text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Chesapeake Bay Environmental 
  Education Pilot Program Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      Congress finds that--
              (1) increasing public environmental awareness and 
          understanding through formal environmental education and 
          meaningful bay or stream field experiences are vital parts of 
          the effort to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem;
              (2) using the Chesapeake Bay watershed as an integrating 
          context for learning can help--
                      (A) advance student learning skills;
                      (B) improve academic achievement in core academic 
                  subjects; and
                      (C)(i) encourage positive behavior of students in 
                  school; and
                      (ii) encourage environmental stewardship in school 
                  and in the community; and
              (3) the Federal Government, acting through the Secretary of 
          Education, should work with the Under Secretary for Oceans and 
          Atmosphere, the Chesapeake Executive Council, State educational 
          agencies, elementary schools and secondary schools, and 
          nonprofit educational and environmental organizations to 
          support development of curricula, teacher training, special 
          projects, and other activities, to increase understanding of 
          the Chesapeake Bay watershed and to improve awareness of 
          environmental problems.
  
  SEC. 3. CHESAPEAKE BAY ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING GRANT PILOT 
                PROGRAM.
  
      Title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
  U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
  
    ``PART D--CHESAPEAKE BAY ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING GRANT 
                               PILOT PROGRAM
  
  ``SEC. 4401. DEFINITIONS.
  
      ``In this part:
              ``(1) Bay watershed state.--The term `Bay Watershed State' 
          means each of the States of Delaware, Maryland, New York, 
          Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, and the District of 
          Columbia.
              ``(2) Chesapeake executive council.--The term `Chesapeake 
          Executive Council' has the meaning given the term in section 
          307(d) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
          Authorization Act of 1992 (15 U.S.C. 1511d(d)).
              ``(3) Eligible institution.--The term `eligible 
          institution' means--
                      ``(A) a public elementary school or secondary 
                  school located in a Bay Watershed State; and
                      ``(B) a nonprofit environmental or educational 
                  organization located in a Bay Watershed State.
              ``(4) Program.--The term `Program' means the Chesapeake Bay 
          Environmental Education and Training Grant Pilot Program 
          established under section 4402.
  
  ``SEC. 4402. CHESAPEAKE BAY ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING GRANT 
                PILOT PROGRAM.
  
      ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a grant program, 
  to be known as the `Chesapeake Bay Environmental Education and Training 
  Grant Pilot Program', to make grants to eligible institutions to pay 
  the Federal share of the cost of developing, demonstrating, or 
  disseminating information on practices, methods, or techniques relating 
  to environmental education and training in the Chesapeake Bay 
  watershed.
      ``(b) Federal Share.--The Federal share referred to in subsection 
  (a) shall be 50 percent.
      ``(c) Administration.--The Secretary may offer to enter into a 
  cooperative agreement or contract with the National Fish and Wildlife 
  Foundation established by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 
  Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.), the Under Secretary for 
  Oceans and Atmosphere, a State educational agency, or a nonprofit 
  organization that carries out environmental education and training 
  programs, for administration of the Program.
      ``(d) Use of Funds.--An eligible institution that receives a grant 
  under the Program shall use the funds made available through the grant 
  to carry out a project consisting of--
              ``(1) design, demonstration, or dissemination of 
          environmental curricula, including development of educational 
          tools or materials;
              ``(2) design or demonstration of field practices, methods, 
          or techniques, including--
                      ``(A) assessments of environmental or ecological 
                  conditions; and
                      ``(B) analyses of environmental pollution or other 
                  natural resource problems;
              ``(3) understanding and assessment of a specific 
          environmental issue or a specific environmental problem;
              ``(4) provision of training or related education for 
          teachers or other educational personnel, including provision of 
          programs or curricula to meet the needs of students in various 
          age groups or at various grade levels;
              ``(5) provision of an environmental education seminar, 
          teleconference, or workshop for environmental education 
          professionals or environmental education students, or provision 
          of a computer network for such professionals and students;
              ``(6) provision of on-the-ground activities involving 
          students and teachers, such as--
                      ``(A) riparian forest buffer restoration; and
                      ``(B) volunteer water quality monitoring at 
                  schools;
              ``(7) provision of a Chesapeake Bay or stream outdoor 
          educational experience; or
              ``(8) development of distance learning or other courses or 
          workshops that are acceptable in all Bay Watershed States and 
          apply throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
      ``(e) Required Elements of Program.--In carrying out the Program, 
  the Secretary shall--
              ``(1) solicit applications for projects;
              ``(2) select suitable projects from among the projects 
          proposed;
              ``(3) supervise projects;
              ``(4) evaluate the results of projects; and
              ``(5) disseminate information on the effectiveness and 
          feasibility of the practices, methods, and techniques addressed 
          by the projects.
      ``(f) Solicitation of Applications.--Not later than 90 days after 
  the date on which amounts are first made available to carry out this 
  part, and each year thereafter, the Secretary shall publish a notice of 
  solicitation for applications for grants under the Program that 
  specifies the information to be included in each application.
      ``(g) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under the 
  Program, an eligible institution shall submit an application to the 
  Secretary at such time, in such form, and containing such information 
  as the Secretary may require.
      ``(h) Priority in Selection of Projects.--In making grants under 
  the Program, the Secretary shall give priority to an applicant that 
  proposes a project that will develop--
              ``(1) a new or significantly improved environmental 
          education practice, method, or technique, in multiple 
          disciplines, or a program that assists appropriate entities and 
          individuals in meeting Federal or State academic standards 
          relating to environmental education;
              ``(2) an environmental education practice, method, or 
          technique that may have wide application; and
              ``(3) an environmental education practice, method, or 
          technique that addresses a skill or scientific field identified 
          as a priority by the Chesapeake Executive Council.
      ``(i) Maximum Amount of Grants.--Under the Program, the maximum 
  amount of a grant shall be $50,000.
      ``(j) Notification.--Not later than 3 days before making a grant 
  under this part, the Secretary shall provide notification of the grant 
  to the appropriate committees of Congress.
      ``(k) Regulations.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
  enactment of the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Education Pilot Program 
  Act, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations concerning 
  implementation of the Program.
  
  ``SEC. 4403. EVALUATION AND REPORT.
  
      ``(a) Evaluation.--Not later than December 31, 2009, the Secretary 
  shall enter into a contract with an entity that is not the recipient of 
  a grant under this part to conduct a detailed evaluation of the 
  Program. In conducting the evaluation, the Secretary shall determine 
  whether the quality of content, delivery, and outcome of the Program 
  warrant continued support of the Program.
      ``(b) Report.--Not later than December 31, 2010, the Secretary 
  shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress 
  containing the results of the evaluation.
  
  ``SEC. 4404. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  
      ``(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry 
  out this part $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009.
      ``(b) Administrative Expenses.--Of the amounts made available under 
  subsection (a) for each fiscal year, not more than 10 percent may be 
  used for administrative expenses.''.
target: Chesapeake Bay Environmental Education Pilot Program Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to establish a Chesapeake Bay Environmental Education Grant Pilot Program of matching grants for developing, demonstrating, or disseminating information on practices, methods, or techniques relating to environmental education and training in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. 
   Makes eligible for such grants public elementary or secondary schools and nonprofit environmental or educational organizations located in the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or West Virginia.
feat_title: A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish a pilot program to make grants to eligible institutions to develop, demonstrate, or disseminate information on practices, methods, or techniques relating to environmental education and training in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.