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Allows the Secretary to provide federal financial assistance to State "water quality projects" that are identified in statewide outdoor recreation plans. It defines eligible projects, permits State spending to count toward non‑Federal cost‑share, and requires consultation with the EPA Administrator. The change limits funding to projects that protect or restore natural hydrology and other clearly defined water‑quality actions. The amendment aims to link water quality restoration to outdoor recreation planning so States can access federal help for eligible restoration, stormwater, and natural‑system projects while ensuring coordination with EPA and established planning processes.
Amend Section 200305(a) of title 54 by inserting text into the second sentence after a semicolon (text of insertion not shown in this excerpt).
Add subsection (d)(5) requiring a comprehensive statewide outdoor recreation plan to identify any body of water for which a State water quality control plan has been developed under Clean Water Act section 303(d).
Add subsection (d)(5) requiring the plan to identify any proposed water quality project (as defined in subsection (e)(4)(A)) to be conducted with respect to a body of water identified under subparagraph (A).
Amend the heading of subsection (e) (text replaced but specific new heading text not shown in this excerpt).
Amend subsection (e)(1) to change cross-references by adding reference to new paragraph (4).
Primary effects will fall on State governments, local governments, and public water infrastructure operators. States gain a new, explicit avenue for federal support of projects that both improve water quality and are incorporated into statewide outdoor recreation plans; that encourages cross‑sector planning between recreation, conservation, and water agencies. Local governments and public water systems can benefit from increased funding access and from State match crediting, which reduces their up‑front matching burden and can accelerate project starts (stormwater retrofits, wetland restoration, natural hydrologic reconnection).
Environmental and conservation organizations may see more opportunities to partner on multi‑benefit restoration projects, and outdoor recreation businesses and users can benefit from healthier waters and improved natural areas. Requiring EPA consultation should help align projects with existing water quality standards and federal pollution‑reduction programs, but it may add interagency review steps. Because the amendment ties eligibility to inclusion in statewide outdoor recreation plans, State planning offices and recreation planners will play a larger role in prioritizing and packaging projects for federal assistance, which could shift some project selection toward multi‑purpose recreation/restoration projects. The amendment does not itself appropriate funds, so the real-world impact depends on subsequent appropriations and agency guidance; absent funding, the authority expands options but does not by itself deliver money.
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Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Introduced February 12, 2025 by Brian Jeffrey Mast · Last progress February 12, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Introduced in House