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Great Lakes Water Protection Act

Introduced: January 25, 2011 See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jan 25, 2011
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S222-223)
Jan 25, 2011
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S222)
Jan 25, 2011
Introduced in Senate
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Great Lakes Water Protection Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to prohibit publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) from intentionally diverting waste streams to bypass any portion of the treatment facility if the diversion results in a discharge into the Great Lakes unless: (1) the bypass is unavoidable to prevent loss of life, personal injury, or severe property damage; (2) there is no feasible alternative; and (3) the treatment works provides notice; or (4) the bypass does not cause effluent limitations to be exceeded and is for essential maintenance to ensure efficient operation of the treatment facility.

Requires: (1) such notice to be provided to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (or to a state with an approved permit program) prior to an anticipated bypass or by no later than 24 hours after the time at which the POTW first becomes aware of an unanticipated bypass; and (2) follow-up notice regarding the cause and duration of, volume of discharge resulting from, and public access areas affected by an unanticipated bypass.

Includes among prohibited bypasses those resulting in discharges from a POTW that consist of effluent routed around treatment units and blended with effluent from treatment units prior to discharge.

Directs the Administrator to establish procedures to ensure that permits issued to POTWs under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System include requirements to implement this Act.

Provides an increased maximum civil penalty for violations occurring on or after January 1, 2031.

Applies the prohibition on diverting waste streams to a bypass occurring after the last day of the one-year period beginning on the date of this Act's enactment.

Establishes the Great Lakes Cleanup Fund from which amounts shall be provided for improving wastewater discharges.

What's happening now January 25, 2011

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S222-223)

 Committees of jurisdiction 1