,i  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #adce  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,february #bh1       
#bjai,mr4 ,garamendi 7for himself and   
,mr4 ,la,malfa7 introduced the following
 bill2 which was referred to the        
,committee on ,natural ,resources  ,a   
,,bill  ,to direct the ,secretary of the
 ,interior to take actions supporting   
non-,federal investments in water       
infrastructure improvements in the      
,sacramento ,valley1 and for other      
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,sites ,reservoir   
,project ,act4  #b4 ,findings ,congress 
finds the following3  7#a7 ,according to
 the ,u4,s4 ,drought ,monitor1 the      
,state of ,california experienced one of
 the longest1 driest periods on record  
from late ,december #bjaa until ,april  
#bjag1 with a statewide emergency       
declaration in effect from mid-,january 
#bjad until early ,april #bjag4 ,in     
water year #bjag1 the ,state of         
,california experienced one of the      

wettest years on record4 ,new surface   
water storage infrastructure with the   
capacity to store water in wet years for
 use in dry periods is urgently needed4 
7#b7 ,the ,sites ,project 7sometimes    
referred to as ,north-of-,delta         
,offstream ,storage7 has been identified
 by the ,state of ,california and the   
,federal ,government as an important    
component to integrated water management
 in the ,sacramento ,valley that would  
advance the co-equal objectives of      
improving water management and restoring
 ecological health for beneficial uses  
of the ,sacramento-,san ,joaquin ,delta 
and the ,sacramento ,river watershed4   
,further1 the ,sites ,reservoir was     
found in the #bjjj ,,calfed ,record of  
,decision to be the preferred location  
to provide ,north-of-,delta ,offstream  
,storage and subsequent studies have    
shown the ,sites ,reservoir to be       
technically and economically feasible4  
7#c7 ,among other things1 the ,sites    
,project would-- 7,a7 increase surface  

water storage to enhance water          
management flexibility in the           
,sacramento ,valley2  7,b7 improve      
operation of the ,state's water system  
to provide improvements in ecosystem and
 water quality conditions in the        
,bay-,delta while providing a more      
reliable water supply for the ,state of 
,california2  7,c7 improve conditions   
for fish1 waterfowl1 and wildlife in the
 ,sacramento ,valley1 including         
anadromous fish in the ,sacramento      
,river2  7,d7 provide local flood       
control benefits2  7,e7 integrate with  
renewable energy sources consistent with
 applicable ,federal and ,state of      
,california goals2  7,f7 create both    
construction and long-term jobs to      
improve the local and regional economies
 in the ,sacramento ,valley2  7,g7      
provide additional recreational         
benefits2 and  7,h7 reduce local        
flooding4  7#d7 ,the ,sites ,project has
 been shown to provide approximately    
#ejj1jjj acre-feet of additional        

annualized yield that1 when integrated  
into the operations of the ,state and   
,federal reservoirs upstream of the     
,bay-,delta1 can improve the system-wide
 operational efficiency for both water  
supply reliability and the environment4 
7#e7 ,healthy wetlands and wildlife     
refuges are of vital importance to      
wildlife in ,california and require a   
reliable supply of water4 ,additional   
surface water storage can help meet     
water supply goals under the ,central   
,valley ,project ,improvement ,act      
7title ,,xxxiv of ,public ,law          
#ajb-ege74  7#f7 ,it is in the interests
 of the ,united ,states for the ,federal
 ,government to work with the ,sites    
,project ,authority1 which has been     
established under the laws of the ,state
 of ,california as an independent joint 
exercise of powers authority to1 among  
other things1 study1 promote1 develop1  
design1 finance1 acquire1 construct1    
manage1 and operate ,sites ,reservoir   
and related facilities to advance the   

,sites ,project in the most expeditious 
and cost-effective manner possible4     
7#g7 ,on ,july #bd1 #bjah1 the          
,california ,water ,commission voted to 
award #haf1jjj1jjj to the ,sites        
,project under ,proposition #a 7,water  
,quality1 ,supply1 and ,infrastructure  
,improvement ,act of #bjad71 showing a  
strong commitment from the ,state of    
,california to advance the project4     
7#h7 ,as of the date of the introduction
 of this ,act1 the ,sites ,project      
,authority had the following public     
agencies serving on its #aa-member      
governing board3 ,colusa ,county ,water 
,district1 ,glenn-,colusa ,irrigation   
,district1 ,placer ,county ,water       
,district_/,city of ,roseville1         
,reclamation ,district #ajh1 ,sacramento
 ,county ,water ,agency_/,city of       
,sacramento1 the ,tehama-,colusa ,canal 
,authority1 ,westside ,water ,district1 
the ,county of ,colusa1 and the ,county 
of ,glenn4 ,in addition1 other agencies 
from the ,sacramento ,valley and        

agencies from the ,bay ,area1 ,san      
,joaquin ,valley1 and southern          
,california are actively participating  
to advance the ,sites ,project4  #c4    
,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7        
,authority ,the term ,authority means   
the ,sites ,project ,authority that     
entered into a ,joint ,exercise of      
,powers ,agreement on ,august #bf1      
#bjaj1 for the purpose of advancing the 
,sites ,project as a non-,federal       
facility4  7#b7 ,bureau ,the term       
,bureau means the ,bureau of            
,reclamation4  7#c7 ,central valley     
project ,the term ,central ,valley      
,project means all ,federal reclamation 
projects located within or diverting    
water from or to the watershed of the   
,sacramento and ,san ,joaquin ,rivers   
and their tributaries as authorized by  
the ,act of ,august #bf1 #aicg 7#ej     
,stat4 #hej71 and all ,acts amendatory  
or supplemental thereto1 including--    
7,a7 the ,act of ,october #ag1 #aidj    
7#ed ,stat4 #aaih1 #aaii72  7,b7 the    

,act of ,december #bb1 #aidd 7#eh ,stat4
 #hhg72  7,c7 the ,act of ,october #ad1 
#aidi 7#fc ,stat4 #heb72  7,d7 the ,act 
of ,september #bf1 #aiej 7#fd ,stat4    
#ajcf72  7,e7 the ,act of ,august #bg1  
#aied 7#fh ,stat4 #hgi72  7,f7 the ,act 
of ,august #ab1 #aiee 7#fi ,stat4 #gai72
  7,g7 the ,act of ,june #c1 #aifj 7#gd 
,stat4 #aef72  7,h7 the ,act of ,october
 #bc1 #aifb 7#gf ,stat4 #aagc72  7,i7   
the ,act of ,september #b1 #aife 7#gi   
,stat4 #fae72  7,j7 the ,act of ,august 
#ai1 #aifg 7#ha ,stat4 #afg72  7,k7 the 
,act of ,august #bg1 #aifg 7#ha ,stat4  
#agc72  7,l7 the ,act of ,october #bc1  
#aigj 7#hd ,stat4 #ajig72  7,m7 the ,act
 of ,september #bh1 #aigf 7#ij ,stat4   
#acbd72 and  7,n7 the ,act of ,october  
#bg1 #aihf 7#ajj ,stat4 #cjej74  7#d7   
,commissioner ,the term ,commissioner   
means the ,commissioner of the ,bureau  
of ,reclamation4  7#e7 ,repayment and   
water service contracts ,the terms      
repayment contract and water service    
contract have the same meaning given    

those terms in sections #i7;d7 and      
#i7;e71 respectively1 of the            
,reclamation ,project ,act of #aici 7#ec
 ,stat4 #aahg1 #aaie74  7#f7 ,secretary 
,the term ,secretary means the          
,secretary of the ,interior4  7#g7      
,sites project ,the term ,sites         
,project--  7,a7 refers to the          
off-stream water storage project        
identified in the ,,calfed ,record of   
,decision1 dated ,august #bh1 #bjjj2 and
  7,b7 means the ,sites ,reservoir in   
,glenn and ,colusa ,counties1           
,california1 and related facilities1    
including associated water conveyance   
and hydropower generation and           
transmission facilities4  7#h7 ,state   
,the term ,state means the ,state of    
,california4  #d4 ,feasibility study and
 environmental impact statements  7a7   
,duties of the ,bureau ,with respect to 
the ,sites ,project1 the ,bureau shall--
  7#a7 be the lead ,federal agency for  
the purposes of all ,federal reviews1   
analyses1 opinions1 statements1 permits1

 licenses1 or other approvals or        
decisions required under ,federal law to
 allow the construction of the ,sites   
,project1 including all requirements    
under--  7,a7 the ,national             
,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi    
7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq472  7,b7 the
 ,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af
 ,u4,s4,c4 #aeca et seq472 and  7,c7 any
 other ,federal law applicable to the   
construction of the ,sites ,project     
facilities by the ,authority2  7#b7 take
 such steps as are necessary to ensure  
that all ,federal reviews1 analyses1    
opinions1 statements1 permits1 licenses1
 or other approvals or decisions        
required under ,federal law to allow the
 ,authority to construct and operate the
 ,sites ,project are completed on an    
expeditious basis and use the shortest  
applicable process1 and1 to the maximum 
extent practicable1 are completed not   
later than ,january #a1 #bjbb1 as       
required by the ,california ,water      
,quality ,supply1 and ,infrastructure   

,improvement ,act1 as approved by       
,california voters on ,november #d1     
#bjad1 as a condition of ,state         
financial participation in a project    
deemed eligible for assistance under the
 aforementioned ,act2 and  7#c7         
coordinate1 as appropriate1 with the    
non-,federal project sponsors1 which are
 the ,state of ,california and the      
,sites ,project ,authority4  7b7 ,final 
environmental impact statement and      
environmental impact report ,no later   
than #f months after the date of the    
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
shall work with the ,secretary of       
,commerce1 the ,assistant ,secretary of 
the ,army for ,civil ,works1 and the    
,administrator of the ,environmental    
,protection ,agency to develop a plan to
 expeditiously complete and issue the   
final joint environmental impact        
statement and environmental impact      
report on the ,sites ,project4  7c7     
,requirements of existing law ,nothing  
in this section affects the requirements

 of ,federal law4  #e4 ,construction and
 operation of non-federal project  7a7  
,authorization of construction ,section 
#ajc7;d77#a77;,b7 of the ,calfed        
,bay-,delta ,authorization ,act 7,public
 ,law #ajh-cfa7 is amended--  7#a7 by   
redesignating clauses 7ii7 and 7iii7 as 
clauses 7iv7 and 7v71 respectively2     
7#b7 by inserting after clause 7i7 the  
following3  7ii7 ,construction          
authorization ,if the ,secretary        
determines that the project described in
 subparagraph 7,a77ii77,i7 is feasible1 
the ,secretary1 in cooperation with the 
,authority1 may participate in the      
design1 planning1 and construction of   
the ,sites ,project1 as a non-,federal1 
,state-led project as defined under     
section #djjg7;a77#b7 of ,public ,law   
#aad-cbb1 in a manner that is           
substantially in accordance with the    
recommended plan1 subject to the        
conditions described in the feasibility 
study4  7iii7 ,federal investment in a  
non-federal sites project ,as required  

by section #djjg7;c77#b77;,c71 the      
,secretary shall take such steps as are 
necessary to ensure that1 in return for 
any ,federal investment in a            
non-,federal ,sites ,project1 a         
proportionate share of the project's    
public benefits are ,federal benefits1  
including water supplies dedicated to   
specific purposes such as environmental 
enhancement and those purposes referred 
to in section #e7;f7 and 7g7 of the     
,sites ,reservoir ,project ,act4  2     
7#c7 in clause 7iii71 by striking the   
project and inserting a project         
described in subparagraph 7,a77ii77,i72 
and  7#d7 in subclause 7,i7 of clause   
7v7 7as so redesignated by paragraph    
7#a7 of this subsection71 by striking   
clause 7ii7 each place it appears and   
inserting clause 7iv74  7b7 ,in general 
,notwithstanding any provision of this  
,act1 the ,commissioner shall take any  
and all actions possible to advance the 
,sites ,project as a non-,federal       
project1 including entering into        

cost-shared financial assistance        
agreements with the ,authority to       
support the design1 planning1 and       
construction of the ,sites ,project as a
 non-,federal project4  7c7 ,project    
partnership agreements ,at the request  
of the ,authority1 the ,bureau shall    
enter into a project partnership        
agreement with the ,authority for the   
,authority to provide full project      
management control for construction of  
the ,sites ,project1 or a separable     
element of the project1 in accordance   
with plans approved by the ,secretary4  
7d7 ,detailed project schedule ,not     
later than #ahj days after entering into
 a ,project partnership agreement under 
subsection 7c71 the ,authority1 to the  
maximum extent practicable1 shall submit
 to the ,secretary a detailed project   
schedule based on estimated funding     
levels that lists all deadlines for each
 milestone in the construction of the   
project4  7e7 ,title2 operations and    
maintenance ,the ,authority shall-- 7#a7

 hold title to all new facilities       
constructed under this section2 and     
7#b7 be solely responsible for the      
operation and maintenance costs for such
 facilities4  7f7 ,coordinated          
operations ,the ,secretary shall execute
 and implement a long-term agreement    
between the ,united ,states and the     
,authority to provide for the           
coordination of operations of the       
,central ,valley ,project and the ,sites
 ,project to--  7#a7 satisfy any        
contracts or cooperative agreements     
entered into subsection 7g72  7#b7 help 
meet any unmet needs for ,sacramento    
,valley inbasin water uses2  7#c7 help  
meet any unmet needs of existing        
,central ,valley ,project repayment and 
water service contracts2 and  7#d7      
ensure that any surplus water supplies  
from the ,sites ,project are put to full
 and beneficial use4  7g7 ,contracts and
 cooperative agreements ,the ,secretary 
is authorized to enter into long-term   
contracts and cooperative agreements    

with the ,authority to complete all     
planning and preconstruction activities 
and to acquire water supplies and       
lease-of-power privilege made available 
from the ,sites ,project for the        
purposes of meeting the requirements    
under section #cdjf7;b77#c7 and section 
#cdjh7;j7 of the ,central ,valley       
,project ,improvement ,act 7,public ,law
 #ajb-ege7 and such other purposes as   
the ,secretary may deem appropriate4    
#f4 ,water infrastructure improvements  
for the ,nation 7,,wiin7 ,act amendments
  7a7 ,issuance of guidelines ,section  
#djjg7;c77#d7 of ,public ,law #aad-cbb  
is amended-- 7#a7 by striking 7,b7 and  
inserting 7,c72  7#b7 by striking but   
after analyses2 and  7#c7 by inserting  
after subparagraph 7,a71 the following3 
7,b7 shall1 not later than #abj days    
after the date of the enactment of the  
,sites ,reservoir ,project ,act1 issue  
guidelines for feasibility 7or the      
equivalent7 studies for ,state-led      
storage projects that shall be deemed to

 provide sufficient information for     
making the independent determinations   
described in paragraph 7#b72 and  4  7b7
 ,definitions ,section #djaa7;f77#b7 of 
,public ,law #aad-cbb is amended-- 7#a7 
by inserting permitting1 following      
designing2 and  7#b7 by inserting       
mitigation following regulatory4  #g4   
,compliance with environmental laws     
,nothing in this ,act--  7#a7 modifies  
or alters any obligations or            
requirements under any ,federal         
environmental law1 including-- 7,a7 the 
,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of
 #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq472   
and  7,b7 the ,endangered ,species ,act 
of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aeca et seq472 
and  7#b7 preempts or modifies any      
obligation of the ,federal ,government  
to act in conformance with applicable   
,state law1 including applicable ,state 
water law4  #h4 ,savings clause ,nothing
 in this ,act shall be construed to     
preempt or modify any obligation of the 
,united ,states to act in conformance   

with applicable ,state law1 including   
area of origin and other water rights   
protections4