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[Senate Report 111-164]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 326
111th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 111-164
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CHESAPEAKE BAY GATEWAYS AND WATERTRAILS NETWORK CONTINUING
AUTHORIZATION ACT
_______
March 22 (legislative day, March 19), 2010.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mrs. Boxer, from the Committee on Environment and Public Works,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 479]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was
referred a bill (S. 479) to amend the Chesapeake Bay Initiative
Act of 1998 to provide for the continuing authorization of the
Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network, having
considered the same, reports favorably thereon without
amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.
General Statement and Background
Originally authorized in 1998, the Chesapeake Gateways and
Watertrails program set up a network of Chesapeake Bay-related
sites, such as parks, wildlife refuges, and trails. The
National Park Service (NPS) provides matching grants for
projects that enhance public education of and access to the
Chesapeake Bay. Visitation at Gateways sites exceeds 10 million
people annually, and the competitive grants program is
currently oversubscribed.
At the direction of Congress, the National Park Service
conducted its Chesapeake Bay Special Resource Study in 2004.
The draft study concluded that an enhanced version of the
Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network would be the most effective and
efficient way for the NPS to help protect and raise interest in
the Chesapeake Bay. The NPS has incorporated the Gateways
Network into its permanent operations.
The current authorization of the Chesapeake Gateways and
Watertrails Act expired in 2007. S. 479, the Chesapeake Bay
Gateways and Watertrails Network Continuing Authorization Act,
will make the authorization permanent.
Objectives of the Legislation
The Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network
Continuing Authorization Act amends the Chesapeake Bay
Initiative Act of 1998 to make permanent the authorization of
appropriations for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails
Network.
Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1. Short title
This section provides that this Act may be cited as the
``Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network Continuing
Authorization Act''.
Sec. 2. Authorization of appropriations
This section amends Section 502 of the Chesapeake Bay
Initiative Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 461 note; Public Law 105-312)
by making the authorization permanent.
Legislative History
On February 25, 2009, Senator Cardin introduced this
legislation, which was cosponsored by Senators Carper, Casey,
Kaufman, Mikulski, Specter, Warner, and Webb. The bill was
received, read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on
Environment and Public Works. The committee met on June 18,
2009, to consider the bill, and ordered S. 479 to be reported
favorably without amendment.
Hearings
No committee hearings were held on S. 479.
Rollcall Votes
The Committee on Environment and Public Works met to
consider S. 479 on June 18, 2009. The bill was ordered
favorably reported by voice vote. No rollcall votes were taken.
Regulatory Impact Statement
In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee finds that S. 479
does not create any additional regulatory burdens, nor will it
cause any adverse impact on the personal privacy of
individuals.
Mandates Assessment
In compliance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
(Public Law 104-4), the committee finds that S. 479 would not
impose Federal intergovernmental unfunded mandates on State,
local, or tribal governments.
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate
S. 479--Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network Continuing
Authorization Act
Summary: S. 479 would authorize funding for the Chesapeake
Bay Initiative, a program carried out by the National Park
Service (NPS) and other federal agencies to conserve resources
in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Assuming appropriation of the
necessary amounts, CBO estimates that implementing this
legislation would cost $5 million over the 2010-2014 period.
The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)
and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal
governments.
Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated
budgetary impact of S. 479 is shown in the following table. The
costs of this legislation fall within budget function 300
(natural resources and environment).
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By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
------------------------------------------------------------
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2010-2014
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CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
Estimated Authorization Level...................... 1 1 1 1 1 5
Estimated Outlays.................................. 1 1 1 1 1 5
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Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that S.
479 will be enacted near the end of 2009 and that the amounts
estimated to be necessary will be appropriated for each fiscal
year. Estimated outlays are based on historical spending
patterns for this program.
S. 479 would authorize (indefinitely) the appropriation of
whatever amounts are necessary for projects carried out under
the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998. Based on recent
appropriations for the initiative, CBO estimates that the NPS
would spend about $1 million annually under the bill, mostly
for grants to nonfederal entities. The previous authorization
of appropriations for the program, which expired at the end of
fiscal year 2008, was $3 million annually, but appropriations
have generally been about one-third of that amount each year.
Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: S. 479
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as
defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or
tribal governments. State and local governments could benefit
from grants authorized by the bill.
Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs, Deborah Reis; Impact
on State, Local, and Tribal Governments, Melissa Merrell;
Impact on the Private Sector, Amy Petz.
Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Assistant Director
for Budget Analysis.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with section 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the bill
as reported are shown as follows: Existing law proposed to be
omitted is enclosed in [black brackets], new matter is printed
in italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown
in roman:
* * * * * * *
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CHESAPEAKE BAY INITIATIVE ACT OF 1998
* * * * * * *
(a) Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network.--
(1) In general.--* * *
* * * * * * *
[(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to
be appropriated to carry out this section 3,000,000 for each of
fiscal years 1999 through 2003.]
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to
be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this
section.
* * * * * * *
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