[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5011 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 641
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5011
To establish the Integrated Water Management Federal Leadership
Committee, to provide for improved drought resilience and dam safety,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 10, 2024
Mr. Padilla introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
November 21, 2024
Reported by Mr. Manchin, without amendment
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Integrated Water Management Federal Leadership
Committee, to provide for improved drought resilience and dam safety,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Sacramento River Improvement and
Vitality for Ecosystem Restoration Act of 2024'' or the ``Sacramento
RIVER Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. INTEGRATED WATER MANAGEMENT FEDERAL LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE FOR
ASSISTING HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Committee.--The term ``Committee'' means the Integrated
Water Management Federal Leadership Committee established under
subsection (b).
(2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means an
entity or qualified partner sponsoring a habitat restoration
project in a watershed in which a Bureau of Reclamation project
is located that receives a grant, cooperative agreement, or
other financial assistance agreement from the Secretary.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(b) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date on which
an eligible entity submits to the Secretary a request for the
establishment of the Integrated Water Management Federal Leadership
Committee, the Secretary may establish the Integrated Water Management
Federal Leadership Committee.
(c) Chairperson.--The Assistant Secretary for Water and Science of
the Department of the Interior shall--
(1) serve as the chairperson of the Committee; and
(2) coordinate the activities of, and communication among,
members of the Committee.
(d) Membership.--The Committee shall include representatives of
Federal agencies, as appropriate, with responsibility for water and
natural resource issues, including representatives of--
(1) the Bureau of Reclamation;
(2) the United States Fish and Wildlife Service;
(3) the National Marine Fisheries Service;
(4) the Corps of Engineers;
(5) the Environmental Protection Agency; and
(6) the Department of Agriculture.
(e) Duties and Responsibilities.--The members of the Committee
shall establish the duties and responsibilities of the Committee,
including--
(1) facilitating communication and collaboration among
Federal agencies to support and advance any habitat restoration
projects for which an eligible entity requests the assistance
of the Committee;
(2) ensuring the effective coordination among relevant
Federal agencies and departments to ensure accelerated
implementation of any habitat restoration projects for which an
eligible entity requests the assistance of the Committee;
(3) making policy and budgetary recommendations, if
determined to be appropriate by the Committee, to support the
implementation of habitat restoration projects; and
(4) reporting biannually to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural
Resources of the House of Representatives on actions taken by,
and recommendations of, the Committee under paragraphs (1)
through (3).
(f) Project Assistance.--On request of an eligible entity, the
Committee shall assist the eligible entity with permit processing and
interagency coordination with respect to the applicable habitat
restoration project.
SEC. 3. USE OF REVENUE FOR DROUGHT RESILIENCE INVESTMENTS,
EXTRAORDINARY MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES, OR DAM SAFETY
INVESTMENTS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Dam safety investment.--The term ``dam safety
investment'' means a project to satisfy dam safety standards--
(A) under the Federal Guidelines for Dam Safety
issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency or
the Interagency Committee on Dam Safety;
(B) under the Bureau of Reclamation Dam Safety
Program carried out under the Reclamation Safety of
Dams Act of 1978 (43 U.S.C. 506 et seq.), including
repayment of an obligation for a corrective action
taken pursuant to that program; or
(C) required by the State for a non-Federal dam in
which a Bureau of Reclamation project or facility is
located.
(2) Drought resilience investment.--The term ``drought
resilience investment'' means an improvement or addition to an
eligible facility that would increase drought resilience in a
Reclamation State.
(3) Eligible facility.--The term ``eligible facility''
means--
(A) a project or facility owned by the Bureau of
Reclamation; and
(B) a non-Federal facility that stores, transports,
or delivers water to or from a Bureau of Reclamation
project or facility.
(4) Eligible temporary transfer.--The term ``eligible
temporary transfer'' means the temporary and voluntary selling,
leasing, or exchanging of water or water rights among
individuals or agencies that is allowable under the reclamation
laws and the water law of the applicable State.
(5) Extraordinary maintenance activity.--The term
``extraordinary maintenance activity'' means annual payments on
repayment obligations incurred under section 9603 of the
Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (43 U.S.C. 510b).
(6) Transferor.--The term ``transferor'' means the holder
of a water service, transferred works, water repayment, or
other contract that entitles the holder to water from a Bureau
of Reclamation project or facility that undertakes an eligible
temporary transfer.
(b) Use of Revenue for Drought Resilience Investments,
Extraordinary Maintenance Activities, or Dam Safety Investments.--
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding the Act of February 25,
1920 (41 Stat. 451, chapter 86; 43 U.S.C. 521), or subsection J
of section 4 of the Act of December 5, 1924 (43 Stat. 703,
chapter 4; 43 U.S.C. 526), a transferor may retain all amounts
derived from an eligible temporary transfer that would
otherwise be deposited in the reclamation fund established by
the first section of the Act of June 17, 1902 (32 Stat. 388,
chapter 1093; 43 U.S.C. 391), in accordance with this section.
(2) Use of funds.--Any funds retained by a transferor under
paragraph (1) may be used on completion of the repayment of
capital, if the funds are--
(A) used for a drought resilience investment,
extraordinary maintenance activity, or dam safety
investment; or
(B) placed in the reserve account of the
transferor, to be used for future drought resilience
investments, extraordinary maintenance activities, or
dam safety investments, subject to paragraph (3).
(3) Transfer of unused funds to reclamation fund.--Any
funds placed in the reserve account of the transferor pursuant
to paragraph (2)(B) that are not used for drought resilience
investments, extraordinary maintenance activities, or dam
safety investments by the date that is 10 years after the date
of the placement shall be transferred to the reclamation fund
established by the first section of the Act of June 17, 1902
(32 Stat. 388, chapter 1093).
(4) Reporting.--The transferor shall report to the
Commissioner of Reclamation on the use of any uses of funds
derived from an eligible temporary transfer.
(5) Effect of section.--
(A) In general.--Nothing in this section--
(i) affects any other authority of the
Secretary of the Interior to use amounts
derived from revenues from a Bureau of
Reclamation project; or
(ii) creates, impairs, alters, or
supersedes a State water right.
(B) Applicable law.--Any eligible temporary
transfer shall comply with all applicable--
(i) State water laws;
(ii) Federal laws and policies; and
(iii) interstate water compacts.
(c) Reclamation Laws.--This section supplements and amends the Act
of June 17, 1902 (32 Stat. 388, chapter 1093), and Acts supplemental to
and amendatory of that Act (43 U.S.C. 371 et seq.).
Calendar No. 641
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5011
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Integrated Water Management Federal Leadership
Committee, to provide for improved drought resilience and dam safety,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
November 21, 2024
Reported without amendment