S. 756 — what changed
First Step Act of 2018
From Reported in Senate to Engrossed in Senate. 2 sections amended between Reported in Senate and Engrossed in Senate.
Sec. 3 Assistance for severe marine debris events
Section 3 of the Marine Debris Act (33 U.S.C. 1952) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
“(d) Assistance for severe marine debris events
“(1) In general—At the discretion of the Administrator or at the request of the Governor of an affected State, the Administrator shall determine whether there is a severe marine debris event.
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“(2) AssistanceAssistance—If the Administrator makes a determination under paragraph (1) that there is a severe marine debris event, the Administrator is authorized to make sums available to be used by the affected State or by the Administrator in cooperation with the affected State—
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“(A) In general—If the Administrator makes a determination under paragraph (1) that there is a severe marine debris event, the Administrator is authorized to make sums available to be used by assist in the affected State or cleanup and response required by the Administrator in cooperation with the affected State—severe marine debris event; or
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“(i) “(B) to assist in conduct such other activity as the cleanup and Administrator determines is appropriate in response required by to the severe marine debris event; orevent.
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“(ii) such other activity as the Administrator determines is appropriate in response to the severe marine debris event.
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“(B) Priority assistance—In providing assistance under this paragraph, the Administrator shall prioritize assistance for activities to respond to a severe marine debris event—
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“(i) in a rural or remote community; or
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“(ii) in a habitat of national concern.
“(3) Funding
“(A) Federal share—The Federal share of the cost of an activity carried out under the authority of this subsection shall be—
“(i) if the activity is funded wholly by funds made available by an entity, including the government of a foreign country, to the Federal Government for the purpose of responding to a severe marine debris event, 100 percent of the cost of the activity; or
“(ii) for any activity other than an activity funded as described in clause (i), 75 percent of the cost of the activity.
“(B) Limitation on administrative expenses—In the case of an activity funded as described in subparagraph (A)(i), not more than 5 percent of the funds made available for the activity may be used by the Administrator for administrative expenses.”
Sec. 4 Sense of Congress on international engagement to respond to marine debris
It is the sense of Congress that the President should—
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support Federal funding for research and development development, including through the establishment of a prize competition, of bio-based and other alternatives or environmentally feasible improvements to materials that reduce municipal solid waste and its consequences in the ocean;
work with representatives of foreign countries that contribute the most to the global marine debris problem to learn about, and find solutions to, the contributions of such countries to marine debris in the world's oceans;
carry out studies to determine—
the primary means by which solid waste enters the oceans;
the manner in which waste management infrastructure can be most effective in preventing debris from reaching the oceans;
the long-term economic impacts of marine debris on the national economies of each country set out in paragraph (1) and on the global economy; and
the economic benefits of decreasing the amount of marine debris in the oceans;
work with representatives of foreign countries that contribute the most to the global marine debris problem, including land-based sources, to conclude one or more new international agreements that include provisions—
to mitigate the risk of land-based marine debris contributed by such countries reaching an ocean; and
to increase technical assistance and investment in waste management infrastructure, if the President determines appropriate; and
encourage the United States Trade Representative to consider the impact of marine debris in relevant future trade agreements.