Bill Would Help Protect and Restore Presque Isle
WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced his support of the Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008 which aims to clean up contaminated expanses in the Great Lakes within ten years. Specifically, this bill would allow for additional funding to protect and restore targeted areas in the Great Lakes like Presque Isle.
“Lake Erie is an integral part of Northwestern Pennsylvania’s landscape and we must do everything we can to keep it safe and beautiful,” said Senator Casey. “This legislation will provide for funding to sustain this picturesque lake for generations to come.”
The Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008 would authorize $150 million annually to clean up what have been identified as “Areas of Concern” in the Great Lakes. These sites do not meet the water quality goals established by the United States and Canada in the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, mainly because of contaminated sediments from historic industrial activity. This contamination results in the degradation of the environment including fish advisories, decreased fish and wildlife populations, taste and odor problems with drinking water, beach closures and bird and animal deformities.
The legislation gives the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) greater flexibility to manage funds by allowing the EPA to distribute funds directly to contractors and would provide relief to states from burdensome requirements. Under this bill, eligible projects would be expanded to include habitat restoration.
The legislation was introduced by Senators Carl Levin (D-MI) and George Voinovich (R-OH).
Summary of Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008
Gives EPA the Discretion to Provide Legacy Act Funds to Demonstration and Pilot Projects: This provision would amend the definition of “eligible project” to include demonstration and pilot projects using innovative approaches, technologies and techniques for the remediation of sediment contamination. While demonstration and pilot projects are currently authorized in a separate section of the law, EPA has said that without a specific appropriation for such work, it will not fund these types of projects.
Allows Legacy Money to Be Used for Habitat Restoration: This amendment would add aquatic habitat restoration projects to the definition of “Eligible Projects.” While contaminated sediments are the primary reason why sites are listed as Areas of Concerns, there are additional issues that need to be addressed in order to be delisted.
Polluter Eligibility: This amendment would clarify that polluting parties may participate in future Legacy projects.
Maintenance of Effort: Current law requires that state resources going to a site be maintained after Legacy funds are awarded. The current law has had unintended consequences because expenditures can widely fluctuate from year to year. Rather than waste non-federal money by requiring that it be spent at the previous year’s level, the amendment would strike the requirement.
Funding Flexibility: Current law limits how the EPA may distribute Legacy funds to contractors. Unfortunately, that limitation has caused delay at various project sites when a contractor has begun work for the non-federal partner. This amendment would provide greater flexibility to the EPA by allowing them to use an existing contractor.
Authorization of Appropriations: This amendment would increase the amount authorized to be appropriated from $50 million to $150 million per year for projects. The significant increase in the authorization of appropriations is a recommendation from the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy. In that Strategy, participants calculated that $150 million per year would be needed to cleanup the contaminated sediments at the Areas of Concern within 10 years.
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“Lake Erie is an integral part of Northwestern Pennsylvania’s landscape and we must do everything we can to keep it safe and beautiful,” said Senator Casey. “This legislation will provide for funding to sustain this picturesque lake for generations to come.”
The Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008 would authorize $150 million annually to clean up what have been identified as “Areas of Concern” in the Great Lakes. These sites do not meet the water quality goals established by the United States and Canada in the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, mainly because of contaminated sediments from historic industrial activity. This contamination results in the degradation of the environment including fish advisories, decreased fish and wildlife populations, taste and odor problems with drinking water, beach closures and bird and animal deformities.
The legislation gives the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) greater flexibility to manage funds by allowing the EPA to distribute funds directly to contractors and would provide relief to states from burdensome requirements. Under this bill, eligible projects would be expanded to include habitat restoration.
The legislation was introduced by Senators Carl Levin (D-MI) and George Voinovich (R-OH).
Summary of Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008
Gives EPA the Discretion to Provide Legacy Act Funds to Demonstration and Pilot Projects: This provision would amend the definition of “eligible project” to include demonstration and pilot projects using innovative approaches, technologies and techniques for the remediation of sediment contamination. While demonstration and pilot projects are currently authorized in a separate section of the law, EPA has said that without a specific appropriation for such work, it will not fund these types of projects.
Allows Legacy Money to Be Used for Habitat Restoration: This amendment would add aquatic habitat restoration projects to the definition of “Eligible Projects.” While contaminated sediments are the primary reason why sites are listed as Areas of Concerns, there are additional issues that need to be addressed in order to be delisted.
Polluter Eligibility: This amendment would clarify that polluting parties may participate in future Legacy projects.
Maintenance of Effort: Current law requires that state resources going to a site be maintained after Legacy funds are awarded. The current law has had unintended consequences because expenditures can widely fluctuate from year to year. Rather than waste non-federal money by requiring that it be spent at the previous year’s level, the amendment would strike the requirement.
Funding Flexibility: Current law limits how the EPA may distribute Legacy funds to contractors. Unfortunately, that limitation has caused delay at various project sites when a contractor has begun work for the non-federal partner. This amendment would provide greater flexibility to the EPA by allowing them to use an existing contractor.
Authorization of Appropriations: This amendment would increase the amount authorized to be appropriated from $50 million to $150 million per year for projects. The significant increase in the authorization of appropriations is a recommendation from the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy. In that Strategy, participants calculated that $150 million per year would be needed to cleanup the contaminated sediments at the Areas of Concern within 10 years.
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