117 S2286 IS: Western Water, Jobs, and Infrastructure Act
U.S. Senate
2021-06-24
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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.
1.Short title; table of contents(a)This Act may be cited as the Western Water, Jobs, and Infrastructure Act
.(b)The table of contents for this Act is as follows:Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.TITLE I—Reclamation Rural Water Project Construction FundSec. 101. Definitions.Sec. 102. Establishment.Sec. 103. Deposits to Fund.Sec. 104. Expenditures from Fund.Sec. 105. Investments of amounts.TITLE II—Indian Water Rights Settlement Completion FundSec. 201. Indian Water Rights Settlement Completion Fund.TITLE III—Milk River ProjectSec. 301. Definitions.Sec. 302. Milk River Project rehabilitation projects.<enum>I</enum><header>Reclamation Rural Water Project Construction Fund</header><section id="id4b97388a-e7d0-49d0-a031-781b7375954b"><enum>101.</enum><header>Definitions</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this title:</text><paragraph id="id81dba96b08bd44cea4fa73b3a0193ef0"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Authorized rural water project</header><text>The term <term>authorized rural water project</term> means a project—</text><subparagraph id="id9F7C678A415449FAA5AB517EBD11CD4C"><enum>(A)</enum><text>that is designed to provide domestic, industrial, municipal, or residential water to a small community or group of small communities, including Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idB8FA89243E5F4CC8B64301D7D9EE2F2B"><enum>(B)</enum><clause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="id2A29007D4AFA4031823751BF36A4D5F3"><enum>(i)</enum><text>that is authorized to be carried out by the Secretary on or before the date of enactment of this Act; or</text></clause><clause indent="up1" id="id2EF5E1148C5540878C2192B7C0EB1F98"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>for which an Act of Congress after the date of enactment of this Act has authorized the construction of the project.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idd65c619c-a6a3-4a3a-b24b-31535d95eaa2"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Fund</header><text>The term <term>Fund</term> means the Reclamation Rural Water Project Construction Fund established by section 102.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id4cf9e9a0-4194-4ae3-ba6d-1848771e2f27"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Indian Tribe</header><text>The term <term>Indian Tribe</term> has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/25/5304">25 U.S.C. 5304</external-xref>).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id2635A2F267874263BC50C1DFC4477069" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Secretary</header><text>The term <term>Secretary</term> means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner of Reclamation. </text></paragraph></section><section id="id8f614eef-9289-4892-bd09-6936c37cd750"><enum>102.</enum><header>Establishment</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">There is established in the Treasury of the United States a fund, to be known as the <quote>Reclamation Rural Water Project Construction Fund</quote>, consisting of—</text><paragraph id="id3af5bf63-1ba6-496b-bb8c-715c6675bb08"><enum>(1)</enum><text>such amounts as are deposited in the Fund under section 103; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idfc9c0726-6f80-470c-aada-bbb951d0bc07"><enum>(2)</enum><text>any interest earned on investment of amounts in the Fund under section 105.</text></paragraph></section><section id="idd02b33a9-dfac-4ef1-8a58-d473232e02c5"><enum>103.</enum><header>Deposits to Fund</header><subsection id="idde94c50c-c257-4c87-a150-b166e9fe0abb"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>There is appropriated to the Fund, out of money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026, to remain available until September 30, 2036.</text></subsection><subsection id="id278F73940DC94689B9E825FA9509FD8E"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Availability of amounts</header><text>Amounts deposited in the Fund under subsection (a) shall—</text><paragraph id="idD249919909564EE3B6249DDFAEAD5F7C"><enum>(1)</enum><text>be made available in accordance with this title, without further appropriation; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idC73A37DD4D50420792076440A5ECD1B6"><enum>(2)</enum><text>supplements, and not supplant, amounts appropriated for authorized rural water projects under any other provision of law.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id50927AFA55004FDDAA0D36E72DCC7C28"><enum>104.</enum><header>Expenditures from Fund</header><subsection id="id249578495416427AAC6B9F5EE8ADE509"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subject to subsection (b), for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026, the Secretary may use not less than $200,000,000 of amounts available in the Fund to complete construction of authorized rural water projects.</text></subsection><subsection id="id2e841f6b-8759-443e-b9c0-cb0362b87203"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Restrictions</header><paragraph id="id994FA25C1A0E4388951A91BF170E2A5C"><enum>(1)</enum><header>No operation and maintenance costs</header><text>The Secretary shall not use any amounts from the Fund to pay for operation and maintenance costs of an authorized rural water project authorized under subsection (a).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="iddc9f1262-46c5-43c1-99ac-14bd58c5fdd7"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Conditions</header><text>The Secretary shall not expend any amounts from the Fund to carry out this section until the date on which the Secretary develops—</text><subparagraph id="id8a1eaf9b-f7ed-47ae-91d9-736af023b215"><enum>(A)</enum><text>programmatic goals to carry out this section that—</text><clause id="id83180899-1d2d-4255-b331-3ef4fe7d9420"><enum>(i)</enum><text>would enable the completion of construction of the authorized rural water projects as expeditiously as practicable; and</text></clause><clause id="id421bd167-53e7-4861-bfe4-2984a39a7431"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>reflect—</text><subclause id="idcc6b55d8-3c80-4d62-a58a-8027a06cd249"><enum>(I)</enum><text>the goals and priorities identified in the laws authorizing the authorized rural water projects; and</text></subclause><subclause commented="no" id="id91a5c2d6-f24a-4451-98fe-006073e1ceb3"><enum>(II)</enum><text>the goals of the Reclamation Rural Water Supply Act of 2006 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/43/2401">43 U.S.C. 2401 et seq.</external-xref>); and</text></subclause></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idd98ac76c-a073-44f9-8572-009f88921286"><enum>(B)</enum><text>funding prioritization criteria to serve as a methodology for distributing funds under this section that take into account—</text><clause id="idd8726705-125f-4303-8e9e-301ffe6cb020"><enum>(i)</enum><text>an evaluation of the urgent and compelling need for potable water supplies in the affected rural and Tribal communities;</text></clause><clause id="ide0328a94-7b90-4b88-8576-6b2e043467e2"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the status of the current stages of completion of the authorized rural water project;</text></clause><clause id="ide01808c7-6b26-45eb-b9d3-f6adde7b5707"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>the financial needs of the affected rural and Tribal communities;</text></clause><clause id="id219fb0e3-edc2-4543-9ddc-3fc0644e59a7"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>the potential economic benefits of the expenditures on job creation and general economic development in the affected rural and Tribal communities;</text></clause><clause id="idb7545f15-c119-4b5d-ab33-851a142fe21f"><enum>(v)</enum><text>the ability of the authorized rural water project to address regional- and watershed-level water supply needs;</text></clause><clause id="id7cbf7174-dfe1-4d8c-8ea4-783564d4f64b"><enum>(vi)</enum><text>the ability of the authorized rural water project—</text><subclause id="id297e4460-a7f3-4771-98df-685bec223e80"><enum>(I)</enum><text>to minimize water and energy consumption; and</text></subclause><subclause id="id942711bc-2224-4d89-a1ca-b9da32926968"><enum>(II)</enum><text>to encourage the development of renewable energy resources, such as wind, solar, and hydropower elements;</text></subclause></clause><clause id="id0bd6d655-fbdb-42cd-9b3e-4b61b58af56c"><enum>(vii)</enum><text>the need for the authorized rural water project to address—</text><subclause id="id19257bab-fec1-4842-95de-b4f954c648cf"><enum>(I)</enum><text>the needs of Indian Tribes and members of Indian Tribes; and</text></subclause><subclause id="id51c7df6f-85c9-49e8-b439-57072ccd7e61"><enum>(II)</enum><text>other community needs or interests; and</text></subclause></clause><clause id="idd5ee8a06-6c19-4e74-b85d-2bad09a8f258"><enum>(viii)</enum><text>such other factors as the Secretary determines to be appropriate to prioritize the use of available funds.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="IDe63cfc1ca3d9455b970ca315168da749"><enum>105.</enum><header>Investments of amounts</header><subsection id="ID2ee1a2b92e314a289509c3482a457614"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary shall invest such portion of the Fund as is not, in the judgment of the Secretary, required to meet current withdrawals.</text></subsection><subsection id="ID6360711027b14b05b9d5840160e285d5" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Credits to Fund</header><text>The interest on, and the proceeds from the sale or redemption of, any obligations held in the Fund shall be credited to, and form a part of, the Fund. </text></subsection></section><enum>II</enum><header>Indian Water Rights Settlement Completion Fund</header><section id="idad237c00b62741b2931edf009658dfed"><enum>201.</enum><header>Indian Water Rights Settlement Completion Fund</header><subsection id="id279ec26911c0492987e5c3172fd01e26"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Establishment</header><text>There is established in the Treasury of the United States a fund to be known as the <quote>Indian Water Rights Settlement Completion Fund</quote> (referred to in this section as the <quote>Fund</quote>).</text></subsection><subsection id="id38380ec61ee8412196b84735b7babea9"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Deposits</header><paragraph id="idf7c1690437964f678ef9a168ae8bdaa7"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Fund shall consist of such amounts as are appropriated to the Fund under paragraph (2).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id81290217b5524d03aac07d5c65ace42f"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Mandatory funding</header><text>On October 1, 2021, and on each October 1 thereafter through October 1, 2025, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the Secretary of the Treasury shall deposit in the Fund $400,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2036.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id47c3fad4a1204a359046f9d1da0ca283" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Uses</header><text>Amounts deposited in the Fund under subsection (b) shall be used by the Secretary of the Interior to implement any Indian water rights settlement agreement approved by Congress, including any Indian water rights settlement agreement approved by Congress after the date of enactment of this Act, that resolves, in whole or in part, litigation involving the United States, if the settlement agreement or implementing legislation requires the Bureau of Reclamation or the Bureau of Indian Affairs to provide financial assistance for, or plan, design, and construct—</text><paragraph id="id0ead76fe45c240e5aafcb34c3ef0b10b"><enum>(1)</enum><text>water supply infrastructure; or</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id2a748b92880a4b5d9b5434baaf27f49d"><enum>(2)</enum><text>a project—</text><subparagraph id="idbb46bad010424d7191344851c206f5e8"><enum>(A)</enum><text>to rehabilitate a water delivery system to conserve water; or</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ide2e1c43661c7476fb5b3e3a71e9e2579"><enum>(B)</enum><text>to restore fish and wildlife habitat or otherwise improve environmental conditions associated with or affected by, or located within the same river basin as, a Federal reclamation project that is in existence on the date of enactment of this Act. </text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><enum>III</enum><header>Milk River Project</header><section id="id2509284622154CD2B412B3AF9AE3DCD9"><enum>301.</enum><header>Definitions</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this title:</text><paragraph id="ide7c397ef5f1847799aafbc0381f832c2"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Milk river project</header><subparagraph id="id7f30cd7ddc444e3b9c3a6186472a36e6"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The term <term>Milk River Project</term> means the Bureau of Reclamation project conditionally approved by the Secretary on March 14, 1903, pursuant to the Act of June 17, 1902 (32 Stat. 388, chapter 1093), commencing at Lake Sherburne Reservoir and providing water to a point approximately 6 miles east of Nashua, Montana.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id7e861c1839cc4cae9ea59fd937343921"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Inclusions</header><text>The term <term>Milk River Project</term> includes the St. Mary Unit.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idf537ce68be1b4bbebea79a25ccfa1a15"><enum>(2)</enum><header>St. mary unit</header><subparagraph id="idfbf07dc8462e40508396f696d40edba4"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The term <term>St. Mary Unit</term> means the St. Mary Storage Unit of the Milk River Project authorized by Congress on March 25, 1905.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id12ea6d1dfab345e3823c0d20be0b502d"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Inclusions</header><text>The term <term>St. Mary Unit</term> includes—</text><clause id="id7e231e0d93de491f9929211d77f8356e"><enum>(i)</enum><text>Sherburne Dam and Reservoir;</text></clause><clause id="id80a34f3af20e479eaf65b6652211ca13"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>Swift Current Creek Dike;</text></clause><clause id="idcd5c9284f0e84c9dbf56ca316828f4fb"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>Lower St. Mary Lake;</text></clause><clause id="idff124a850fa14eab894d31b65174d4f9"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>St. Mary Canal Diversion Dam; and</text></clause><clause id="id3efbaf2362e745a5b0106988c7e10db1"><enum>(v)</enum><text>St. Mary Canal and appurtenances. </text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id447BB50514234EE2A4AD1A73EF3FDDC5"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Secretary</header><text>The term <term>Secretary</term> means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner of Reclamation. </text></paragraph></section><section id="id9A436F81781249E79D5E59D3482E6E31"><enum>302.</enum><header>Milk River Project rehabilitation projects</header><subsection id="id1EF1DB17867B492C8E484BD1B270BC48"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Authorization of rehabilitation projects</header><text>The Secretary shall use amounts made available under subsection (d) to carry out projects to rehabilitate the Milk River Project, including projects—</text><paragraph id="id49C59BFD1BBE4E54860660ACF448D6B6"><enum>(1)</enum><text>to rehabilitate or replace aging or damaged infrastructure;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id8AB55B7FAF7644AC9BE41B84228D377C"><enum>(2)</enum><text>to improve the efficiency of the Milk River Project;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id9F69F72623C147D3BBF5069B70C32008"><enum>(3)</enum><text>to protect fish and wildlife; and </text></paragraph><paragraph id="idC9BB91D53C934CD4B51432DC90C9090F"><enum>(4)</enum><text>to protect municipal, agricultural, and Tribal water supplies. </text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idD6CC235782FB4ACAAD334A9A7AC89340"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Federal share</header><text>Notwithstanding any other provision of law and subject to subsection (c), the Federal share of the cost of a project carried out under subsection (a) shall be 100 percent.</text></subsection><subsection id="idE8457D17CB1A4BB1BF0F2E0815321AA9"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Voluntarily contributions</header><text>Notwithstanding subsection (b), a non-Federal partner may voluntarily contribute to the costs of a project carried out under this section.</text></subsection><subsection id="id16E70E6B493844E0A9EE90D903090D9D"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Funding</header><text>In addition to amounts otherwise made available, there is appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section, out of any amounts in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2022, to remain available until expended. </text></subsection></section>