§ 652. Upper Mississippi River Management

(a) Short title; Congressional declaration of intent

(1) This section may be cited as the “Upper Mississippi River Management Act of 1986”.

(2) To ensure the coordinated development and enhancement of the Upper Mississippi River system, it is hereby declared to be the intent of Congress to recognize that system as a nationally significant ecosystem and a nationally significant commercial navigation system. Congress further recognizes that the system provides a diversity of opportunities and experiences. The system shall be administered and regulated in recognition of its several purposes.

(b) Definitions

For purposes of this section—

(1) the terms “Upper Mississippi River system” and “system” mean those river reaches having commercial navigation channels on the Mississippi River main stem north of Cairo, Illinois; the Minnesota River, Minnesota; Black River, Wisconsin; Saint Croix River, Minnesota and Wisconsin; Illinois River and Waterway, Illinois; and Kaskaskia River, Illinois;

(2) the term “Master Plan” means the comprehensive master plan for the management of the Upper Mississippi River system, dated January 1, 1982, prepared by the Upper Mississippi River Basin Commission and submitted to Congress pursuant to Public Law 95–502;

(3) the term “GREAT I, GREAT II, and GRRM studies” means the studies entitled “GREAT Environmental Action Team—GREAT I—A Study of the Upper Mississippi River”, dated September 1980, “GREAT River Environmental Action Team—GREAT II—A Study of the Upper Mississippi River”, dated December 1980, and “GREAT River Resource Management Study”, dated September 1982; and

(4) the term “Upper Mississippi River Basin Association” means an association of the States of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin, formed for the purposes of cooperative effort and united assistance in the comprehensive planning for the use, protection, growth, and development of the Upper Mississippi River System.

(1) Congress hereby approves the Master Plan as a guide for future water policy on the Upper Mississippi River system. Such approval shall not constitute authorization of any recommendation contained in the Master Plan.

(2) Omitted.

(d) Cooperative effort and mutual assistance among States

(1) The consent of the Congress is hereby given to the States of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin, or any two or more of such States, to enter into negotiations for agreements, not in conflict with any law of the United States, for cooperative effort and mutual assistance in the comprehensive planning for the use, protection, growth, and development of the Upper Mississippi River system, and to establish such agencies, joint or otherwise, or designate an existing multi-State entity, as they may deem desirable for making effective such agreements. To the extent required by Article I, section 10 of the Constitution, such agreements shall become final only after ratification by an Act of Congress.

(2) The Secretary is authorized to enter into cooperative agreements with the Upper Mississippi River Basin Association or any other agency established under paragraph (1) of this subsection to promote and facilitate active State government participation in the river system management, development, and protection.

(3) For the purpose of ensuring the coordinated planning and implementation of programs authorized in subsections (e) and (h)(2) of this section, the Secretary shall enter into an interagency agreement with the Secretary of the Interior to provide for the direct participation of, and transfer of funds to, the Fish and Wildlife Service and any other agency or bureau of the Department of the Interior for the planning, design, implementation, and evaluation of such programs.

(4) The Upper Mississippi River Basin Association or any other agency established under paragraph (1) of this subsection is hereby designated by Congress as the caretaker of the master plan. Any changes to the master plan recommended by the Secretary shall be submitted to such association or agency for review. Such association or agency may make such comments with respect to such recommendations and offer other recommended changes to the master plan as such association or agency deems appropriate and shall transmit such comments and other recommended changes to the Secretary. The Secretary shall transmit such recommendations along with the comments and other recommended changes of such association or agency to the Congress for approval within 90 days of the receipt of such comments or recommended changes.

(e) Program authority

(1) Authority.—

(A) In general.— The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and the States of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin, may undertake, as identified in the master plan—

(i) a program for the planning, construction, and evaluation of measures for fish and wildlife habitat rehabilitation and enhancement; and

(ii) implementation of a long-term resource monitoring, computerized data inventory and analysis, and applied research program, including research on water quality issues affecting the Mississippi River (including elevated nutrient levels) and the development of remediation strategies.

(B) Advisory committee.— In carrying out subparagraph (A)(i), the Secretary shall establish an independent technical advisory committee to review projects, monitoring plans, and habitat and natural resource needs assessments.

(2) Reports.— Not later than December 31, 2004, and not later than December 31 of every sixth year thereafter, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and the States of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin, shall submit to Congress a report that—

(A) contains an evaluation of the programs described in paragraph (1);

(B) describes the accomplishments of each of the programs;

(D) identifies any needed adjustments in the authorization of the programs.

(3) For purposes of carrying out paragraph (1)(A)(i) of this subsection, there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $22,750,000 for fiscal year 1999 and each fiscal year thereafter.

(4) For purposes of carrying out paragraph (1)(A)(ii) of this subsection, there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $10,420,000 for fiscal year 1999 and each fiscal year thereafter.

(5) Authorization of appropriations.— There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out paragraph (1)(B) $350,000 for each of fiscal years 1999 through 2009.

(6) Transfer of amounts.— For fiscal year 1999 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and the States of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin, may transfer not to exceed 20 percent of the amounts appropriated to carry out clause (i) or (ii) of paragraph (1)(A) to the amounts appropriated to carry out the other of those clauses.

(7)

(A) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a)(2) of this section, the costs of each project carried out pursuant to paragraph (1)(A)(i) of this subsection shall be allocated between the Secretary and the appropriate non-Federal sponsor in accordance with the provisions of section 2283 (e) of this title; except that the costs of operation and maintenance of projects located on Federal lands or lands owned or operated by a State or local government shall be borne by the Federal, State, or local agency that is responsible for management activities for fish and wildlife on such lands and, in the case of any project requiring non-Federal cost sharing, the non-Federal share of the cost of the project shall be 35 percent.

(B) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a)(2) of this section, the cost of implementing the activities authorized by paragraph (1)(A)(ii) of this subsection shall be allocated in accordance with the provisions of section 2283 of this title, as if such activity was required to mitigate losses to fish and wildlife.

(8) None of the funds appropriated pursuant to any authorization contained in this subsection shall be considered to be chargeable to navigation.

(f) Recreational projects authority

(1) The Secretary, in consultation with any agency established under subsection (d)(1) of this section, is authorized to implement a program of recreational projects for the system substantially in accordance with the recommendations of the GREAT I, GREAT II, and GRRM studies and the master plan reports. In addition, the Secretary, in consultation with any such agency, shall, at Federal expense, conduct an assessment of the economic benefits generated by recreational activities in the system. The cost of each such project shall be allocated between the Secretary and the appropriate non-Federal sponsor in accordance with title I of this Act [33 U.S.C. 2211 et seq.].

(2) For purposes of carrying out the program of recreational projects authorized in paragraph (1) of this subsection, there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary not to exceed $500,000 per fiscal year for each of the first 15 fiscal years beginning after November 17, 1986.

(g) Increases in lock capacity

The Secretary shall, in his budget request, identify those measures developed by the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation and any agency established under subsection (d)(1) of this section, to be undertaken to increase the capacity of specific locks throughout the system by employing nonstructural measures and making minor structural improvements.

(h) Monitoring of traffic movements

(1) The Secretary, in consultation with any agency established under subsection (d)(1) of this section, shall monitor traffic movements on the system for the purpose of verifying lock capacity, updating traffic projections, and refining the economic evaluation so as to verify the need for future capacity expansion of the system.

(2) Determination.—

(A) In general.— The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and the States of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin, shall determine the need for river rehabilitation and environmental enhancement and protection based on the condition of the environment, project developments, and projected environmental impacts from implementing any proposals resulting from recommendations made under subsection (g) of this section and paragraph (1) of this subsection.

(B) Requirements.— The Secretary shall—

(i) complete the ongoing habitat needs assessment conducted under this paragraph not later than September 30, 2000; and

(ii) include in each report under subsection (e)(2) of this section the most recent habitat needs assessment conducted under this paragraph.

(3) There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as may be necessary to carry out this subsection.

(i) Disposal of dredged material

(1) The Secretary shall, as he determines feasible, dispose of dredged material from the system pursuant to the recommendations of the GREAT I, GREAT II, and GRRM studies.

(2) The Secretary shall establish and request appropriate Federal funding for a program to facilitate productive uses of dredged material. The Secretary shall work with the States which have, within their boundaries, any part of the system to identify potential users of dredged material.

(j) Construction of second lock at locks and dam 26, Mississippi River, Alton, Illinois and Missouri

The Secretary is authorized to provide for the engineering, design, and construction of a second lock at locks and dam 26, Mississippi River, Alton, Illinois and Missouri, at a total cost of $220,000,000, with a first Federal cost of $220,000,000. Such second lock shall be one hundred and ten feet by six hundred feet and shall be constructed at or in the vicinity of the location of the replacement lock authorized by section 102 of Public Law 95–502. Section 2212 of this title shall apply to the project authorized by this subsection.

U.S. Code

§ 652. Upper Mississippi River Management