H.R. 9226

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9226 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9226

To direct restoration and protection efforts of the 5-State Connecticut 
River Watershed region, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 9, 2026

Mr. McGovern (for himself, Mr. Neal, Ms. Balint, Mr. Courtney, Ms. 
Goodlander, and Mrs. Hayes) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 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 direct restoration and protection efforts of the 5-State Connecticut 
River Watershed region, 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 ``Connecticut River Watershed 
Partnership Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Environmental justice community.--The term 
``environmental justice community'' means a community with 
significant representation of communities of color, low-income 
communities, or Tribal and Indigenous communities, that 
experiences, or is at risk of experiencing, higher or more 
adverse human health or environmental effects.
(2) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the National 
Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
(3) Grant program.--The term ``grant program'' means the 
voluntary Connecticut River Watershed Partnership grant program 
established under section 4(b).
(4) Program.--The term ``program'' means the nonregulatory 
Connecticut River Watershed Partnership program established 
under section 3(a).
(5) Restoration and protection.--The term ``restoration and 
protection'' means the conservation, stewardship, and 
enhancement of land and water for fish, wildlife, and people--
(A) to preserve and improve ecosystems and 
ecological processes on which fish, wildlife, and 
people depend; and
(B) for use and enjoyment by the public.
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service.
(7) Tribes.--The term ``Tribes'' means Native American 
groups that descend from peoples indigenous to the Watershed, 
without regard to whether the groups are--
(A) recognized by the Federal Government or a 
Watershed State; or
(B) non-enfranchised.
(8) Watershed.--The term ``Watershed'' means the 5-State 
watershed region, including the Connecticut River and its 
tributaries and all of the land area in portions of the 
Watershed States whose surface water drains into the 
Connecticut River.
(9) Watershed state.--The term ``Watershed State'' means 
each of the States of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New 
Hampshire, and Vermont.

SEC. 3. CONNECTICUT RIVER WATERSHED PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.

(a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a nonregulatory 
program, to be known as the ``Connecticut River Watershed Partnership 
program''.
(b) Duties.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall draw 
on existing and new approved plans for the Watershed, or portions of 
the Watershed, and work in consultation with applicable management 
entities, including representatives of the Connecticut River Watershed 
Partnership, the Connecticut River Joint Commissions, the Connecticut 
River Migratory Fish Restoration Cooperative, the Federal Government, 
and other State and local governments, Tribal governments or 
organizations, and regional and nonprofit organizations, as 
appropriate, to identify, prioritize, and implement restoration and 
protection activities within the Watershed through the adoption of an 
inclusive Watershed-wide strategy and framework.
(c) Consultation.--In establishing the program, the Secretary shall 
consult, as appropriate, with--
(1) the heads of Federal agencies, including--
(A) the Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency;
(B) the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration;
(C) the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation 
Service;
(D) the Director of the National Park Service;
(E) the Chief of Engineers of the Army Corps of 
Engineers;
(F) the Secretary of Transportation;
(G) the Secretary of Commerce; and
(H) the head of any other applicable Federal 
agency, as determined by the Secretary;
(2) the Governors of the Watershed States;
(3) Tribal governments or organizations, including Tribes;
(4) the Connecticut River Watershed Partnership;
(5) the Connecticut River Joint Commissions;
(6) the Connecticut River Migratory Fish Restoration 
Cooperative;
(7) other public and quasi-public agencies and 
organizations with authority for the planning and 
implementation of conservation strategies in or affecting the 
Watershed; and
(8) stakeholders from impacted environmental justice 
communities.
(d) Purposes.--The purposes of the program are--
(1) to coordinate and collaborate on restoration and 
protection activities among Federal, Tribal, State, local, and 
regional entities and conservation partners throughout the 
Watershed; and
(2) to carry out coordinated restoration and protection 
activities in, and provide technical assistance throughout, the 
Watershed--
(A) to restore, recover, and manage for sustainable 
fish, wildlife, and plant populations;
(B) to sustain and enhance fish and wildlife 
habitat restoration, stewardship, and protection 
activities;
(C) to improve and maintain water quality to 
support fish, wildlife, and fish and wildlife habitat, 
including to improve opportunities for public access 
and recreation in the Watershed consistent with the 
ecological needs of fish and wildlife habitat;
(D) to advance the use of nature-based solutions to 
maximize the resilience of communities, natural 
systems, and habitats under changing sea levels, storm 
risks, and watershed conditions;
(E) to support farmland conservation and food 
equity, including habitat protection, climate 
resilience, and carbon sequestration on working farms 
and forests;
(F) to engage the public, particularly 
environmental justice communities, through outreach, 
education, and community involvement to increase 
capacity and support for coordinated restoration and 
protection activities in the Watershed;
(G) to identify, affirm, and promote the practice 
and awareness of traditional Tribal river and 
Watershed-related cultural practices and traditional 
ecological knowledge;
(H) to improve access to open space and trails by 
enhancing trails in the Watershed and on-street active 
transportation, such as bike lanes, sidewalks, public 
transportation, and bike share;
(I) to sustain and enhance water management for 
volume and flood damage mitigation improvements to 
benefit fish and wildlife habitat;
(J) to support land and water conservation and 
management activities necessary to fulfill the 
Watershed-wide strategy adopted under subsection (b);
(K) to monitor environmental quality to assess 
progress towards the purposes of the program;
(L) to facilitate strategic planning to maximize 
the resilience of natural systems and habitats under 
changing watershed conditions;
(M) to improve fish and wildlife habitats, 
including opportunities for personal recreation, 
hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing along rivers, 
particularly in environmental justice communities;
(N) to increase scientific capacity to support the 
planning, monitoring, and research activities necessary 
to carry out coordinated restoration and protection 
activities; and
(O) to provide technical assistance to carry out 
restoration and protection activities in the Watershed.

SEC. 4. CONNECTICUT RIVER WATERSHED PARTNERSHIP GRANT PROGRAM.

(a) Definition of Eligible Entity.--In this section, the term 
``eligible entity'' means--
(1) a State, Tribal, or local government;
(2) a nonprofit organization; and
(3) an institution of higher education (as defined in 
section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1001(a))).
(b) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a voluntary grant 
and technical assistance program, to be known as the ``Connecticut 
River Watershed Partnership grant program'', to provide competitive 
matching grants to eligible entities to carry out restoration and 
protection activities for the Watershed.
(c) Criteria.--The Secretary, in consultation with the agencies, 
organizations, and other individuals and entities referred to in 
section 3(c), shall develop criteria for the grant program to ensure--
(1) the equitable distribution of funds; and
(2) that projects funded under the grant program accomplish 
1 or more of the purposes described in section 3(d).
(d) Cost Sharing.--
(1) Federal share.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
(B), the Federal share of the cost of a project funded 
under the grant program shall not exceed 75 percent of 
the total cost of the project, as determined by the 
Secretary.
(B) Environmental justice communities.--
(i) In general.--Subject to clause (ii), 
the Federal share of the cost of a project 
funded under the grant program that serves an 
environmental justice community shall be 90 
percent of the total cost of the project, as 
determined by the Secretary.
(ii) Waiver.--The Secretary may increase 
the Federal share under clause (i) to 100 
percent of the total cost of the project if the 
Secretary determines that the grant recipient 
is unable to pay, or would experience 
significant financial hardship if required to 
pay, the non-Federal share.
(2) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of the cost 
of a project funded under the grant program may be provided in 
cash or in the form of an in-kind contribution of services, 
materials, or land value.
(e) Administration.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may enter into an agreement 
to manage the grant program with the Foundation or a similar 
organization that offers grant management services.
(2) Funding.--If the Secretary enters into an agreement 
under paragraph (1), the Foundation or similar organization 
selected shall--
(A) for each fiscal year in which the grant program 
is carried out, receive amounts made available to carry 
out this section for that fiscal year in an advance 
payment of the entire amounts on October 1 of that 
fiscal year, or as soon as practicable thereafter;
(B) invest and reinvest those amounts for the 
benefit of the grant program; and
(C) otherwise administer the grant program to 
support partnerships between the public and private 
sectors in accordance with this Act.
(3) Requirements.--If the Secretary enters into an 
agreement with the Foundation under paragraph (1), any amounts 
received by the Foundation under this section shall be subject 
to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act 
(16 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.), excluding section 10(a) of that Act 
(16 U.S.C. 3709(a)).

SEC. 5. ANNUAL 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 on the implementation of this Act, including a description of 
each project that has received funding under the grant program in the 
preceding fiscal year.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary to carry out this Act such sums as are necessary for each of 
fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
(b) Use for Grant Program.--Of the amounts made available to carry 
out this Act for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall use not less 
than 75 percent to carry out the grant program and to provide, or 
provide for, technical assistance under that grant program.
(c) Supplement, Not Supplant.--Amounts made available to carry out 
this Act shall supplement, and not supplant, funding for other 
activities carried out by the Secretary in the Watershed.
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