Sponsors (10)
The bill boosts predictable funding and partnership flexibility to protect watersheds and drinking water—benefiting local utilities, farmers, and downstream communities—while limiting federal land authority and imposing cost‑share and eligibility rules that may burden small communities, raise federal spending, and constrain some land uses.
Local, regional, and municipal water systems (including farmers and irrigation districts) gain predictable federal funding to support watershed restoration projects—authorizes ~$30 million per year to enable more projects over multiple fiscal years.
Downstream communities and utilities (municipal water systems, rural towns) benefit from improved watershed health and water quality, which can reduce drinking-water treatment costs and increase supply reliability through nature‑based restoration and protections for National Forest watersheds.
Local and regional water managers (acequia associations, stormwater/wastewater entities, irrigation districts) have clearer eligibility to partner on restoration projects and can include adjacent non‑Federal lands, enabling more comprehensive watershed restoration that reduces wildfire/post‑wildfire flood risks to water supplies.
Small, cash‑strapped municipalities and disadvantaged communities may be unable to meet the required minimum 20% non‑Federal cost share, blocking their ability to access grants and complete needed restoration projects.
The Act increases federal spending (multiple sections authorize new annual funding), raising budgetary demands that could affect taxpayers or displace other federal priorities.
Some land uses and local businesses (timber, grazing, project approvals) could face new constraints on National Forests if activities risk lowering watershed condition ratings, potentially reducing economic activity in rural areas.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Expands the Forest Service Water Source Protection Program to include adjacent non‑Federal lands, new partner types, prioritized watershed resilience projects, and authorizes $30M/year for 2025–2029.
Official title: To amend the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 to reauthorize and improve the Water Source Protection Program, and for other purposes.
Introduced January 22, 2025 by Jim Costa · Last progress January 22, 2025
Expands the Forest Service’s Water Source Protection Program to let the agency plan and carry out watershed protection and restoration projects both on National Forest System land and on adjacent non‑Federal lands in the same watershed. It broadens eligible partners (including acequia associations, stormwater/wastewater entities, certain private water delivery entities, and others), establishes new project priorities (drought, wildfire and post‑fire recovery, extreme weather and flooding resilience, aquatic restoration, and partners that can leverage non‑Federal funds), and directs the Secretary to favor projects that deliver measurable water supply or quality benefits. The bill also amends the Watershed Condition Framework to prevent long‑term watershed degradation and authorizes $30 million per year for fiscal years 2025–2029 to carry out the work. The Act preserves state and interstate water law and treaty obligations and explicitly prohibits the federal government from using the authority to acquire or exert control over non‑Federal lands. Overall, it increases federal support for cooperative watershed and forest health projects intended to protect water supplies and infrastructure while protecting existing water‑law regimes and private land ownership.