[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5753 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5753

 To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Yuma 
        East Wetlands Project in the vicinity of Yuma, Arizona.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 14, 2002

  Mr. Pastor introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                         Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Yuma 
        East Wetlands Project in the vicinity of Yuma, Arizona.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF YUMA EAST WETLANDS PROJECT.

    The Secretary of the Interior shall, subject to the availability of 
appropriations and in accordance with all applicable law and acting 
through the Commissioner of the Bureau Reclamation and subject to the 
cost-sharing requirements described in section 3 and other provisions 
of this Act, provide financial assistance and otherwise participate in 
the planning, design, and construction of the Yuma East Wetlands 
Project along the Colorado River in the vicinity of Yuma, Arizona.

SEC. 2. PROJECT PURPOSES.

    The purposes of the project include--
            (1) restoration of wetlands and riparian habitat;
            (2) revegetation of riparian areas; and
            (3) providing river access and opportunities for recreation 
        and environmental education.

SEC. 3. COST-SHARING.

    Before obligating or expending Federal funds for construction of 
the Yuma East Wetlands Project, the Commissioner of the Bureau of 
Reclamation shall enter into cost-sharing agreements with local project 
sponsors to ensure that Federal expenditures for the project are 
limited to an appropriate share of the total costs of the project.

SEC. 4. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE.

    No Federal funds may be used to pay operation and maintenance costs 
associated with the Yuma East Wetlands Project, except those operation 
and maintenance costs directly attributable to the responsibilities of 
the Secretary of the Interior for long-term environmental restoration 
on the Colorado River.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the 
Interior $9,000,000 for the planning, design, and construction of the 
Yuma East Wetlands Project. Amounts appropriated under this section may 
remain available until expended.

SEC. 6. APPROVAL OF PROJECT DESIGNS.

    No Federal funds may be obligated or expended for construction of 
the Yuma East Wetlands Project until the Secretary of the Interior has 
approved final designs.

SEC. 7. CONSUMPTIVE USE OF COLORADO RIVER WATER.

    Local project sponsors shall bear full responsibility for any 
Colorado River water consumptively used by the Yuma East Wetlands 
Project, as determined by the Secretary of the Interior.

SEC. 8. LONG-TERM MONITORING.

    Long-term monitoring of the effectiveness of the Yuma East Wetlands 
Project in restoring habitat values and meeting the other purposes of 
the project shall be the responsibility of local project sponsors and 
the Secretary of the Interior in consultation with the Lower Colorado 
River Multi-Species Conservation Program.

SEC. 9. APPLICATION OF EXPENDITURES TO FEDERAL COST SHARE FOR LONG-TERM 
              ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION.

    Federal funds expended for the Yuma East Wetlands Project may be 
counted against the Federal cost-sharing obligation for long-term 
environmental restoration on the Colorado River.
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