[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5216 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5216

To direct restoration and protection efforts of the 5-State Connecticut 
            River Watershed region, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            August 15, 2023

 Mr. McGovern (for himself, Mr. Courtney, Mrs. Hayes, Ms. Balint, Ms. 
 Kuster, Mr. Neal, and Mr. Himes) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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(a).
            (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 Friends of the Silvio O. 
Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, the Connecticut River Joint 
Commissions, the Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission and its 
successor organization 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 Friends of the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and 
        Wildlife Refuge;
            (5) the Connecticut River Joint Commissions;
            (6) the Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission and 
        its successor organization 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 2023 through 2027.
    (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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