110 HR 3465 IH: To promote greater cooperation with local governments in U.S. House of Representatives 2007-08-04 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3465 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES August 4, 2007 Mr. Udall of Colorado introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To promote greater cooperation with local governments in connection with environmental analyses of certain water projects.

1.

Short title, findings, and purpose

(a)

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Greater Cooperation with Local Governments in Water Project Analysis Act. (b)

Findings

Congress finds the following: (1)The diversion of water from one river basin to another can have major effects on the environment and economy of affected areas. (2)The Federal Government should afford affected local governments ample opportunity to be involved with the development and implementation each of such diversion projects as cooperating agencies for purposes of the analysis of such project required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). (3)Federal agencies have not always agreed to requests by affected local governments to become cooperating agencies. (c)

Purpose

The purpose of this Act is to require that a qualified local government be treated as a cooperating agency with regard to an analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) of any water project that involves diversion of water from the basin of one river to the basin of any other river.

2.

Requirement and definitions

(a)

Requirement

Upon request of a qualified local government with regard to an analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) of any project within the scope of this Act, the Secretary concerned shall treat such government for purposes of such analysis as if such government is a Federal agency afforded the status of a cooperating agency under part 1501 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on August 1, 2007. (b)

Definitions

In this Act, the following definitions apply: (1)

Secretary concerned

The term the Secretary concerned means the Secretary of the Interior with respect to activities of the Bureau of Reclamation and the Secretary of the Army with respect to activities of the Corps of Engineers. (2)

Qualified local government

The term qualified local government, as used with respect to a project within the scope of this Act, means a county or other political subdivision of a State which has jurisdiction over any area that includes any portion of the project. (3)

Project within the scope of this Act

The term project within the scope of this Act means a water project undertaken by the Bureau of Reclamation or the Corps of Engineers that would result in initial or increased diversion of water from the basin of one river to the basin of any other river.