S. 1586 — what changed

Great Lakes Environmental Sensitivity Index Act of 2017

From Reported in Senate to Engrossed in Senate. 1 section amended and 1 added between Reported in Senate and Engrossed in Senate.

Section 1 Short title

added This Act may be cited as the “Great Lakes Environmental Sensitivity Index Act of 2017”.

(a)

removed Update required— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and not less frequently than once every 7 years thereafter, the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere shall update the environmental sensitivity index products of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for each coastal area of the Great Lakes.

(b)

removed Environmental sensitivity index product defined— In this subsection, the term environmental sensitivity index product means a map or similar tool that is utilized to identify sensitive shoreline, coastal or offshore, resources prior to an oil spill event in order to set baseline priorities for protection and plan cleanup strategies, typically including information relating to shoreline type, biological resources, and human use resources.

(c)

removed Authorization of appropriations—

(1)

removed In general— There is authorized to be appropriated to the Under Secretary $7,500,000 to carry out this section.

(2)

removed Availability— Amounts appropriated or otherwise made available pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be available to the Under Secretary for the purposes set forth in such paragraph until expended.

Sec. 2 Update to environmental sensitivity index products of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for Great Lakes

added

(a)

added Update required environmental sensitivity index products for Great Lakes— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere shall commence updating the environmental sensitivity index products of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for each coastal area of the Great Lakes.

(b)

added Periodic updates for environmental sensitivity index products generally— Subject to the availability of appropriations and the priorities set forth in subsection (c), the Under Secretary shall—

(1)

added periodically update the environmental sensitivity index products of the Administration; and

(2)

added endeavor to do so not less frequently than once every 7 years.

(c)

added Priorities— When prioritizing geographic areas to update environmental sensitivity index products, the Under Secretary shall consider—

(1)

added the age of existing environmental sensitivity index products for the areas;

(2)

added the occurrence of extreme events, be it natural or man-made, which have significantly altered the shoreline or ecosystem since the last update;

(3)

added the natural variability of shoreline and coastal environment; and

(4)

added the volume of vessel traffic and general vulnerability to spilled pollutants.

(d)

added Environmental sensitivity index product defined— In this subsection, the term environmental sensitivity index product means a map or similar tool that is utilized to identify sensitive shoreline, coastal or offshore, resources prior to an oil spill event in order to set baseline priorities for protection and plan cleanup strategies, typically including information relating to shoreline type, biological resources, and human use resources.

(e)

added Authorization of appropriations—

(1)

added In general— There is authorized to be appropriated to the Under Secretary $7,500,000 to carry out subsection (a).

(2)

added Availability— Amounts appropriated or otherwise made available pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be available to the Under Secretary for the purposes set forth in such paragraph until expended.