Kinda a big deal!
S. 1232 — Introduced in Senate by Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI)
This Act may be cited as the Great Lakes Ecological and Economic Protection Act of 2013.
This Act may be cited as the Great Lakes Ecological and Economic Protection Act of 2013.
2.Great Lakes provision modifications
(a)Findings; purposeSection 118(a) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1268(a)) is amended—
(1)in paragraph (1)—
(A)by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the following:
(B)the United States should seek to attain the goals embodied in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan, the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy, and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement of 1978 (including subsequent amendments); and
(B)in subparagraph (C), by inserting , tribal, after State;
(2)by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
(2)PurposeThe purpose of this section is to achieve the goals established in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan, the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy, and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement through—
(A)improved organization and definition of mission on the part of the Agency;
(B)the funding of grants, contracts, and interagency agreements for protection, restoration, and pollution control in the Great Lakes area; and
(C)improved accountability.
(3)by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:
(3)DefinitionsIn this section:
(A)AgencyThe term Agency means the Environmental Protection Agency.
(B)Area of concernThe term area of concern means a geographic area located within the Great Lakes, in which beneficial uses are impaired and which has been officially designated as an area of concern under Annex 2 of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
(C)Great LakesThe term Great Lakes means Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Huron (including Lake St. Clair), Lake Michigan, and Lake Superior, and the connecting channels (Saint Mary's River, Saint Clair River, Detroit River, Niagara River, and Saint Lawrence River to the Canadian Border).
(D)Great Lakes mayorThe term Great lakes mayor means a mayor of a municipality located in a Great Lakes State.
(E)Great Lakes Regional Collaboration StrategyThe term Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy means the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy to Protect and Restore the Great Lakes, released on December 12, 2005, including any amendments or updates thereafter.
(F)Great Lakes StateThe term Great Lakes State means any of the States of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
(G)Great Lakes SystemThe term Great Lakes System means all the streams, rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water within the drainage basin of the Great Lakes.
(H)Great Lakes Water Quality AgreementThe term Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement means the Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality, 1978, signed at Ottawa on November 22, 1978 (30 UST 1383; TIAS 9257), between the United States and Canada.
(I)Potentially responsible partyThe term potentially responsible party means an individual or entity that may be liable under any Federal or State authority that is being used or may be used to facilitate the cleanup and protection of the Great Lakes.
(J)Program OfficeThe term Program Office means the Great Lakes National Program Office established by this section.
(K)Remedial Action PlanThe term Remedial Action Plan means a written document that embodies a systematic and comprehensive ecosystem approach to restoring and protecting the beneficial uses of areas of concern, in accordance with article VI and Annex 2 of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
(L)Site characterizationThe term site characterization means a process for monitoring and evaluating the nature and extent of sediment contamination in accordance with the guidance of the Agency for the assessment of contaminated sediment in an area of concern located wholly or partially within the United States.
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