PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jul 14, 2003
Great Lakes Environmental Restoration Act - Establishes a Great Lakes Environmental Restoration Grant Program in the Great Lakes National Program Office of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Allocates funds among the Great Lakes States, requiring the funding of at least one project or activity per Great Lakes State per fiscal year. Stipulates that these projects result in tangible improvements in the Great Lakes watershed and address at least one of the priority issues identified by the Great Lakes Environmental Restoration Advisory Board.
Prohibits the use of restoration grant funds for: (1) roads not connected with a sewer upgrade; (2) research, monitoring or beautification projects unrelated to tangible improvements to the watershed; or (3) litigation and lobbying expenses.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Establishes the Great Lakes Environmental Restoration Advisory Board which includes Federal, State, and local members as well as Canadian and environmental organization observers.
Establishes the Great Lakes Federal Coordinating Council.
Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to require the Administrator of EPA to: (1) develop and implement science-based indicators of water quality and related environmental factors in the Great Lakes, including measures of accumulated toxic pollutants; (2) establish a Federal network to regularly monitor and collect this data; and (3) make a report available to Congress and the public describing the water quality and related environmental factors of the Great Lakes.
People & committees
Sen. DeWine, Mike [R-OH] · R–OH
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9330-9332)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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