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Great Lakes and Lake Champlain Act of 2002

Public Law 107-303 · H.R. 1070 · 107th Congress · began in the House

Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Nov 27, 2002 · Environmental Protection

Sponsor: Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-MI-3)

Cosponsors (21): Rep. Mark Kirk,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Great Lakes and Lake Champlain Program Act of 2002 - Title I: Great Lakes - Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2002 - (Sec. 102) Amends Great Lakes management provisions of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to report to Congress within one year on actions and resources necessary to oversee the Remedial Action Plans and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

(Sec. 103) Authorizes the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, acting through the Great Lakes National Program Office, to carry out projects in areas of concern that: (1) monitor or evaluate contaminated sediment; (2) implement a plan to remediate contaminated sediment; or (3) prevent further or renewed contamination of sediment.

Grants priority to projects which will use an innovative approach or can be commenced within one year.

Prohibits the Administrator from carrying out a remediation project if an evaluation of remedial alternatives (including a review of health effects) has not been conducted or if the Administrator determines that the area is likely to suffer significant further or renewed contamination from existing sources following the project's completion.

Requires commitments of continued financial support from non-Federal sponsors as a condition for implementing remediation projects.

Requires the Administrator to coordinate efforts with the Secretary of the Army and the Governors of the affected States.

Authorizes the Administrator to carry out a public information program.

(Sec. 104) States that nothing in the Great Lakes management provisions shall be construed to affect any other Federal or State authority that is being used or may be used to facilitate Great Lakes cleanup and protection.

(Sec. 105) Authorizes appropriations for FY 2004 through 2008.

(Sec. 106) Authorizes the Administrator to conduct research on innovative technologies and techniques.

Title II: Lake Champlain - Daniel Patrick Moynihan Lake Champlain Basin Program Act of 2002 - (Sec. 202) Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to establish the Lake Champlain Basin Program, incorporating, in part, the Lake Champlain Management Conference.

Authorizes the Administrator to provide support to Vermont, New York State, and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission for the implementation of the program and to coordinate actions with other appropriate Federal agencies.

Requires that the plan be reviewed at least every five years.

Authorizes the Administrator to make grants in consultation with participants in the program (rather than the Management Conference).

Includes Hamilton and Bennington Counties in the Lake Champlain watershed.

States that existing authorities remain unaffected by this program.

Authorizes appropriations for FY 2004 through 2008.

Title III: Miscellaneous - (Sec. 301) Permits a State to use FY 2003 nonpoint source management program funds (section 319 funds) for phase II of the stormwater program established by the rule "National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Regulations for Revision of the Water Pollution Control Program Addressing Storm Water Discharges."

(Sec. 302) Excludes specified reporting requirements under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act from certain requirements of the Federal Reports Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995 and the Federal Reports Elimination Act of 1998.

(Sec. 303) Repeals development of a National Health Museum.

(Sec. 304) Amends the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century to eliminate the reconstruction of the 79th Street Traffic Circle, New York City, and to include the Cross Harbor Freight Movement Project EIS, New York City.

(Sec. 305) Directs the Administrator to make at least one grant to a regional nonprofit community redevelopment organization for the establishment and operation of a center for Brownfields Excellence. Requires that such center include the transfer of technology and expertise in the redevelopment of abandoned or underutilized property that may have environmental contamination. Authorizes appropriations.

(Sec. 306) Amends the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century to include Louisiana Highway 1026 rather than Louisiana Highway 16.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 27 actions.

  1. Nov 27, 2002Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 107-303.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Nov 15, 2002PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Nov 12, 2002Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
  6. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Duncan moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.
  7. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment to H.R. 1070.
  8. Oct 17, 2002FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  9. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  10. Oct 15, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
  11. Sep 26, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
  12. Sep 5, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
  13. Sep 4, 2002FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
  14. FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  15. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  16. FloorFloor · Mr. Duncan moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  17. Jul 18, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
  18. CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  19. Jun 26, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
  20. Jun 25, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
  21. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
  22. CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
  23. Mar 21, 2001CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Technology Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  24. Mar 15, 2001CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
  25. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
  26. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  27. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.