,i  #aadth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #dfjg  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,february #bd1 #bjaf 
,mr4 ,huffman 7for himself and ,mr4     
,denham7 introduced the following bill2 
which was referred to the ,committee on 
,transportation and ,infrastructure1 and
 in addition to the ,committee on       
,natural ,resources1 for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the ,speaker1
 in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the           
jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
,a ,,bill  ,to amend the ,estuary       
,restoration ,act of #bjjj to modify    
requirements that apply to projects     
carried out under the estuary habitat   
restoration program established by the  
,secretary of the ,army1 and for other  
purposes4  #a4 ,estuary habitat         
restoration  7a7 ,cost sharing ,section 
#ajd7;d7 of the ,estuary ,restoration   
,act of #bjjj 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #bijc7;d77 
is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#c7--   
7,a7 by striking ,the non-,federal share

 and inserting the following3  7,a7 ,in 
general ,the non-,federal share  2 and  
7#b7 by adding at the end the following3
  7,b7 ,provision of land by            
nongovernmental organizations ,a        
nongovernmental organization allowed to 
serve as a non-,federal interest for a  
project under subsection 7f77#b7 may    
provide lands owned and managed by a    
legally constituted public body         
7including a federally recognized       
,indian tribe7 for habitat or fish and  
wildlife conservation if the public body
 responsible for the lands executes a   
legally binding agreement with the      
nongovernmental interest under which the
 public body agrees to--  7i7 operate   
and maintain the project1 or allow the  
nongovernmental organization to operate 
and maintain the project2 and  7ii7     
retain the land in public ownership for 
uses compatible with the project4  4    
7b7 ,cooperation of non-,federal        
interests ,section #ajd7;f7 of such ,act
 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #bijc7;f77 is amended-- 

7#a7 by striking paragraph 7#a77;,b7 and
 inserting the following3  7,b7 provide 
for operation1 maintenance1 and         
monitoring of the project4  2 and  7#b7 
by adding at the end the following3     
7#c7 ,project agreements ,for a project 
carried out under this title1 the       
requirements of section #ajc7;j77#a7 of 
the ,water ,resources ,development ,act 
of #aihf 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #bbac7;j77#a77  
may be fulfilled by a nongovernmental   
organization serving as the non-,federal
 interest for the project under         
paragraph 7#b74  4  7c7 ,guidelines for 
project implementation ,section #ajd of 
such ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #bijc7 is      
amended by adding at the end the        
following3  7h7 ,guidelines for project 
implementation  7#a7 ,issuance ,not     
later than #ahj days after the date of  
enactment of this subsection1 the       
,secretary shall issue guidelines for   
implementing estuary habitat restoration
 projects under this title4  7#b7       
,purposes ,in issuing the guidelines1   

the ,secretary shall make every effort  
to streamline implementation            
requirements and reduce overhead costs  
of estuary habitat restoration projects 
under this title1 including by          
maximizing consistency with the         
requirements of restoration programs    
administered by other ,federal agencies1
 including the ,community ,restoration  
,program of the ,national ,oceanic and  
,atmospheric ,administration and the    
,north ,american ,wetlands ,conservation
 ,act grant program of the ,united      
,states ,fish and ,wildlife ,service4   
7#c7 ,public participation2 revisions   
,the ,secretary shall develop and revise
 the guidelines through a public        
process1 with the frequency of revision 
to be determined by the ,secretary4  4