Cooperative Watershed Management Program Reauthorization Act of 2026

119 HR 7978 IH: Cooperative Watershed Management Program Reauthorization Act of 2026 U.S. House of Representatives 2026-03-18 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. I 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7978 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 18, 2026 Mr. Ciscomani (for himself and Mr. Neguse ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To reauthorize the Cooperative Watershed Management Program, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Cooperative Watershed Management Program Reauthorization Act of 2026 . 2. Cooperative watershed management program (a) Definitions Section 6001 of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 ( 16 U.S.C. 1015 ) is amended— (1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (7) as paragraphs (5) through (8), respectively; (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following: (4) Indian tribe The term Indian tribe has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act ( 25 U.S.C. 5304 ). ; and (3) in paragraph (7) (as so redesignated), in subparagraph (B)(v)— (A) in subclause (I), by striking or at the end; (B) in subclause (II), by inserting or after the semicolon; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (III) has ancestral lands within the watershed; . (b) Program Section 6002 of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 ( 16 U.S.C. 1015a ) is amended— (1) in subsection (c)— (A) in paragraph (1)(B)— (i) in clause (i), by striking interests; or and inserting interests, including Indian tribes; ; (ii) by redesignating clause (ii) as clause (iii); and (iii) by inserting after clause (i) the following: (ii) demonstrate significant need due to drought, wildfire, or other natural disaster; or ; (B) in paragraph (2)— (i) in subparagraph (A)(i), by striking $100,000 and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting $150,000 each year for a period of not less than 3 years, subject to the sufficiency of applications submitted and the availability of appropriations. ; (ii) by striking clause (iii); (iii) by redesignating clauses (iv) and (v) as clauses (iii) and (iv), respectively; and (iv) by adding at the end the following: (v) Continuation and extension (I) In general The Secretary may, at the discretion of the Secretary, issue a continuation of the first-phase grant for not more than 2 additional years if the recipient of the first-phase grant has demonstrated satisfactory performance with implementation of the proposal under the initial grant, as determined by the Secretary. (II) Amounts A grant continued pursuant to subclause (I) shall be in an amount not greater than $150,000 each year, as determined to be appropriate by the Secretary. ; (C) in paragraph (3)(B)(ii), by striking quantity. and inserting the following: “quantity, including— (I) grant writing; (II) project management; and (III) technical assistance, such as feasibility, design, preliminary environmental review, and engineering. ; and (D) by adding at the end the following: (4) Continuous enrollment The Secretary shall— (A) make funding opportunities for the program available on a regular basis; and (B) allow applications for grants under the program to be submitted and evaluated multiple times during a calendar year. ; (2) in subsection (f), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting , and make available to the public, after House of Representatives ; and (3) by striking subsection (g) and inserting the following: (g) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $40,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031. .