,i  #aaeth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #ebfd  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,march #ac1 #bjah,mr4
 ,mc,eachin 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,huffman1
 ,ms4 ,wilson of ,florida1 ,mr4         
,mc,nerney1 ,mr4 ,hastings1 ,mr4        
,johnson of ,georgia1 ,ms4 ,jayapal1    
,ms4 ,barragn1 ,ms4 ,norton1 ,mr4       
,cartwright1 and ,mrs4 ,watson ,coleman7
 introduced the following bill2 which   
was referred to the ,committee on       
,natural ,resources  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
direct the ,secretary of the ,interior1 
in consultation with the ,administrator 
of the ,environmental ,protection       
,agency1 provide grants to ,states to   
facilitate the acquisition of land1     
water1 and interests therein1 made to   
substantially improve1 preserve1 or     
maintain water quality for an area in   
perpetuity1 and for other purposes4  #a4
 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as
 the ,clean ,water ,partnership ,act4   
#b4 ,clean water land acquisition grants
  7a7 ,authority ,to the extent that    

funds are made available in advance for 
this ,act1 the ,secretary shall make    
grants1 in accordance with the          
requirements and criteria described in  
subsection 7b71 to ,states to assist the
 ,states in acquiring land1 water1 or   
interests therein 7including            
conservation easements7 if the          
,secretary determines such acquisition  
will substantially improve1 preserve1 or
 maintain water quality for an area in  
perpetuity4  7b7 ,requirements and      
criteria ,not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this ,act1 
after providing notice and not less than
 #ij days for public comment1 the       
,secretary shall issue a final rule     
providing requirements and criteria for 
making grants under this ,act4 ,such    
requirements and criteria shall include1
 at a minimum1 the following3  7#a7     
,criteria that the ,secretary shall use 
to determine whether an acquisition     
proposed to be facilitated with a grant 
under this ,act will substantially      

improve1 preserve1 or maintain water    
quality for an area in perpetuity4  7#b7
 ,a requirement that documentation of an
 acquisition facilitated with a grant   
under this ,act contain deed            
restrictions1 reversionary clauses1 or  
other means satisfactory to the         
,secretary to ensure that the           
acquisition shall be used in perpetuity 
to substantially improve1 preserve1 or  
maintain water quality for an area4     
7#c7 ,a requirement that a ,state that  
receives a grant under this ,act-- 7,a7 
provide matching funds for the          
acquisition proposed to be facilitated  
with a grant under this ,act in the form
 of cash or an in-kind contribution in  
an amount equal to but not less than    
#ajj percent of the amount of the grant2
 and  7,b7 demonstrate to the           
,secretary1 in advance of receiving the 
grant1 the ability of the ,state to     
provide the match required under        
subparagraph 7,a74  7#d7 ,clarification 
that the cost to a ,state of incentives 

given by the ,state in exchange for an  
acquisition facilitated with a grant    
under this ,act may be--  7,a7 offset   
with amounts from the grant2  7,b7      
considered as an in-kind contribution of
 the ,state under paragraph 7#c72 or    
7,c7 a combination of 7,a7 and 7,b74    
7#e7 ,a requirement that a ,state       
requesting a grant under this ,act      
submit to the ,secretary a grant        
application at such time1 in such form1 
and containing such information as the  
,secretary requires4  7c7 ,authorization
 of appropriations ,there is authorized 
to be appropriated to the ,secretary to 
carry out this ,act1 #gej1jjj1jjj for   
each fiscal year4  7d7 ,definitions ,for
 the purposes of this ,act3 7#a7        
,administrator ,the term ,administrator 
means the ,administrator of the         
,environmental ,protection ,agency4     
7#b7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary    
means the ,secretary of the ,interior1  
acting in consultation with the         
,administrator4  7#c7 ,state ,the term  

,state means any governmental entity of 
the several ,states1 the ,district of   
,columbia1 or a territory or possession 
of the ,united ,states4