119-s1615

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1615 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 1615

 To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish a regional 
pilot program to enhance habitat and water availability for shorebirds, 
 waterfowl, and other wetlands-dependent birds, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 May 6, 2025

 Mr. Wyden (for himself and Mr. Crapo) introduced the following bill; 
 which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and 
 Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish a regional 
pilot program to enhance habitat and water availability for shorebirds, 
 waterfowl, and other wetlands-dependent birds, 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 ``Northwest Wetlands Voluntary 
Incentives Program Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) Columbia river basin.--The term ``Columbia River 
 Basin'' includes--
        (A) the Columbia River; and
        (B) all tributaries of the Columbia River and the 
 watersheds of those tributaries.

    (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
        (A) a Federal or State agency or unit of local 
 government;
        (B) a Tribal government or organization;
            (C) a nonprofit organization;
            (D) a conservation district;
        (E) a private landowner; and
        (F) any other entity or individual that the 
 Secretary determines to be appropriate to receive a 
 grant under the pilot program in accordance with the 
 criteria established under 

section 3

    (h) .

    (3) Habitat restoration project.--The term ``habitat 
 restoration project'' means a project described in 

section 3
            (d) .

    (4) Oregon and washington coastal zone.--The term ``Oregon 
 and Washington Coastal Zone'' means the region that covers the 
 coastal waters and adjacent land of the States of Washington 
 and Oregon, including the Puget Sound, Lower Columbia River, 
 and coastal rivers and watersheds.

    (5) Pilot program.--The term ``pilot program'' means the 
 Pacific Northwest Migratory Bird Conservation pilot program 
 established under 

section 3

    (a) .

    (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United 
 States Fish and Wildlife Service.

SEC. 3. PACIFIC NORTHWEST MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall, in coordination with 
Migratory Bird Joint Ventures, establish and carry out a voluntary 
grant and technical assistance pilot program, to be known as the 
``Pacific Northwest Migratory Bird Conservation pilot program'', to 
provide--

    (1) competitive grants to eligible entities to carry out 
 habitat restoration projects that promote the purpose of the 
 pilot program described in subsection

    (b) ; and

    (2) technical assistance in carrying out a habitat 
 restoration project using grant funds.

    (b) 

=== Purpose ===
-The purpose of the pilot program is to enhance, 
maintain, and restore habitats for shorebirds, waterfowl, and other 
wetlands-dependent birds along the Oregon and Washington Coastal Zone 
and in the Columbia River Basin, including birds that are important for 
migrating, staging, and wintering populations of waterfowl, shorebirds, 
waterbirds, and passerines.
            (c) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under the pilot 
program, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an 
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary may require, which may include a request 
for funding to cover all eligible direct and indirect costs relating to 
carrying out a habitat restoration project.
            (d) Habitat Restoration Projects.--The following projects are 
eligible to receive a grant and technical assistance under the pilot 
program:

    (1) Water infrastructure and management projects to enhance 
 and restore habitat for wetlands-dependent migratory birds.

    (2) Projects that manage or enhance vegetative habitat to 
 maximize resources for wetlands-dependent migratory birds.

    (e) Location of Projects.--An eligible entity may carry out a 
habitat restoration project on public, private, Tribal, or other land, 
determined to be appropriate by the Secretary, including agricultural 
land that provides habitats and values of benefit to wetlands-
associated migratory birds, including waterfowl, shorebirds, 
waterbirds, and passerines.

    (f) Priority.--In awarding grants under the pilot program, the 
Secretary may give priority to eligible entities that intend to carry 
out habitat restoration projects--

    (1) in locations where--
        (A) migratory bird habitat is rapidly being lost or 
 converted;
        (B) human population growth is rapid; or
            (C) sufficient public access to recreational land 
 is limited;

    (2) that include a plan for long-term operation and 
 maintenance;

    (3) that include performance or effective monitoring of 
 project goals and ecosystem services; and

    (4) in accordance with subsection
            (i) , that provide a non-
 Federal share of not less than 25 percent.

    (g) Use of Funds.--

    (1) In general.--An eligible entity that receives a grant 
 under the pilot program may use--
        (A) not more than 10 percent of grant funds to 
 determine the ecosystem service benefits of the habitat 
 restoration project to be carried out by the eligible 
 entity; and
        (B) not more than 10 percent of grant funds for 
 voluntary conservation easements related to that 
 habitat restoration project.

    (2) Timing.--
        (A) In general.--An eligible entity that receives a 
 grant under the pilot program shall use the grant funds 
 not later than 4 years after the date on which the 
 eligible entity receives the grant.
        (B) Unspent funds.--Any funds not used by an 
 eligible entity within the time period described in 
 subparagraph
        (A) shall be returned to the Secretary for 
 use in carrying out the pilot program.

    (3) Planning costs; regular operation and maintenance.--An 
 eligible entity that receives a grant under the pilot program--
        (A) may use the grant funds to carry out activities 
 relating to the planning, permitting, installing, or 
 replacing of a habitat restoration project; and
        (B) may not use the grant funds to carry out 
 regular operation and maintenance with respect to those 
 habitat restoration projects.

    (h) Criteria.--The Secretary shall, in consultation with officials 
and entities described in subparagraphs
        (A) through
        (E) of 

section 2

    (2) , establish criteria for the pilot program to help ensure that 
habitat restoration projects carried out under the pilot program 
accomplish the purpose of the pilot program described in subsection

    (b) .
            (i) Non-Federal Share Requirements.--For purposes of subsection

    (f)

    (4) , a non-Federal share provided for a grant under the pilot 
program shall meet the following requirements:

    (1) The non-Federal share is secured by the eligible entity 
 not later than 2 years before the date on which the eligible 
 entity submits an application under subsection
            (c) .

    (2) The non-Federal share--
        (A) is directly related to the applicable habitat 
 restoration project; and
        (B) includes--
            (i) cash or in-kind services;
            (ii) State or local government funding;
            (iii) private or other eligible matching 
 funds (as defined by the Secretary); or
            (iv) planning, permitting, labor, including 
 volunteer labor, appraisals, equipment rental, 
 and material costs.

    (j) Administration.--The Secretary may enter into an agreement to 
manage the pilot program with an organization that offers grant 
management services.

    (k) Restriction.--In awarding a grant to an eligible entity under 
the pilot program, the Secretary may not provide a grant to carry out a 
habitat restoration project the purpose of which is to meet existing 
environmental mitigation or compliance obligations under Federal or 
State law.
            (l) Compliance.--A habitat restoration project awarded a grant 
under the pilot program shall comply with all applicable Federal and 
State law.
            (m) Effect.--Nothing in this section--

    (1) preempts or affects any State water law or interstate 
 compact governing water; or

    (2) interferes with private property rights.

SEC. 4. 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 describing the implementation of this Act, including a 
description of each habitat restoration project that receives funding 
under the pilot program.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out the pilot program $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 
2030.

    (b) Administration.--Of the amounts made available to carry out the 
pilot program for each fiscal year, not more than 3 percent may be used 
for administrative costs of carrying out the pilot program.
            (c) Supplement, Not Supplant.--Amounts made available to carry out 
the pilot program shall supplement, and not supplant, funding for other 
activities conducted by the Secretary in an area in which a habitat 
restoration project is carried out.
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