II
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3555
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 24 (legislative day, September 17), 2008
Mr. Levin (for himself and Ms. Stabenow) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
A BILL
To establish a pilot program to provide for the preservation and rehabilitation of historic lighthouses.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the
National Lighthouse Stewardship Act of
2008
.
Funding for historic lighthouse preservation
Title III of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470w et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
National lighthouse stewardship pilot program
Definitions
In this section:
Eligible entity
The term eligible entity means a State, unit of local government, or nonprofit organization that—
provides financial assistance and grants to local governmental units and nonprofit organizations to preserve and maintain historic lighthouse structures;
owns a lighthouse that is listed or eligible for listing on the National Register; or
has a right to maintain and rehabilitate a lighthouse described in subparagraph (B) that is owned by the Federal Government.
Fund
The term Fund means the National Lighthouse Stewardship Fund established by subsection (c)(1).
Lighthouse stewardship pilot program
In general
The Secretary shall establish a 3-year pilot program under which the Secretary shall use amounts made available under subsection (c)(3) to provide grants to eligible entities to preserve and rehabilitate historic lighthouse structures.
Distribution to eligible entities
Application
To be eligible for a grant under this subsection, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such form and manner, and including such information as the Secretary may require.
Approval or disapproval
Based on criteria established by the Secretary, the Secretary shall approve or disapprove an application submitted under subparagraph (A).
Availability of grant funds
In general
On approval of an application under subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall make the grant funds available to the eligible entity.
Use of existing funds
To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall provide funding through existing lighthouse grant programs administered by State governments.
National lighthouse stewardship fund
Establishment
There is established in the Treasury of the
United States a fund, to be known as the National Lighthouse Stewardship
Fund
, consisting of such amounts as are appropriated to the Fund under
paragraph (2).
Transfers to Fund
There are appropriated to the Fund, out of funds of the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, amounts equivalent to amounts collected as taxes and received in the Treasury under section 60301 of title 46, United States Code, but not more than $20,000,000 for any 1 fiscal year.
Use of fund
The Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer amounts deposited in the Fund for each fiscal year to the Secretary to provide grants to eligible entities in States based on the ratio that—
the total number of lighthouses in the State; bears to
the total number of lighthouses in the Inventory of Historic Light Stations prepared by the Secretary.
Availability
Amounts in the Fund shall remain available until expended, without fiscal year limitation.
.