§ 1269. Long Island Sound
(a)
Office of Management Conference of the Long Island Sound Study
The Administrator shall continue the Management Conference of the Long Island Sound Study (hereinafter referred to as the “Conference”) as established pursuant to section
1330 of this title, and shall establish an office (hereinafter referred to as the “Office”) to be located on or near Long Island Sound.
(b)
Administration and staffing of Office
The Office shall be headed by a Director, who shall be detailed by the Administrator, following consultation with the Administrators of EPA regions I and II, from among the employees of the Agency who are in civil service. The Administrator shall delegate to the Director such authority and detail such additional staff as may be necessary to carry out the duties of the Director under this section.
(c)
Duties of Office
The Office shall assist the Management Conference of the Long Island Sound Study in carrying out its goals. Specifically, the Office shall—
(1)
assist and support the implementation of the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for Long Island Sound developed pursuant to section
1330 of this title, including efforts to establish, within the process for granting watershed general permits, a system for promoting innovative methodologies and technologies that are cost-effective and consistent with the goals of the Plan;
(2)
conduct or commission studies deemed necessary for strengthened implementation of the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan including, but not limited to—
(G)
water quality requirements to sustain fish, shellfish, and wildlife populations, and the use of indicator species to assess environmental quality,
(4)
coordinate activities and implementation responsibilities with other Federal agencies which have jurisdiction over Long Island Sound and with national and regional marine monitoring and research programs established pursuant to the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act [16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq., 1447 et seq.; 33 U.S.C. 1401 et seq., 2801 et seq.];
(6)
collect and make available to the public publications, and other forms of information the conference determines to be appropriate, relating to the environmental quality of Long Island Sound;
(7)
not more than two years after the date of the issuance of the final Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for Long Island Sound under section
1330 of this title, and biennially thereafter, issue a report to the Congress which—
(A)
summarizes the progress made by the States in implementing the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan;
(8)
convene conferences and meetings for legislators from State governments and political subdivisions thereof for the purpose of making recommendations for coordinating legislative efforts to facilitate the environmental restoration of Long Island Sound and the implementation of the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan.
(d)
Grants
(1)
The Administrator is authorized to make grants for projects and studies which will help implement the Long Island Sound Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. Special emphasis shall be given to implementation, research and planning, enforcement, and citizen involvement and education.
(2)
State, interstate, and regional water pollution control agencies, and other public or nonprofit private agencies, institutions, and organizations held to be eligible for grants pursuant to this subsection.
(3)
Citizen involvement and citizen education grants under this subsection shall not exceed 95 per centum of the costs of such work. All other grants under this subsection shall not exceed 50 per centum of the research, studies, or work. All grants shall be made on the condition that the non-Federal share of such costs are provided from non-Federal sources.
(e)
Assistance to distressed communities
(f)
Authorizations