[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 184 (Wednesday, November 30, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S6913]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





  SALINE LAKE ECOSYSTEMS IN THE GREAT BASIN STATES PROGRAM ACT OF 2021

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Committee on Environment and Public Works be discharged from further 
consideration of S. 1466 and the Senate proceed to its immediate 
consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1466) to authorize the Director of the United 
     States Geological Survey to establish a regional program to 
     assess, monitor, and benefit the hydrology of saline lakes in 
     the Great Basin and the migratory birds and other wildlife 
     dependent on those habitats, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the 
Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read 
a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made 
and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 1466) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
was read the third time, and passed as follows:

                                S. 1466

       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 ``Saline Lake Ecosystems in 
     the Great Basin States Program Act of 2021''.

     SEC. 2. SALINE LAKE ECOSYSTEMS IN THE GREAT BASIN STATES 
                   ASSESSMENT AND MONITORING PROGRAM.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the Saline Lake 
     Ecosystems in the Great Basin States Assessment and 
     Monitoring Program established under subsection (b).
       (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United 
     States Geological Survey.
       (b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a Saline 
     Lake Ecosystems in the Great Basin States Assessment and 
     Monitoring Program to assess and monitor the hydrology of 
     saline lake ecosystems in the Great Basin and the migratory 
     birds and other wildlife that depend on those ecosystems to 
     inform and support coordinated management and conservation 
     actions to benefit those ecosystems, migratory birds, and 
     other wildlife.
       (c) Work and Implementation Plan.--
       (1) In general.--Under the Program, the Secretary, in 
     coordination with the Director of the United States Fish and 
     Wildlife Service and the entities described in paragraph (2), 
     shall establish a multiyear work and implementation plan to 
     assess, monitor, and conserve saline lake ecosystems in the 
     Great Basin and the migratory birds and other wildlife that 
     depend on those ecosystems.
       (2) Coordinating entities.--The entities referred to in 
     paragraph (1) include--
       (A) Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies;
       (B) institutions of higher education;
       (C) nonprofit organizations; and
       (D) other local stakeholders.
       (3) Inclusions.--The work and implementation plan 
     established under paragraph (1) shall include--
       (A) a synthesis of available information, literature, and 
     data, and an assessment of scientific and informational 
     needs, relating to--
       (i) water quantity, water quality, water use, and water 
     demand;
       (ii) migratory bird and other wildlife populations, 
     habitats, and ecology;
       (iii) annual lifecycle needs of migratory birds; and
       (iv) environmental changes and other stressors, including 
     climatic stressors;
       (B) a description of how the plan should be implemented to 
     address the scientific and informational needs described in 
     subparagraph (A), including proposed activities, such as 
     monitoring, data infrastructure needs, and development of 
     tools necessary to implement the Program;
       (C) recommendations and a cost assessment for the 
     implementation of the plan; and
       (D) such other matters as the Secretary determines to be 
     appropriate.
       (4) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress 
     a report describing the work and implementation plan 
     established under paragraph (1).
       (d) Implementation.--The Secretary shall implement the 
     Program based on the information, findings, and 
     recommendations contained in the work and implementation plan 
     established under subsection (c).
       (e) Cooperative Agreements and Grants.--Using such sums as 
     the Secretary considers to be appropriate of amounts made 
     available for each fiscal year under subsection (g), the 
     Secretary may enter into cooperative funding agreements with, 
     or provide grants to, entities described in subsection (c)(2) 
     for the purposes of--
       (1) participating in developing, or providing information 
     to inform the development of, the work and implementation 
     plan under subsection (c);
       (2) carrying out assessments and monitoring of water 
     quality, quantity, use, and demand under the Program; and
       (3) carrying out ecological, biological, and avian 
     assessments and monitoring under the Program.
       (f) Effect.--The work and implementation plan established 
     under subsection (c)(1) shall not affect--
       (1) any interstate water compacts in existence on the date 
     of enactment of this Act, including full development of any 
     apportionment made in accordance with those compacts;
       (2) valid and existing water rights in any State located 
     wholly or partially within the Great Basin;
       (3) water rights held by the United States in the Great 
     Basin; and
       (4) the management and operation of Bear Lake or Stewart 
     Dam, including the storage, management, and release of water.
       (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out the Program $5,000,000 for 
     each of fiscal years 2022 through 2027.

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