[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1765 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1765
To direct restoration and protection efforts of the 5-State Connecticut
River Watershed region, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 14, 2025
Mrs. Shaheen (for herself, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Markey, Mr.
Murphy, Mr. Sanders, Ms. Warren, and Mr. Welch) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Environment and Public Works
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct restoration and protection efforts of the 5-State Connecticut
River Watershed region, 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 ``Connecticut River Watershed
Partnership Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Environmental justice community.--The term
``environmental justice community'' means a community with
significant representation of communities of color, low-income
communities, or Tribal and Indigenous communities, that
experiences, or is at risk of experiencing, higher or more
adverse human health or environmental effects.
(2) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the National
Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
(3) Grant program.--The term ``grant program'' means the
voluntary Connecticut River Watershed Partnership grant program
established under section 4(b).
(4) Program.--The term ``program'' means the nonregulatory
Connecticut River Watershed Partnership program established
under section 3(a).
(5) Restoration and protection.--The term ``restoration and
protection'' means the conservation, stewardship, and
enhancement of land and water for fish, wildlife, and people--
(A) to preserve and improve ecosystems and
ecological processes on which fish, wildlife, and
people depend; and
(B) for use and enjoyment by the public.
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United
States Fish and Wildlife Service.
(7) Tribes.--The term ``Tribes'' means Native American
groups that descend from peoples indigenous to the Watershed,
without regard to whether the groups are--
(A) recognized by the Federal Government or a
Watershed State; or
(B) non-enfranchised.
(8) Watershed.--The term ``Watershed'' means the 5-State
watershed region, including the Connecticut River and its
tributaries and all of the land area in portions of the
Watershed States whose surface water drains into the
Connecticut River.
(9) Watershed state.--The term ``Watershed State'' means
each of the States of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, and Vermont.
SEC. 3. CONNECTICUT RIVER WATERSHED PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a nonregulatory
program, to be known as the ``Connecticut River Watershed Partnership
program''.
(b) Duties.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall draw
on existing and new approved plans for the Watershed, or portions of
the Watershed, and work in consultation with applicable management
entities, including representatives of the Connecticut River Watershed
Partnership, the Connecticut River Joint Commissions, the Connecticut
River Migratory Fish Restoration Cooperative, the Federal Government,
and other State and local governments, Tribal governments or
organizations, and regional and nonprofit organizations, as
appropriate, to identify, prioritize, and implement restoration and
protection activities within the Watershed through the adoption of an
inclusive Watershed-wide strategy and framework.
(c) Consultation.--In establishing the program, the Secretary shall
consult, as appropriate, with--
(1) the heads of Federal agencies, including--
(A) the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency;
(B) the Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration;
(C) the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation
Service;
(D) the Director of the National Park Service;
(E) the Chief of Engineers of the Corps of
Engineers;
(F) the Secretary of Transportation;
(G) the Secretary of Commerce; and
(H) the head of any other applicable Federal
agency, as determined by the Secretary;
(2) the Governors of the Watershed States;
(3) Tribal governments or organizations, including Tribes;
(4) the Connecticut River Watershed Partnership;
(5) the Connecticut River Joint Commissions;
(6) the Connecticut River Migratory Fish Restoration
Cooperative;
(7) other public and quasi-public agencies and
organizations with authority for the planning and
implementation of conservation strategies in or affecting the
Watershed; and
(8) stakeholders from impacted environmental justice
communities.
(d) Purposes.--The purposes of the program are--
(1) to coordinate and collaborate on restoration and
protection activities among Federal, Tribal, State, local, and
regional entities and conservation partners throughout the
Watershed; and
(2) to carry out coordinated restoration and protection
activities in, and provide technical assistance throughout, the
Watershed--
(A) to restore, recover, and manage for sustainable
fish, wildlife, and plant populations;
(B) to sustain and enhance fish and wildlife
habitat restoration, stewardship, and protection
activities;
(C) to improve and maintain water quality to
support fish, wildlife, and fish and wildlife habitat,
including to improve opportunities for public access
and recreation in the Watershed consistent with the
ecological needs of fish and wildlife habitat;
(D) to advance the use of nature-based solutions to
maximize the resilience of communities, natural
systems, and habitats under changing sea levels, storm
risks, and watershed conditions;
(E) to support farmland conservation and food
equity, including habitat protection, climate
resilience, and carbon sequestration on working farms
and forests;
(F) to engage the public, particularly
environmental justice communities, through outreach,
education, and community involvement to increase
capacity and support for coordinated restoration and
protection activities in the Watershed;
(G) to identify, affirm, and promote the practice
and awareness of traditional Tribal river and
Watershed-related cultural practices and traditional
ecological knowledge;
(H) to improve access to open space and trails by
enhancing trails in the Watershed and on-street active
transportation, such as bike lanes, sidewalks, public
transportation, and bike share;
(I) to sustain and enhance water management for
volume and flood damage mitigation improvements to
benefit fish and wildlife habitat;
(J) to support land and water conservation and
management activities necessary to fulfill the
Watershed-wide strategy adopted under subsection (b);
(K) to monitor environmental quality to assess
progress towards the purposes of the program;
(L) to facilitate strategic planning to maximize
the resilience of natural systems and habitats under
changing watershed conditions;
(M) to improve fish and wildlife habitats,
including opportunities for personal recreation,
hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing along rivers,
particularly in environmental justice communities;
(N) to increase scientific capacity to support the
planning, monitoring, and research activities necessary
to carry out coordinated restoration and protection
activities; and
(O) to provide technical assistance to carry out
restoration and protection activities in the Watershed.
SEC. 4. CONNECTICUT RIVER WATERSHED PARTNERSHIP GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Definition of Eligible Entity.--In this section, the term
``eligible entity'' means--
(1) a State, Tribal, or local government;
(2) a nonprofit organization; and
(3) an institution of higher education (as defined in
section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1001(a))).
(b) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a voluntary grant
and technical assistance program, to be known as the ``Connecticut
River Watershed Partnership grant program'', to provide competitive
matching grants to eligible entities to carry out restoration and
protection activities for the Watershed.
(c) Criteria.--The Secretary, in consultation with the agencies,
organizations, and other individuals and entities referred to in
section 3(c), shall develop criteria for the grant program to ensure--
(1) the equitable distribution of funds; and
(2) that projects funded under the grant program accomplish
1 or more of the purposes described in section 3(d).
(d) Cost Sharing.--
(1) Federal share.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph
(B), the Federal share of the cost of a project funded
under the grant program shall not exceed 75 percent of
the total cost of the project, as determined by the
Secretary.
(B) Environmental justice communities.--
(i) In general.--Subject to clause (ii),
the Federal share of the cost of a project
funded under the grant program that serves an
environmental justice community shall be 90
percent of the total cost of the project, as
determined by the Secretary.
(ii) Waiver.--The Secretary may increase
the Federal share under clause (i) to 100
percent of the total cost of the project if the
Secretary determines that the grant recipient
is unable to pay, or would experience
significant financial hardship if required to
pay, the non-Federal share.
(2) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of the cost
of a project funded under the grant program may be provided in
cash or in the form of an in-kind contribution of services,
materials, or land value.
(e) Administration.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may enter into an agreement
to manage the grant program with the Foundation or a similar
organization that offers grant management services.
(2) Funding.--If the Secretary enters into an agreement
under paragraph (1), the Foundation or similar organization
selected shall--
(A) for each fiscal year in which the grant program
is carried out, receive amounts made available to carry
out this section for that fiscal year in an advance
payment of the entire amounts on October 1 of that
fiscal year, or as soon as practicable thereafter;
(B) invest and reinvest those amounts for the
benefit of the grant program; and
(C) otherwise administer the grant program to
support partnerships between the public and private
sectors in accordance with this Act.
(3) Requirements.--If the Secretary enters into an
agreement with the Foundation under paragraph (1), any amounts
received by the Foundation under this section shall be subject
to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act
(16 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.), excluding section 10(a) of that Act
(16 U.S.C. 3709(a)).
SEC. 5. ANNUAL REPORTS.
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act,
and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a
report on the implementation of this Act, including a description of
each project that has received funding under the grant program in the
preceding fiscal year.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the
Secretary to carry out this Act such sums as are necessary for each of
fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
(b) Use for Grant Program.--Of the amounts made available to carry
out this Act for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall use not less
than 75 percent to carry out the grant program and to provide, or
provide for, technical assistance under that grant program.
(c) Supplement, Not Supplant.--Amounts made available to carry out
this Act shall supplement, and not supplant, funding for other
activities carried out by the Secretary in the Watershed.
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