zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Close All Routes and Prevent Asian Carp Today Act of 2010 - Requires the Secretary of the Army to take actions to ensure: (1) the immediate closure and ceasing of operation of the locks at the O'Brien Lock and Dam and the Chicago Controlling Works until a strategy relating to controlled lock operations is developed; (2) the installation of structures in the North Shore Channel and the Grand Calumet and Little Calumet Rivers to prevent the migration of bighead and silver carps into Lake Michigan; (3) the installation of interim barriers in the Chicago waterway system between the Des Plaines River and the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and the Illinois and Michigan Canal and the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal to prevent bighead and silver carps from entering the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal during a flood event; (4) the operation of the Electrical Disbursal Barrier System at optimal operating power and the expedited completion of proposed barrier IIB of such system; (5) the comprehensive monitoring of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and all connected waterways for the presence and location of bighead and silver carps; (6) the eradication of any bighead or silver carps discovered in the Chicago waterway system; (7) the upgrading and making permanent of barrier I of the Electrical Disbursal Barrier System in a location and with the features and operations determined to be the most effective; (8) the implementation of measures recommended in the efficacy study authorized under the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 or provided in related interim reports; (9) the implementation of emergency measures to prevent bighead and silver carps from dispersing into the Great Lakes; and (10) the acquisition of real estate necessary for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Electrical Disbursal Barrier System. Requires the Secretary to report to Congress on strategies for addressing any effects with respect to commerce and flood control resulting from such actions.

Date: 2010-01-21
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Environmental protection
Columbia River Restoration Act of 2010 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) establish within EPA a Columbia River Program Team, located within the Oregon Operations Office for EPA's Region 10; and (2) appoint a Team Leader who shall be highly qualified to support the development and implementation of projects, programs, and studies necessary to implement the Columbia River Basin Toxics Reduction Action Plan developed by EPA and the Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group in 2010. Directs the Administrator, acting through the Team Leader, to: (1) assist and support the implementation of the Action Plan and the Estuary Partnership Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan adopted by EPA and the Governors of Oregon and Washington on October 20, 1999; (2) coordinate the implementation of, and the development of any updates to, those Plans, with programs and projects in the Middle and Upper Columbia River Basin; (3) make other appropriate updates; (4) provide funding and make grants for implementation consistent with Plan priorities; (5) promote innovative methodologies and technologies that are cost effective and consistent with Plan goals and objectives and EPA's permitting processes; (6) coordinate the major functions of the federal government related to Plan implementation; (7) coordinate authorized research and planning projects; (8) track progress toward meeting Plan goals and objectives; and (9) collect and make available to the public information regarding the environmental quality of the Lower Columbia River and Estuary. Requires the Administrator, through the Team Leader, to carry out projects, programs, and studies to implement the Plans. Authorizes the Administrator to give special emphasis to those projects, programs, and studies identified as priorities by the Estuary Partnership in the Plans. Authorizes the Administrator, through the Team Leader, to make grants to implement the Plans. Sets forth requirements regarding grant allocations and the federal share of costs. Directs the President, as part of his annual budget submission to Congress, to submit information regarding each federal agency involved in protection and restoration of the Columbia River Basin.

Date: 2010-02-23
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Environmental protection
Small System Safe Drinking Water Act of 2010 - Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): (1) to convene a working group to study barriers to using specified treatments; (2) to develop model guidance to assist states in regulating and promoting such treatment options; and (3) when establishing affordability criteria for variance technology, to consider specified cost factors, to give extra weight to households below the poverty level and to communities that meet state affordability criteria, and to ensure that the criteria are not more costly, on a per-capita basis, to a small public water system than the per capita cost to a large water system of acquiring feasible technology. Requires the Administrator or a state, before initiating any enforcement action, to ensure that sufficient funds have been made available to assist each public water system that serves fewer than 10,000 individuals in meeting regulation requirements.Revises provisions allowing an exemption of a system from maximum containment level and treatment technique requirements to: (1) increase the population threshold; and (2) allow state determinations of a renewal period.Revises technical assistance provisions to require water systems serving fewer than 10,000 individuals to receive adequate technical assistance and training to meet requirements of final rules. Gives priority to systems not in compliance with specified rules concerning: (1) disinfectants and disinfection byproducts; (2) arsenic and compliance and new source monitoring; and (3) groundwater. Establishes pilot programs to: (1) explore new technologies or approaches to comply with a drinking water standard; and (2) research technology transfer issues and disinfection strategies relating to drinking water.

Date: 2010-02-25
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Environmental protection
Directs the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, to study the feasibility of implementing measures for the prevention or mitigation of shore damage at Oklahoma Beach in New York state attributable to the federal navigation project to be carried out at Irondequioit Bay.

Date: 2010-04-26
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Transportation and public works
Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund Improvement Act of 2010 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permanently increase the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate to 9 cents a barrel. Suspends such financing rate in any calendar quarter in which the unobligated balance in the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund is greater than $10 billion.

Date: 2010-05-05
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Environmental protection
Amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to exempt advances to the Coast Guard in connection with the explosion on, and sinking of, the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon from the requirement that amounts in the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund shall be available only as provided in annual appropriations. Limits such advances to a maximum of $100 million each, with the total amount for all advances subject to limits under existing law (i.e., not to exceed $1 billion for any single incident and $500 million for natural resource damage assessments and claims for any single incident, provided that, except in the case of payments of removal costs, an advance may be made only if the amount in the Fund after such advance will not be less than $30 million). Requires the Coast Guard to notify Congress of the amount advanced and the facts and circumstances necessitating the advance within seven days of the advance. Requires the budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go-Act of 2010, to be determined by reference to the latest statement titled "Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation" for this Act submitted by the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.

Date: 2010-06-09
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Environmental protection
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 grants to state and local agencies, and public or nonprofit agencies, institutions, and organizations, for ecosystem restoration projects and habitat improvement for fish, waterfowl, and wildlife, in accordance with priorities described in the comprehensive conservation and management plan for the San Francisco estuary. Limits such a grant to 75% of the total cost of eligible activities to be carried out using grant funds. Requires the non-federal share of the total cost of activities carried out using funds to be no less than 25%. Authorizes appropriations for FY2011-FY2020. Limits to no more than 5% the amount of funding that may be used to pay administrative expenses incurred in carrying out this Act.

Date: 2010-06-25
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Environmental protection
Clean Estuaries Act of 2010 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to reauthorize the National Estuary Program. Revises the purpose of management conferences convened with respect to estuaries. Requires a management conference's membership to include, among other entities, not-for-profit organizations. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) evaluate, every five years, the implementation of each comprehensive conservation and management plan developed under the Program to determine the degree to which the goals of the plan have been met; (2) submit the results of the evaluation to the appropriate management conference for review and comment; and (3) report on the results of the evaluation and make such report available to the public in the Federal Register and on the Internet. Requires management conferences to update plans 18 months after they are evaluated. Authorizes the Administrator to consider a management conference to be in probationary status if the conference has not received approval for an updated plan within three years of the date of the evaluation's publication. Requires the Administrator to: (1) reduce a grant for the implementation of a plan developed by a management conference with probationary status; and (2) terminate a management conference and cease funding for the implementation of the plan if the conference has been in probationary status for two consecutive years. Requires, after the Administrator's approval of a plan for an estuary, any federal action or activity affecting such estuary to be conducted in a manner consistent with such plan. Makes EPA the lead coordinating agency for implementing plans. Requires an agency head, in making annual budget requests, to consider the agency's responsibilities under the Program. Repeals provisions authorizing the Administrator to give grants to individuals for the development and implementation of plans. Authorizes appropriations for management conferences, grants, and monitoring the administration of plans. Requires the Administrator to include measures to track the introduction and establishment of nonnative species within the trend assessment program that monitors variations in environmental parameters which may affect estuarine zones. Requires the Administrator to evaluate and report to the public on the Program every five years. Revises the definition of: (1) "estuary" to include near-coastal waters and other bodies of water within the Great Lakes similar in form and function to waters otherwise described in such definition; and (2) "estuarine zones" to include such waters and transitional areas, associated aquatic ecosystems, and those portions of tributaries.

Date: 2010-06-28
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Environmental protection
Resources for Oil Spill Research and Prevention Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate by 3 cents a barrel for domestic crude oil and by 7 cents a barrel for any other crude oil; and (2) repeal the termination date of such financing rate. Amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to expand the allowable uses of Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund amounts to include: (1) payment of costs incurred by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Coast Guard, and other federal agencies to maintain research, prevention, and response capabilities with respect to discharges of oil; (2) payment of costs to carry out environmental assessment studies; and (3) grants to affected states, institutions of higher education, and other entities for research relating to discharges of oil on the Outer Continental Shelf.

Date: 2010-07-14
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Environmental protection
Responsible Arctic Energy Development Act of 2010 - Requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in collaboration with other federal agencies, to direct research and take action to improve oil spill prevention, response, and recovery in Arctic waters. Amends the Oil Polllution Act of 1990 to require the NOAA Administrator and the Commandant of the Coast Guard to use amounts made available under this Act for research and related activities in advance of energy exploration and production in the Arctic. Requires the Coast Guard to assess and take action to reduce the risk of, and improve U.S. response to, a maritime disaster in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. Sets forth additional Interagency Committee Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research functions, including requiring the Committee to request the National Research Council to conduct an oil spill risk assessment and make recommendations that will enhance safety and lessen the potential adverse environmental impacts of industrial activities in Arctic waters.

Date: 2010-07-14
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Energy
Oil Spill Technology and Research Act of 2010 - Amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to replace provisions establishing the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research with provisions establishing a Federal Oil Spill Research Committee for the same purpose. Requires the Committee to: (1) submit to Congress within 180 days and update every five years a report on the state of oil discharge prevention and response capabilities; (2) establish an oil pollution research and development program that provides for research, development, and demonstration of technologies and methods that are effective in preventing, detecting, responding to, mitigating, and restoring damage from oil discharges and that protect the environment; and (3) submit a plan for the implementation of such program to Congress within 180 days after submitting such report. Requires the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to: (1) designate a Chairperson from among committee members; and (2) manage a program of competitive grants to universities or research institutions for conducting such program. Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to require vessel and facility response plans for responding to a worst case discharge of oil or a hazardous substance to: (1) be updated at least every five years and resubmitted for approval upon each update; (2) require the use of the best available technology and methods to contain and remove a worst-case discharge and to mitigate or prevent a substantial threat of such a discharge; and (3) include investments in research relating to oil discharges, risk assessment, and development of technologies for oil discharge response and prevention. Requires: (1) the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating to establish a program for the formal evaluation and validation of oil pollution containment and removal methods and technologies; and (2) each technology and method validated to be included in the comprehensive list of discharge removal resources maintained through the Coast Guard's National Response Unit.

Date: 2010-07-15
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Environmental protection
National Endowment for the Oceans Act - Establishes in the Treasury the National Endowment for the Oceans which shall fund grants (in conjunction with state matching grants) for programs to restore, maintain, or understand living marine resources and their habitats, and ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources, including baseline scientific research, ocean observing, and other programs in coordination with federal and state departments or agencies. Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to make grants for such purposes. States that programs funded in Great Lakes states shall also seek to attain the goals embodied in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Plan, the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy, the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, or other collaborative planning efforts of the Great Lakes Region. Directs the Secretary to make grants to: (1) coastal states or affected Indian tribes; and (2) regional planning bodies to create and implement regional strategic plans. Directs the Secretary to establish a National Endowment for the Oceans Council.

Date: 2010-07-22
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Safe Water Intensive Monitoring Act or the SWIM 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 develop water quality monitoring and notification criteria for, and provide grants to states and local governments to develop and implement water quality monitoring and notification programs for, such inland lakes that are designated by states for swimming and that have public beaches as the Administrator deems appropriate, considering: (1) the size of the lakes; (2) the annual number of visitors to the lakes; (3) identified harmful algal blooms or other known pathogens in the lakes; and (4) the potential health and economic impacts of poor water quality of the lakes with respect to affected communities, individuals, fish, and wildlife.

Date: 2010-08-05
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Environmental protection
Gulf Coast Restoration Act - Establishes the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, which shall: (1) consult with, and provide recommendations to, the Chair of the Task Force regarding approval of State Coastal Ecosystem Restoration Plans submitted by the governors of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi providing for restoration activities the Gulf Coast ecosystem adversely impacted by the blowout and explosion of the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon on April 20, 2010; (2) coordinate scientific and other research associated with restoration of such ecosystem; and (3) submit an annual report to Congress that summarizes the Plans approved by the Chair. Establishes in the Treasury the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Fund. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to deposit into the Fund sums equal to not less than 80% of any amounts collected by the United States as penalties, settlements, or fines under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) in relation to the Deepwater Horizon explosion and resulting hydrocarbon releases into the environment. Makes the Fund available for the conservation, protection, and restoration of the Gulf Coast ecosystem in accordance with approved Plans. Requires the governors of such states to: (1) submit a Plan to the Chair by July 1, 2011; and (2) solicit local input and provide for public participation in the development of the Plan. Requires the Chair to disburse amounts from such Fund to such a state for which the Chair has approved a Plan only for: (1) projects and activities for the conservation, protection, or restoration of coastal areas, including wetlands; (2) mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, or natural resources; (3) planning assistance and the administrative costs of complying with this Act; and/or (4) implementation of a federally approved marine, coastal, or comprehensive conservation management plan.

Date: 2010-09-15
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Oil Spill Victims Redress Act - Amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to: (1) require all claims against each responsible party for removal costs or damages under such Act to be presented first to the responsible party or guarantor of the source of the discharge or threat; (2) authorize a state court to award damages or other relief to any person for claims under state law against any responsible party or other person; (3) provide that a civil action brought in state court is not within the original jurisdiction of the U.S. district courts, and is therefore not removable, unless a federal claim is pleaded in addition to claims arising under state law or otherwise removable based on diversity of citizenship; and (4) provide that nothing in such Act shall affect or preempt the authority of any state from imposing on any responsible party or other person any additional liability or requirement with respect to the discharge of oil occurring within the state, pollution by oil having effects within the state, or any removal activities in connection with such discharge.

Date: 2010-09-28
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Environmental protection
Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act - Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to exempt from prohibitions on the use or sale of lead pipes, solder, and flux: (1) pipes or pipe or plumbing fittings or fixtures, including backflow preventers, that are used exclusively for nonpotable services such as manufacturing, industrial processing, irrigation, outdoor watering or any other uses where the water is not anticipated to be used for human consumption; or (2) toilets, bidets, urinals, fill valves, flushometer valves, tub fillers, shower valves, service saddles, or water distribution main gate valves that are two inches in diameter or larger. Redefines "lead free" under such Act to mean: (1) not containing more than 0.2% lead when used with respect to solder and flux (current law); and (2) not more than a weighted average of 0.25% lead when used with respect to the wetted surfaces of pipes and pipe and plumbing fittings and fixtures. Establishes a formula to calculate the weighted average lead content of a pipe or pipe or plumbing fitting or fixture. Makes this Act effective 36 months after its enactment.

Date: 2010-09-29
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Environmental protection
Stand by your Oil Pollution Act or the STOP Act - Amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to: (1) extend liability to any corporation, partnership, or other person (other than an individual) having an ownership interest exceeding 25% in any responsible party; and (2) limit such an entity's liability with respect to an incident (any occurrence or series of occurrences having the same origin, involving vessels and facilities, resulting in the discharge or substantial threat of discharge of oil) to no more than the percentage of the entity's aggregate ownership interests in all other responsible parties with respect to such incident.

Date: 2011-01-05
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Environmental protection
Gulf Coast Restoration Act - Establishes the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, which shall: (1) consult with, and provide recommendations to, the Chair of the Task Force regarding approval of State Coastal Ecosystem Restoration Plans submitted by the governors of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas providing for restoration activities the Gulf Coast ecosystem adversely impacted by the blowout and explosion of the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon on April 20, 2010; (2) coordinate scientific and other research associated with restoration of such ecosystem; and (3) submit an annual report to Congress that summarizes the Plans approved by the Chair. Establishes in the Treasury the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Fund. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to deposit into the Fund sums equal to not less than 80% of any amounts collected by the United States as penalties, settlements, or fines under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) in relation to the Deepwater Horizon explosion and resulting hydrocarbon releases into the environment. Makes the Fund available for the conservation, protection, and restoration of the Gulf Coast ecosystem in accordance with approved Plans.Requires the governors of such states to: (1) submit a Plan to the Chair by October 1, 2011; and (2) solicit local input and provide for public participation in the development of the Plan. Requires the Chair to disburse amounts from such Fund to such a state for which the Chair has approved a Plan only for: (1) projects and activities for the conservation, protection, or restoration of coastal areas, including wetlands; (2) mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, or natural resources; (3) planning assistance and the administrative costs of complying with this Act; and/or (4) implementation of a federally approved marine, coastal, or comprehensive conservation management plan.

Date: 2011-01-05
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries Boundary Modification and Protection Act - Declares that it is U.S. policy to protect and preserve living and other resources of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary (Farallones NMS) and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary (Cordell Bank NMS) marine environments. Makes certain adjustments to expand the boundaries of the Farallones NMS and the Cordell NMS. Prohibits the issuance of a lease or permit authorizing mineral or hydrocarbon exploration, development, production, or transportation by pipeline within the boundaries of the sanctuaries, as modified by this Act. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to complete: (1) a draft supplemental management plan for each of the sanctuaries that focuses on management in the areas added by this Act; and (2) a revised management plan for each of the sanctuaries. Directs the Secretary to carry out an assessment of necessary revisions to the regulations for the sanctuaries, including considering regulations regarding the deposit or release of introduced species and the alteration of stream and river drainage into the sanctuaries.

Date: 2011-01-05
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Chesapeake Bay Accountability and Recovery Act of 2011 - Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in consultation with the Chesapeake Executive Council, the chief executive of each Chesapeake Bay state, and the Chesapeake Bay Commission, to submit to Congress a financial report containing: (1) an interagency crosscut budget for restoration activities that protect, conserve, or restore living resources, habitat, water resources, or water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed; (2) an accounting of funds received and obligated by all federal agencies for restoration activities; (3) an accounting from each state of all funds received and obligated from a federal agency for restoration activities; and (4) a description of each of the proposed federal and state restoration activities. Requires: (1) such report to describe only federal restoration activities that have funding amounts of at least $100,000 and state restoration activities that have funding amounts of at least $50,000, and (2) the Director to submit the report no later than 30 days after the submission of the President's annual budget to Congress. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop and update every two years an adaptive management plan for restoration activities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed that includes: (1) a definition of specific and measurable objectives to improve water quality, habitat, and fisheries; (2) a process for stakeholder participation; (3) monitoring, modeling, experimentation, and other research and evaluation practices; (4) a process for modification of restoration activities that have not attained or will not attain such objectives; and (5) a process for prioritizing restoration activities and programs to which adaptive management shall be applied. Sets forth reporting requirements. Requires the Administrator to: (1) report annually to Congress on the Plan; and (2) ensure that the Annual Action Plan and Annual Progress Report required by the Executive Order 13508 includes the adaptive management plan. Requires an Independent Evaluator for restoration activities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, who shall review and report to Congress every two years on restoration activities and the use of adaptive management in such activities. Requires the Evaluator to be appointed by the Administrator from among nominees submitted by the Chesapeake Executive Council.

Date: 2011-01-07
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Healthy Communities Water Supply Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to authorize appropriations for the pilot program for alternative water source projects. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in making grants under the program, to consider whether a project is located in an area which is served by a public water system serving 10,000 individuals or fewer.

Date: 2011-01-24
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Water resources development
Great Lakes Water Protection Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to prohibit publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) from intentionally diverting waste streams to bypass any portion of the treatment facility if the diversion results in a discharge into the Great Lakes unless: (1) the bypass is unavoidable to prevent loss of life, personal injury, or severe property damage; (2) there is no feasible alternative; and (3) the treatment works provides notice; or (4) the bypass does not cause effluent limitations to be exceeded and is for essential maintenance to ensure efficient operation of the treatment facility. Requires: (1) such notice to be provided to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (or to a state with an approved permit program) prior to an anticipated bypass or by no later than 24 hours after the time at which the POTW first becomes aware of an unanticipated bypass; and (2) follow-up notice regarding the cause and duration of, volume of discharge resulting from, and public access areas affected by an unanticipated bypass. Includes among prohibited bypasses those resulting in discharges from a POTW that consist of effluent routed around treatment units and blended with effluent from treatment units prior to discharge.Directs the Administrator to establish procedures to ensure that permits issued to POTWs under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System include requirements to implement this Act. Provides an increased maximum civil penalty for violations occurring on or after January 1, 2031. Applies the prohibition on diverting waste streams to a bypass occurring after the last day of the one-year period beginning on the date of this Act's enactment. Establishes the Great Lakes Cleanup Fund from which amounts shall be provided for improving wastewater discharges.

Date: 2011-01-25
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Environmental protection
Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to remove the authority of the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prohibit the specification of any defined area as a disposal site for discharges of materials into waters of the United States , or to restrict the use of any defined area for specification as a disposal site, once the Secretary of the Army has issued a permit for dredged or fill material.

Date: 2011-01-26
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Environmental protection
Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to repeal the authority of the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prohibit the specification of, or to deny or restrict the use of, a defined area as a disposal site for the discharge of dredged or fill material into navigable waters.

Date: 2011-01-26
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Environmental protection
Endocrine Disruptor Screening Enhancement Act of 2011 - Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in carrying out the Estrogenic Substances Screening Program: (1) not later than one year after this Act's enactment, to publish a plan for the identification of endocrine disrupting substances that may be in drinking water for testing and a schedule for issuing test orders for all substances by not later than 10 years after this Act's enactment, with the goal of testing all substances that have been placed on the Drinking Water Preliminary Contaminant Candidate List and all substances for which a national primary drinking water regulation has been promulgated; (2) to give priority in selecting substances for listing to substances that pose the greatest public health concern; (3) not later than two years after enactment of this Act, to publish guidance on developing or updating protocols for testing of possible endocrine disruptors; (4) not later than five years after enactment and every three years thereafter, to determine whether to revise screening protocols based on significant improvements in the sensitivity, accuracy, reliability, reproducibility, or efficiency of such protocols and to require the use of screening protocols that eliminate or reduce the number of animals used; (5) not later than 180 days after this Act's enactment, to publish an electronic, publicly searchable database that contains information regarding the testing program; and (6) within six months after receipt of testing results, to determine whether to take administrative action related to the substance. Authorizes the Administrator to accelerate testing for a substance if: (1) such substance is known to be found in sources of drinking water; (2) a substantial population is known to be exposed to the substance; and (3) the substance is either suspected to be an endocrine disruptor or has a structural similarity to a substance known to be an endocrine disruptor. Requires the Administrator, not later than one year after this Act's enactment, to publish guidance on how the Administrator will make determinations on whether to require accelerated testing for such substances. Authorizes any person to petition the Administrator to identify a substance pursuant to the plan and to issue an order requiring the substance to be tested on an accelerated basis.

Date: 2011-02-08
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Health
Veterans Home Loan Refinance Opportunity Act of 2011- Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions relating to tax-exempt veterans' mortgage bonds to permit: (1) proceeds from such bonds to refinance residences of veterans (currently, bond financing limited to new mortgages); (2) an annual inflation adjustment after 2011 to the amounts of veterans' mortgage bonds that states may issue; and (3) an increase from 1.125 % to 1.50% in the amount by which interest on veterans' mortgages may exceed the yield on a bond issue.

Date: 2011-02-28
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Taxation
Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act of 2011 - Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to repeal the exemption from restrictions on underground injection of fluids or propping agents granted to hydraulic fracturing operations related to oil, gas, or geothermal production activities under such Act. Requires: (1) state underground injection programs to direct a person conducting hydraulic fracturing operations to disclose to the state (or the Administrator if the Administrator has primary enforcement responsibility in such state) the chemicals intended for use in underground injections prior to the commencement of such operations and the chemicals actually used after the end of such operations; and (2) a state or the Administrator to make such disclosure available to the public. Requires a person conducting hydraulic fracturing operations, when a medical emergency exists and the proprietary chemical formula of a chemical used in such operations is necessary for medical treatment, to disclose such formula or the specific chemical identity of a trade secret chemical to the state, the Administrator, or the treating physician or nurse upon request, regardless of whether a written statement of need or a confidentiality agreement has been provided. Authorizes such person to require a written statement of need and a confidentiality agreement as soon thereafter as circumstances permit.

Date: 2011-03-15
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Environmental protection
Clean Water Affordability Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to revise requirements for capitalization grant agreements with states for establishing water pollution control revolving funds. Requires states to set aside 15% of funds for assistance to municipalities of fewer than 10,000 individuals that meet specified affordability criteria. Authorizes the fund to be used to make loans at terms not to exceed 30 years or the design life of the project to be financed with the proceeds of the loan (currently 20 years). Authorizes a state to provide additional subsidization, including forgiveness of principal and negative interest loans, to benefit a municipality that: (1) meets affordability criteria, or (2) does not meet such criteria if the recipient seeks the additional subsidization to benefit ratepayers that will experience a significant hardship from the increase in rates necessary to finance the project or activity for which assistance is sought. Establishes affordability criteria to assist in identifying municipalities that would experience a significant hardship raising the revenue necessary to finance a project or activity eligible for assistance. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to update the guidance entitled "Combined Sewer Overflows--Guidance for Financial Capability Assessment and Schedule Development," dated February 1997, to ensure that the evaluations by the Administrator of financial capability assessment and schedule development meet specified criteria, including criteria used in: (1) assessing financial capability of a community to make investments necessary to make water quality-related improvements, and (2) implementing water quality-related improvements.

Date: 2011-03-17
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Environmental protection
End Unnecessary Costs Caused by Report Mailing Act of 2011 - Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to give public water systems for which there were no violations of the maximum contaminant level for any regulated contaminant during the year the option to: (1) mail the annual report on the level of contaminants in the drinking water purveyed by that system to each customer (required under current law); or (2) make such report available on the system's website and, upon request, by mail. Requires such report to include for any regulated contaminant in such water system for which there has been a violation: (1) a description in plain language of the specific contaminant measurements, the possible effects on health and welfare, and the actions being taken to correct the violation; and (2) the date by which compliance will be attained.

Date: 2011-04-01
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Water resources development
Clean Water Protection Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to define "fill material" to mean any pollutant that replaces portions of waters of the United States with dry land or that changes the bottom elevation of a water body for any purpose and to exclude any pollutant discharged into the water primarily to dispose of waste.

Date: 2011-04-05
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Environmental protection
Grassroots Rural and Small Community Water Systems Assistance Act of 2011 - Calls for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prioritize the type of technical assistance to enable small public water systems to comply with national primary drinking water regulations that small communities find is the most beneficial. Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to: (1) authorize appropriations to the Administrator of EPA for FY2011-FY2016 for such assistance; and (2) authorize the Administrator to provide such assistance to organizations providing onsite technical assistance, circuit-rider technical assistance programs, onsite and regional training, assistance with implementing source water protection plans, and assistance with implementation monitoring plans, rules, regulations, and water security enhancements. Directs the Administrator to give preference to nonprofit organizations that are determined to be the most qualified, experienced, and effective and the most supported by small community water systems.

Date: 2011-04-07
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Water resources development
Prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for five years, from: (1) requiring a publicly owned treatment works that contributes nitrogen loadings to the Great Bay Estuary 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 the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act); or (2) establishing any water quality standard or effluent limitation with regard to nitrogen in the such Estuary under such Act. Requires the Administrator to study eelgrass levels, and the causes of any loss of eelgrass habitat, in such Estuary. Defines "Great Bay Estuary" to mean 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 eight rivers (including the tributaries of those rivers) that flow into Great Bay, Little Bay, and the Piscataqua River.

Date: 2011-04-12
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Environmental protection
Offending Oil Polluters Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to deny all income tax credits and deductions to an offending oil polluter. Defines "offending oil polluter" to mean any person responsible for a vessel or a facility from which oil is discharged, unless such person: (1) has met all obligations under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to provide compensation for covered removal costs and damages; (2) was not found during the seven-year period after the first oil discharge to have committed willful or repeated violations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970; (3) was not convicted of a criminal violation for death or serious bodily injury; (4) did not have more than 10 fatalities at its facilities or refineries resulting from violations of federal or state health, safety, or environmental laws; and (5) was not required to pay fines of more than $10 million for violations of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) or the Clean Air Act.

Date: 2011-05-10
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Taxation
Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2011 - Amends the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Act to define "Northwest Straits" as the marine waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and of Puget Sound from the Canadian border to the south end of Snohomish County, Washington. Sets forth the membership of the Northwest Straits Advisory Commission. Directs the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, to appoint an employee of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to serve as a liaison between the Commission and the Department of Commerce and to attend the Commission's meetings and events as a nonvoting participant. States the goal of the Commission as the protection and restoration of the marine waters, habitats, and species of the Northwest Straits region in Washington to achieve ecosystem health and sustainable resource use. Enumerates the duties of the Commission and establishes benchmarks for its work. Authorizes the Manager of the Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program of Washington's Department of Ecology, upon the recommendation of the Commission and the Director of the Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, to appoint and terminate a Director of the Commission. Requires the Director to be confirmed by the Commission. Provides for the establishment of marine resources committees in specified counties of Washington. Authorizes the Director of the Commission and the Director of the State of Washington Department of Ecology to establish the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Foundation as a nonprofit foundation to support the Commission and the marine resources committees established by this Act.

Date: 2011-05-12
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
North American Wetlands Conservation Extension Act of 2011 - Amends the North American Wetlands Conservation Act to extend through FY2017 the authorization of appropriations for allocations to carry out approved wetlands conservation projects.

Date: 2011-05-24
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Water resources development
Wetlands Conservation Investment Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat gain or loss from the sale or exchange of a mitigation bank credit by the sponsor of the mitigation bank (i.e., the wetland, stream, or other aquatic resource area that has been restored, established, enhanced, or preserved for the purpose of providing compensation for unavoidable impacts to aquatic resources) who earned such credit as the sale or exchange of a capital asset held for more than one year (thus allowing preferential tax treatment of such gain or loss). Exempts from tax withholding requirements any gain from sales of mitigation bank credits.

Date: 2011-05-31
Topic: Environment (Drinking Water)
Subject: Taxation