wildlife, that are identified in an annual priority list and that advance the goals and objectives of the comprehensive management plan for the San Francisco estuary.

Authorizes funding to be provided through cooperative agreements, grants, or other means to state and local agencies, special districts, public or nonprofit agencies, institutions, and organizations. Prohibits funding from being used for the administration of a management conference for the San Francisco estuary under the National Estuary Program.

Requires the Administrator, in developing the priority list, to consult with and consider the recommendations of: (1) the San Francisco Estuary Partnership, (2) the state of California and affected local governments in the San Francisco Bay estuary watershed, and (3) any other relevant stakeholder involved with the protection and restoration of such estuary.

Limits funding amounts under this Act to 75% of the total cost of eligible activities to be carried out using those amounts.

Authorizes the Administrator to carry out this Act for each of FY2013-FY2017.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2013-03-04 00:00:00

Amends the Coastal Barrier Resources Act to remove from the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System and related maps the areas comprising Indian Peninsula Unit FL-92 and Cape San Blas Unit P-30 in Florida.
Topic: Environment — Conservation
Subject: Water resources development
Date: 2013-03-06 00:00:00

Asian Carp Prevention Act of 2013 - Requires the Secretary of the Army to coordinate and lead federal actions with respect to preventing the spread of Asian carp in the Great Lakes and its tributaries.

Authorizes the Secretary to carry out projects to prevent the spread of Asian carp in the Great Lakes and its tributaries, including: (1) installing electric, acoustic, air bubble, and other barriers; (2) applying pesticides; (3) improving locks; and (4) taking actions at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, Illinois, to prevent the spread of Asian carp.

Requires the Secretary to implement measures recommended in the dispersal barrier efficacy study, or provided in interim reports, authorized under the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 to prevent aquatic nuisance species from bypassing the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal Dispersal Barrier Project and dispersing into the Great Lakes.