H.R. 2977

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2977 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2977

To establish the Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience 
Initiative to carry out projects for the protection and restoration of 
the Mississippi River Corridor, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 21, 2025

Ms. McCollum introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the 
Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To establish the Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience 
Initiative to carry out projects for the protection and restoration of 
the Mississippi River Corridor, 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 ``Mississippi River Restoration and 
Resilience Initiative Act'' or the ``MRRRI Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

It is the purpose of this Act to establish the Mississippi River 
Restoration and Resilience Initiative to protect and restore the 
ecological health and resilience of the Mississippi River for current 
and succeeding generations of Americans and for the fish and wildlife 
that rely on the Mississippi River and its floodplain. The MRRRI is a 
nonregulatory initiative that will build upon existing efforts and 
provide funding for projects and activities to protect and restore the 
nationally significant resources of the Mississippi River by--
(1) establishing the Mississippi River National Program 
Office;
(2) establishing the focus areas and identifying qualifying 
activities for MRRRI programs and projects;
(3) directing the development of actionable goals, an 
action plan, and a science plan, and regular updates to such 
plans, to guide the MRRRI and ensuring the integration of the 
MRRRI with other Federal, State, Tribal, and local programs;
(4) establishing criteria for measuring the success of the 
MRRRI in restoring the ecological health and resilience of the 
Mississippi River;
(5) requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to 
coordinate and consult with Federal and non-Federal 
stakeholders to implement the MRRRI; and
(6) establishing the Mississippi River Corridor Research 
Centers.

SEC. 3. MISSISSIPPI RIVER RESTORATION AND RESILIENCE INITIATIVE.

Title I of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 127. MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Agency.--The term `Agency' means the Environmental 
Protection Agency.
``(2) Hypoxia task force.--The term `Hypoxia Task Force' 
means the Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force 
established pursuant to section 603 of the Harmful Algal Bloom 
and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 4001).
``(3) MRRRI.--The term `MRRRI' means the Mississippi River 
Restoration and Resilience Initiative established by this 
section.
``(4) Program office.--The term `Program Office' means the 
Mississippi River National Program Office established by this 
section.
``(5) MRRRI director.--The term `MRRRI Director' means the 
Director of the Mississippi River National Program Office 
established under this section.
``(6) Mississippi river corridor.--The term `Mississippi 
River Corridor' means the portions of the Mississippi River 
watershed (including tributary watersheds) located in a 
Mississippi River State.
``(7) Mississippi river state.--The term `Mississippi River 
State' means Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, 
Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, or Wisconsin.
``(8) Tribal government.--The term `Tribal government' 
means the recognized governing body of an any Indian tribe, 
band, nation, pueblo, village, community, component band, or 
component reservation, individually identified (including 
parenthetically) in the list published pursuant to section 104 
of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 
U.S.C. 5131).
``(9) Tribal organization.--The term `Tribal organization' 
has the meaning given such term in section 4 of the Indian 
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
5304).
``(10) Relevant federal agency.--The term `relevant Federal 
agency' means any of the following agencies:
``(A) The Department of Agriculture--
``(i) the Natural Resources Conservation 
Service; and
``(ii) the Forest Service.
``(B) The Department of the Interior, including--
``(i) the Bureau of Indian Affairs;
``(ii) the United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service;
``(iii) the United States Geological 
Survey; and
``(iv) the National Park Service.
``(C) The Corps of Engineers.
``(D) The Federal Emergency Management Agency.
``(E) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration.
``(F) The Coast Guard.
``(G) Any other Federal agency the MRRRI Director 
determines is relevant.
``(b) Mississippi River National Program Office.--
``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall establish a 
Mississippi River National Program Office within the Agency to 
carry out the Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience 
Initiative.
``(2) Location.--The Program Office shall be located in a 
Mississippi River State.
``(3) Director.--The Program Office shall be headed by a 
Director, appointed by the Administrator, who has management 
experience and technical expertise relating to the Mississippi 
River and who is highly qualified to direct the development of 
programs and plans on a variety of issues related to 
restoration of the Mississippi River.
``(4) Functions.--The MRRRI Director shall--
``(A) coordinate actions of the Agency that seek to 
protect and restore the Mississippi River Corridor;
``(B) develop, implement, and update the MRRRI, 
actionable goals, and action plan required by this 
section, in coordination with relevant Federal agencies 
and non-Federal entities;
``(C) document information and updates related to 
the development and implementation of the MRRRI, 
actionable goals, and action plan and make such 
information and updates available to the public, 
including on a public website;
``(D) facilitate engagement and consultation with 
Tribal governments and Tribal organizations to ensure 
Tribal needs and priorities are solicited early and 
throughout the development of the actionable goals and 
action plan required by this section;
``(E) work cooperatively with the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs and other Federal agencies to carry out 
subparagraph (D); and
``(F) submit to Congress, and make available on a 
public website, an annual report describing--
``(i) progress made in implementing the 
MRRRI;
``(ii) the coordination of the MRRRI with 
other Federal, State, Tribal, and local 
programs;
``(iii) any funds transferred to relevant 
Federal agencies under this section;
``(iv) any grants awarded under this 
section; and
``(v) specific projects and activities 
carried out pursuant to this section.
``(5) Agreements.--In carrying out paragraph (4), the MRRRI 
Director may enter into agreements, as applicable, with 
relevant Federal agencies and non-Federal entities.
``(6) Tribal liaison.--The MRRRI Director shall appoint a 
Tribal Liaison within the Program Office to ensure enhanced 
interagency technical support, communication, and coordination 
with Tribal governments, Tribal organizations, and Tribal 
stakeholders, and to carry out other duties as determined 
necessary to meet the needs of Tribes.
``(c) Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience Initiative.--
``(1) Establishment.--There is established within the 
Agency the Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience 
Initiative to implement projects for systemic, large-scale 
restoration of the Mississippi River Corridor.
``(2) Focus areas.--Any project or activity carried out 
under this section shall address at least 1 of the following 
focus areas:
``(A) The improvement of water quality in the 
Mississippi River Corridor and drinking water quality 
in the Mississippi River States by--
``(i) reducing the amount of polluted 
runoff, excess agricultural nutrients, and 
sediment in the Mississippi River Corridor; and
``(ii) improving source water protections.
``(B) The improvement of community resilience 
throughout the Mississippi River Corridor by restoring 
the ability of the Mississippi River floodplain, 
riverine wetlands, delta and coastal wetlands, and 
backwaters to minimize and ameliorate flood and storm 
risks.
``(C) The protection and restoration of fish and 
wildlife habitat in and along the Mississippi River 
Corridor.
``(D) The prevention of the spread of aquatic 
invasive species in the Mississippi River Corridor.
``(E) The improvement of communication and 
partnership activities related to the focus areas 
described in subparagraphs (A) through (D).
``(F) Monitoring, collecting, and evaluating 
scientific data to assess the focus areas described in 
subparagraphs (A) through (D).
``(3) Project implementation.--
``(A) In general.--Funds made available to carry 
out the MRRRI may be used to implement eligible 
projects and activities described in paragraph (5) that 
are carried out by a relevant Federal agency or by a 
non-Federal entity.
``(B) Grant authority.--The MRRRI Director, or the 
head of any other Federal agency receiving funds under 
this section, may make a grant to, or otherwise enter 
into an agreement with, any non-Federal entity 
(including any State, local, or Tribal governmental 
entity, nonprofit organization, institution of higher 
education (as such term is defined in section 101 of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)), or 
individual) that the MRRRI Director or agency head 
determines is qualified to carry out an eligible 
project described in paragraph (5).
``(4) Project selection.--
``(A) In general.--In carrying out the MRRRI, the 
MRRRI Director shall collaborate with relevant Federal 
agencies to select projects and activities to be 
implemented pursuant to this section using appropriate 
principles and criteria, including--
``(i) the selection of an equitable 
distribution of projects and activities along 
the entire Mississippi River Corridor;
``(ii) the ability of a project to achieve 
strategic and measurable environmental 
outcomes;
``(iii) the recognition that projects may 
provide benefits to local or regional 
communities or to the entire Mississippi River 
Corridor;
``(iv) the feasibility of prompt 
implementation, timely achievement of 
measurable results, and resource leveraging; 
and
``(v) the opportunity to improve 
interagency, intergovernmental, and 
interorganizational coordination and 
collaboration to reduce duplication and improve 
measurable environmental outcomes.
``(B) Compatibility.--The MRRRI Director shall 
ensure that projects and activities carried out under 
this section are compatible with--
``(i) the ability of the Corps of Engineers 
to maintain navigation in the Mississippi 
River; and
``(ii) the structural integrity or 
effectiveness of Federal, State, local, or 
Tribal disaster risk reduction infrastructure.
``(5) Eligible projects.--
``(A) In general.--Funds made available to carry 
out this section may only be used to implement a 
project or activity that addresses at least 1 of the 
focus areas described in paragraph (2) and that carries 
out at least one of the actions described in 
subparagraph (B).
``(B) Actions described.--The actions referred to 
in subparagraph (A) are actions that--
``(i) protect or restore naturally 
occurring hydrologic, geomorphic, and 
ecological functions and processes, including 
the restoration or rehabilitation of wetlands, 
in-stream habitats (including through 
reconnection of side channels and backwaters), 
living shorelines, or upland habitats;
``(ii) remove or modify structures, 
including culverts, levees, and dams, to 
restore--
``(I) natural hydrology of rivers, 
streams, floodplains, wetlands, or 
coasts; or
``(II) the form, function, or 
processes of rivers, streams, 
floodplains, wetlands, or coasts;
``(iii) permanently protect privately owned 
lands through fee title acquisition or 
enrollment into voluntary permanent wetland, 
flooding, or other conservation easements;
``(iv) facilitate habitat restoration using 
responsibly sourced and clean dredged sediment 
material by covering the cost differential 
between the Federal standard for dredge 
disposal and the cost of transportation;
``(v) relocate, elevate, or demolish, and 
clean up flood-prone structures, and carry out 
any related floodplain restoration;
``(vi) increase water retention and 
infiltration through actions that promote a 
healthy soil ecosystem, including maximizing 
soil cover, maximizing soil biodiversity, and 
maximizing the presence of living roots;
``(vii) reduce nonpoint sources of 
pollution and promote landscape-scale 
vegetative cover (including perennial grains, 
perennial woody crops, winter annual cover 
crops, perennial pasture, and other approaches 
to maintain year-round vegetative cover) 
through the implementation of voluntary 
initiatives developed with the support of 
market research;
``(viii) reduce stormwater flows and 
inflows that contribute to combined sewer 
overflow events, and accelerate the adoption of 
urban stormwater pollution prevention minimum 
control measures through municipal separate 
storm sewer system permits issued under section 
402(p);
``(ix) facilitate the cleanup of legacy 
contaminants that are not hazardous substances 
(as defined in section 101 of the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation, and 
Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601)) or 
designated as hazardous substances pursuant to 
section 102 of the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 
1980 (42 U.S.C. 9602);
``(x) control, manage, or eradicate 
nonnative aquatic invasive species or 
reintroduce native aquatic species, including 
through--
``(I) investments in technology and 
research to combat the spread of 
aquatic invasive species;
``(II) the use of in-river physical 
deterrent or controls; or
``(III) the promotion of commercial 
harvesting of nonnative aquatic 
species;
``(xi) build capacity within communities to 
undertake MRRRI projects to address the effects 
of the ecological degradation of the 
Mississippi River Corridor, including through--
``(I) community based participatory 
research;
``(II) project or community-wide 
planning;
``(III) outreach and community 
engagement; or
``(IV) restoration-related job 
training and workforce development; or
``(xii) additional actions determined to be 
eligible pursuant to subsection (d)(2)(B)(v).
``(C) Protection against invasive plant species.--
Funds made available to carry out this section may not 
be used for a project or activity that proposes to use 
a plant that has an elevated risk of becoming invasive, 
as determined by the MRRRI Director through the use of 
a credible weed risk assessment tool.
``(6) Monitoring plan.--A Federal agency or non-Federal 
entity receiving funds to carry out a project or activity under 
this section shall develop a detailed plan for monitoring the 
implementation and ecological success of such project or 
activity, as applicable, that--
``(A) describes criteria for ecological success by 
which the project will be evaluated based on 
replacement of lost functions and values of the 
Mississippi River Corridor habitat, including 
hydrologic and vegetative characteristics;
``(B) identifies an entity responsible for such 
monitoring; and
``(C) includes continuation of such monitoring 
until the project is determined to be successful based 
on documented achievement of the ecological success 
criteria described under subparagraph (A).
``(d) Actionable Goals; Action Plans.--
``(1) Actionable goals.--Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this section, the MRRRI Director shall 
develop measurable goals for the MRRRI, including establishing 
criteria for measuring the success of the MRRRI in addressing 
the focus areas established in subsection (c)(2) and in 
restoring the overall ecological health and resilience of the 
Mississippi River Corridor.
``(2) Action plan.--
``(A) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this section, the MRRRI Director 
shall develop an action plan to make progress on the 
MRRRI through the implementation of MRRRI projects and 
activities under subsection (c).
``(B) Contents.--The MRRRI Director shall include 
in the action plan developed under subparagraph (A)--
``(i) a description of existing Federal, 
State, Tribal, and regional plans, programs, 
and activities affecting the Mississippi River 
Corridor that may be used to advance the MRRRI;
``(ii) recommendations for a comprehensive 
approach to advancing systemic, large-scale 
restoration of the Mississippi River Corridor 
that, where appropriate, leverages existing 
Federal and State programs;
``(iii) a multi-year plan that identifies 
objectives within each of the focus areas 
described in subsection (c)(2), with 
corresponding commitments for activities, 
research, and measures for progress;
``(iv) a plan to monitor the implementation 
of any recommendations developed under this 
subparagraph; and
``(v) a description of any additional 
actions the Director determines are eligible 
under this section.
``(C) Project recommendations.--The action plan 
described in subparagraph (A) may include 
recommendations for specific projects or activities 
that advance the objectives developed under 
subparagraph (B)(iii), including timelines, budgets, 
and the identification of entities responsible for the 
implementation of such projects.
``(3) Updates.--
``(A) In general.--Not less than once every 5 
years, the MRRRI Director shall review and update the 
actionable goals and action plan developed under this 
subsection.
``(B) Integration with science plan.--In updating 
the action plan pursuant to this paragraph, the MRRRI 
Director shall incorporate any relevant information 
contained in the science plan developed pursuant to 
section 4(b) of the MRRRI Act.
``(4) Coordination and consultation.--In developing and 
updating the actionable goals and action plan required under 
this subsection, the MRRRI Director shall--
``(A) consult with Mississippi River States, Tribal 
governments within such States, the Secretary of the 
Interior, the Chief of Engineers, the Secretary of 
Agriculture, and the Hypoxia Task Force;
``(B) engage with relevant Federal agencies, local 
governments, nongovernmental organizations, 
institutions of higher education (as defined in section 
101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1001)), and members of the public; and
``(C) solicit input from the entities described in 
subparagraph (B) through a formal public notice and 
comment period.
``(e) Funding.--
``(1) Transfer of funds to federal entities.--With funds 
made available to carry out this section for each fiscal year, 
the MRRRI Director may--
``(A) transfer funds to the head of any relevant 
Federal agency, with the concurrence of the head of 
such agency, to carry out activities in accordance with 
this section;
``(B) transfer funds to other Federal programs to 
be used for achieving specifically targeted and 
measurable environmental outcomes that advance the 
actionable goals developed and updated under subsection 
(d); and
``(C) enter into an interagency agreement with the 
head of any relevant Federal agency to carry out 
activities in accordance with this section.
``(2) Transfer of funds to bureau of indian affairs.--The 
MRRRI Director shall transfer not less than 5 percent of the 
funds made available to carry out this section to the Director 
of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, with the concurrence of such 
Director, to make grants or otherwise enter into agreements 
with Tribal governments or Tribal organizations to carry out 
projects or activities under this section.
``(3) Availability of funds to implement projects prior to 
completion of the first action plan.--Before the date on which 
the first action plan is developed under subsection (d)(2), the 
MRRRI Director may transfer funds to another Federal entity, or 
award a grant or otherwise enter into an agreement with a non-
Federal entity, to--
``(A) carry out projects or activities that meet 
the requirements of subsection (c)(5); or
``(B) establish the research centers required under 
section 4(a) of the MRRRI Act.
``(4) Cost share.--
``(A) In general.--Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), the Federal share of the cost of a 
project or activity carried out by a non-Federal entity 
under this section shall not exceed 80 percent of the 
total cost of the project or activity.
``(B) Exception.--The Federal share of the cost of 
a project or activity carried out by a Tribal 
government or Tribal organization under this section, 
and the Federal share of the cost of a project or 
activity described in subsection (c)(5)(B)(xi) carried 
by a non-Federal entity, shall be 100 percent of the 
total cost of the project or activity.
``(C) In-kind contribution.--The non-Federal share 
of the cost of a project or activity carried out under 
this section may include the value of an in-kind 
contribution provided by a non-Federal entity.
``(5) Limitations.--No funds made available to carry out 
this section may be used for any water infrastructure activity 
for which financial assistance is received under--
``(A) a State water pollution control revolving 
fund established under section 603;
``(B) a State drinking water treatment revolving 
loan fund established under section 1452 of the Safe 
Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-12); or
``(C) the Water Infrastructure Finance and 
Innovation Act of 2014 (33 U.S.C. 3901 et seq.).
``(f) Set Aside for Action Plan.--
``(1) In general.--Of the total amount of funds made 
available to carry out the MRRRI under this section for each 
fiscal year beginning with the first fiscal year after which 
the action plan required under subsection (d)(2) is developed, 
not more than 5 percent may be used for projects and activities 
that are eligible under subsection (c)(5), but that do not 
address an objective identified in the action plan under 
subsection (d)(2)(B)(iii).
``(2) Priority.--In using funds under subparagraph (A), the 
MRRRI Director shall prioritize projects that reduce the 
effects of natural disasters or respond to emerging threats 
from natural disasters.
``(g) Activities by Other Federal Agencies.--
``(1) In general.--The head of a relevant Federal agency 
that is engaged in, or has authority over, programs relating to 
research, monitoring, and planning to maintain, enhance, 
preserve, or rehabilitate the environmental quality and natural 
resources of the Mississippi River shall--
``(A) submit an annual report to the Administrator 
describing the activities of the agency relating to the 
MRRRI;
``(B) strive to identify new projects and 
activities to support the goals of the MRRRI;
``(C) ensure that any funding provided through the 
MRRRI supplements, and does not supplant, funding 
obtained through other agency budgets or other sources 
of funds for activities related to the Mississippi 
River; and
``(D) strive to maintain, and where possible 
increase, the base level of funding for activities of 
such agency related to the Mississippi River, without 
regard to funding under the MRRRI.
``(h) Budget Item.--
``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall, in the Agency's 
annual budget submission to Congress, include a funding request 
for the MRRRI as a separate budget line item.
``(2) Inclusion.--The budget justification for the budget 
line item described in paragraph (1) shall include the amount 
to support the operation and activities of the Program Office.
``(i) Rules of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be 
construed to--
``(1) waive any requirement under any applicable Federal 
environmental law, including--
``(A) this Act;
``(B) the National Environmental Policy Act (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.);
``(C) the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.); or
``(D) the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 
1934 (16 U.S.C. 662 et seq.); or
``(2) supplant the functions of the Hypoxia Task Force.''.

SEC. 4. MISSISSIPPI RIVER CORRIDOR RESEARCH CENTERS AND SCIENCE PLAN.

(a) Mississippi River Corridor Research Centers.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
coordinate with the MRRRI Director to establish a network of 3 
Mississippi River Corridor Research Centers within the United 
States Geological Survey.
(2) Location.--The network of research centers established 
under paragraph (1) shall consist of--
(A) a National Mississippi River Corridor Research 
Center located at an office of the United States 
Geological Survey; and
(B) 2 regional research centers, each of which 
shall be based out of a host university, as follows:
(i) An Upper Mississippi River Research 
Center located in the region from the 
headwaters of the Mississippi River to the 
confluence of the Ohio River.
(ii) A Lower Mississippi River Research 
Center located in the region downriver from the 
confluence of the Ohio River to the Gulf of 
Mexico.
(3) Functions.--The functions of the research centers 
established under this subsection shall be to--
(A) conduct scientific research on the MRRRI focus 
areas described in section 127(c)(2) of the Federal 
Water Pollution Control Act (as added by this Act);
(B) consult with and advise relevant Federal 
agencies on--
(i) the improvement of programs that 
monitor water quality in the Mississippi River 
Corridor and the health of the Mississippi 
River Corridor habitat or the establishment of 
such programs, where necessary;
(ii) the impact of projects and activities 
carried out under the MRRRI; and
(iii) any additional goals, priorities, 
metrics, and research objectives proposed as 
part of the science plan described in 
subsection (b)(2); and
(C) consult, and to the extent practicable, 
collaborate with relevant Federal agencies and non-
Federal entities regarding research, monitoring, and 
other efforts to promote the restoration and resiliency 
of the Mississippi River Corridor.
(4) Integration with other federal activities.--The 
Secretary of the Interior shall ensure that research and other 
activities carried out under this subsection are carried out in 
coordination with other Federal research and monitoring 
activities related to efforts to promote the restoration and 
resiliency of the Mississippi River Corridor.
(b) Science Plan.--
(1) Mississippi river science forum.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the 
United States Geological Survey shall host a 
Mississippi River science forum with relevant Federal 
agencies, Mississippi River States, Tribal governments, 
Tribal organizations, academia, and other non-Federal 
entities to--
(i) share current science and identify data 
gaps and areas of concern related to the 
ecological health of the Mississippi River 
Corridor; and
(ii) determine the resources that are 
necessary to--
(I) address any data gaps and areas 
of concern identified under clause (i); 
and
(II) develop an integrated science 
plan under paragraph (2).
(B) Report.--Not later than 270 days after the 
Director of the United States Geological Survey hosts 
the Mississippi River science forum under subparagraph 
(A), the Director shall submit a report on the findings 
from such forum to--
(i) the Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency;
(ii) the MRRRI Director;
(iii) the Committee on Appropriations, the 
Committee on Natural Resources, and the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
of the House of Representatives; and
(iv) the Committee on Appropriations and 
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 
of the Senate.
(2) Science plan development.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the 
conclusion of the Mississippi River science forum 
required by paragraph (1), the Director of the United 
States Geological Survey shall develop a science plan 
that establishes priorities, metrics, and research 
proposals for the MRRRI.
(B) Submission.--Upon completion of the science 
plan developed under this paragraph, the Director of 
the United States Geological Survey shall make such 
plan available on a public website and submit such plan 
to the MRRRI Director to inform the implementation of 
the actionable goals and action plans developed for the 
MRRRI under section 127(d) of the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act (as added by this Act).
(C) Updates.--Not less than once every 5 years, the 
Director of the United States Geological Survey shall 
coordinate with the MRRRI Director and the research 
centers established under subsection (a) to review and 
update the science plan developed under this 
subsection.
(D) Coordination.--In developing and updating the 
science plan, the Director shall solicit input and 
comment from the public through a formal public notice 
and comment period.

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act, the terms ``MRRRI'', ``MRRRI Director'', ``Mississippi 
River Corridor'', ``Mississippi River State'', ``relevant Federal 
agency'', ``Tribal government'', and ``Tribal organization'' have the 
meanings given such terms in section 127(a) of the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act, as added by this Act.
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