Amending the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to Reauthorize Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program

Floor Speech

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Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1921) to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1921

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN BASIN RESTORATION PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION.

(a) Review of Comprehensive Management Plan.--Section 121 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1273) is amended--

(1) in subsection (c)--

(A) in paragraph (5), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a semicolon;

(B) in paragraph (6), by striking the period and inserting ``; and''; and

(C) by adding at the end the following:

``(7) ensure that the comprehensive conservation and management plan approved for the Basin under section 320 is reviewed and revised in accordance with section 320 not less often than once every 5 years, beginning on the date of enactment of this paragraph.''; and

(2) in subsection (d), by striking ``recommended by a management conference convened for the Basin under section 320'' and inserting ``identified in the comprehensive conservation and management plan approved for the Basin under section 320''.

(b) Definitions.--Section 121(e)(1) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1273(e)(1)) is amended by striking ``, a 5,000 square mile''.

(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 121(f) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1273(f)) is amended--

(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``2001 through 2012 and the amount appropriated for fiscal year 2009 for each of fiscal years 2013 through 2017'' and inserting ``2022 through 2026''; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

``(3) Administrative expenses.--The Administrator may use for administrative expenses not more than 5 percent of the amounts appropriated to carry out this section.''.

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Ms. NORTON. 1921.

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Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1921. This legislation reauthorizes the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program for 5 years at $20 million annually and provides for regular reporting on the progress of the program.

Some 2.1 million people live in the area surrounding Lake Pontchartrain, which is threatened by pollution related to urban and agricultural runoff, sewage overflows, and nonpoint source pollution. The Basin Restoration Program helps address these environmental challenges in a nonregulatory fashion and has made some progress. With continued funding and reauthorization, the program can continue implementing projects related to restoration.

During a Water Resources Subcommittee hearing last Congress, some implementation issues related to this program were identified. Ranking Member Graves and Chair DeFazio requested that the U.S. Government Accountability Office study the program implementation; however, those issues should not prevent us from acting on this bill today.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1921, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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