Bill Summary
The San Francisco Bay Restoration Act is an amendment to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act that creates a grant program to support the restoration of San Francisco Bay. This act establishes a program office within the Environmental Protection Agency, headed by a Director with expertise in managing and implementing projects related to the San Francisco Bay. The Director will compile an annual priority list of projects, activities, and studies, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, to be carried out using funds provided by the program. The Act also requires the Director to review and revise the comprehensive conservation and management plan for the San Francisco Bay every five years, and to consult with the San Francisco Estuary Partnership and Indian tribes in this process. The Act authorizes $25 million in funding for each fiscal year from 2021-2025 and prohibits the use of these funds for the administration of a management conference. Finally, the Act mandates that the President include information on the Federal government's role in San Francisco Bay protection and restoration in their annual budget submission to Congress.
Possible Impacts
1. The San Francisco Bay Restoration Act may affect people in the region by providing funding for projects, activities, and studies to improve water quality, protect habitats and species, and combat the effects of climate change. This could lead to a cleaner and healthier environment for people living in the area.
2. The Act may also affect people who work in the environmental protection field, as it creates a new program office and authorizes the use of funds for administrative expenses and staffing. This could potentially create job opportunities and resources for those interested in conservation and restoration efforts in the San Francisco Bay.
3. The legislation could also affect local communities by requiring consultation and input from stakeholders, such as the Estuary Partnership, local governments, and Indian tribes, in the compilation of the annual priority list and the review and revision of the San Francisco Bay Plan. This could give community members a voice in the decision-making process and potentially lead to projects that directly benefit their area.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1132 Received in Senate (RDS)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 1132
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 10, 2020
Received
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to establish a grant
program to support the restoration of San Francisco Bay.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``San Francisco Bay Restoration Act''.
SEC. 2. SAN FRANCISCO BAY RESTORATION GRANT PROGRAM.
Title I of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 124. SAN FRANCISCO BAY RESTORATION GRANT PROGRAM.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Estuary partnership.--The term `Estuary Partnership'
means the San Francisco Estuary Partnership, designated as the
management conference for the San Francisco Bay under section
320.
``(2) San francisco bay plan.--The term `San Francisco Bay
Plan' means--
``(A) until the date of the completion of the plan
developed by the Director under subsection (d), the
comprehensive conservation and management plan approved
under section 320 for the San Francisco Bay estuary;
and
``(B) on and after the date of the completion of
the plan developed by the Director under subsection
(d), the plan developed by the Director under
subsection (d).
``(b) Program Office.--
``(1) Establishment.--The Administrator shall establish in
the Environmental Protection Agency a San Francisco Bay Program
Office. The Office shall be located at the headquarters of
Region 9 of the Environmental Protection Agency.
``(2) Appointment of director.--The Administrator shall
appoint a Director of the Office, who shall have management
experience and technical expertise relating to the San
Francisco Bay and be highly qualified to direct the development
and implementation of projects, activities, and studies
necessary to implement the San Francisco Bay Plan.
``(3) Delegation of authority; staffing.--The Administrator
shall delegate to the Director such authority and provide such
staff as may be necessary to carry out this section.
``(c) Annual Priority List.--
``(1) In general.--After providing public notice, the
Director shall annually compile a priority list, consistent
with the San Francisco Bay Plan, identifying and prioritizing
the projects, activities, and studies to be carried out with
amounts made available under subsection (e).
``(2) Inclusions.--The annual priority list compiled under
paragraph (1) shall include the following:
``(A) Projects, activities, and studies, including
restoration projects and habitat improvement for fish,
waterfowl, and wildlife, that advance the goals and
objectives of the San Francisco Bay Plan, for--
``(i) water quality improvement, including
the reduction of marine litter;
``(ii) wetland, riverine, and estuary
restoration and protection;
``(iii) nearshore and endangered species
recovery; and
``(iv) adaptation to climate change.
``(B) Information on the projects, activities, and
studies specified under subparagraph (A), including--
``(i) the identity of each entity receiving
assistance pursuant to subsection (e); and
``(ii) a description of the communities to
be served.
``(C) The criteria and methods established by the
Director for identification of projects, activities,
and studies to be included on the annual priority list.
``(3) Consultation.--In compiling the annual priority list
under paragraph (1), the Director shall consult with, and
consider the recommendations of--
``(A) the Estuary Partnership;
``(B) the State of California and affected local
governments in the San Francisco Bay estuary watershed;
``(C) the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority;
and
``(D) any other relevant stakeholder involved with
the protection and restoration of the San Francisco Bay
estuary that the Director determines to be appropriate.
``(d) San Francisco Bay Plan.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 5 years after the date of
enactment of this section, the Director, in conjunction with
the Estuary Partnership, shall review and revise the
comprehensive conservation and management plan approved under
section 320 for the San Francisco Bay estuary to develop a plan
to guide the projects, activities, and studies of the Office to
address the restoration and protection of the San Francisco
Bay.
``(2) Revision of san francisco bay plan.--Not less often
than once every 5 years after the date of the completion of the
plan described in paragraph (1), the Director shall review, and
revise as appropriate, the San Francisco Bay Plan.
``(3) Outreach.--In carrying out this subsection, the
Director shall consult with the Estuary Partnership and Indian
tribes and solicit input from other non-Federal stakeholders.
``(e) Grant Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Director may provide funding through
cooperative agreements, grants, or other means to State and
local agencies, special districts, and public or nonprofit
agencies, institutions, and organizations, including the
Estuary Partnership, for projects, activities, and studies
identified on the annual priority list compiled under
subsection (c).
``(2) Maximum amount of grants; non-federal share.--
``(A) Maximum amount of grants.--Amounts provided
to any entity under this section for a fiscal year
shall not exceed an amount equal to 75 percent of the
total cost of any projects, activities, and studies
that are to be carried out using those amounts.
``(B) Non-federal share.--Not less than 25 percent
of the cost of any project, activity, or study carried
out using amounts provided under this section shall be
provided from non-Federal sources.
``(f) Funding.--
``(1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $25,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.
``(2) Administrative expenses.--Of the amount made
available to carry out this section for a fiscal year, the
Director may not use more than 5 percent to pay administrative
expenses incurred in carrying out this section.
``(3) Prohibition.--No amounts made available under this
section may be used for the administration of a management
conference under section 320.
``(g) Annual Budget Plan.--In each of fiscal years 2021 through
2025, the President, as part of the annual budget submission of the
President to Congress under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States
Code, shall submit information regarding each Federal department and
agency involved in San Francisco Bay protection and restoration,
including--
``(1) a report that displays for each Federal agency--
``(A) the amounts obligated in the preceding fiscal
year for protection and restoration projects,
activities, and studies relating to the San Francisco
Bay; and
``(B) the proposed budget for protection and
restoration projects, activities, and studies relating
to the San Francisco Bay; and
``(2) a description and assessment of the Federal role in
the implementation of the San Francisco Bay Plan and the
specific role of each Federal department and agency involved in
San Francisco Bay protection and restoration, including
specific projects, activities, and studies conducted or planned
to achieve the identified goals and objectives of the San
Francisco Bay Plan.''.
Passed the House of Representatives February 5, 2020.
Attest:
CHERYL L. JOHNSON,
Clerk.