H.R. 1261

119 HR 1261 IH: Land and Water Conservation Fund Water Amendments Act of 2025
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2025-02-12
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 I  119th CONGRESS  1st Session  H. R. 1261  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   February 12, 2025   Mr. Mast  introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on Natural Resources    A BILL
To amend title 54, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to make financial assistance to States under the Land and Water Conservation Fund available for water quality projects, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Land and Water Conservation Fund Water Amendments Act of 2025  .
2.
Financial assistance to States for water quality projects
Section 200305 of title 54, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a), in the second sentence, by inserting  and water quality improvement  after  outdoor recreation ;
(2)
in subsection (d), by adding at the end the following:
(5)
Water quality
A comprehensive statewide outdoor recreation plan shall identify—
(A)
any body of water within the boundaries of the State for which a State water quality control plan has been developed pursuant to section 303(d) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1313(d) ); and
(B)
any proposed water quality project (as defined in subsection (e)(4)(A)) to be conducted with respect to a body of water that is identified under subparagraph (A).
 ; and
(3)
in subsection (e)—
(A)
in the heading, by striking
and Development of Basic Outdoor Recreation Facilities   and inserting
, Development of Basic Outdoor Recreation Facilities, and Conduct of Water Quality Projects  ;
(B)
in paragraph (1), by striking  and (3)  and inserting  , (3), and (4) ; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following:
(4)
Water quality projects
(A)
Definition of water quality project
In this paragraph, the term  water quality project  means any project identified in a State water quality control plan developed for the purpose of restoring any body of water that is identified by the State under section 303(d) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1313(d) ) as being impaired.
(B)
Financial assistance
Under paragraph (1), the Secretary may provide financial assistance for the conduct of water quality projects.
(C)
Non-federal share credit
The Secretary may credit toward the non-Federal share required under subsection (c) funds allocated by a State for the conduct of a water quality project.
(D)
Consultation
The Secretary shall consult with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in carrying out this paragraph.
(E)
Limitations
(i)
In general
In providing financial assistance to water quality projects under this paragraph, the Secretary shall only provide financial assistance to water quality projects that seek to improve water quality by improving, restoring, remediating, or developing natural hydrological systems, such as—
(I)
wetlands;
(II)
marshes;
(III)
living shorelines;
(IV)
near-shore estuarine waters; or
(V)
any other naturally occurring hydrological features the Secretary determines to be necessary for the purpose of reducing nutrient loads.
(ii)
No reimbursement
Funds made available for a water quality project under this paragraph may not be used to reimburse the cost of any water quality project that has already been completed or is otherwise fully funded.
(iii)
Effect
Nothing in this paragraph—
(I)
expands the authority of the Federal Government over nonnavigable waters; or
(II)
authorizes the Secretary to regulate the conduct of water quality projects.
 .