Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Connecticut River Watershed Partnership Act

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.

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.

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)).

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.

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.