,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ceh ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #i1 #bjai,mr4 ,vargas introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,transportation and ,infrastructure1 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 direct the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency to establish a ,california ,new ,river restoration program to build on1 and help coordinate funding for1 restoration and protection efforts relating to the ,new ,river1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,california ,new ,river ,restoration ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 the ,new ,river was born out of the ,colorado ,river's occasional flows into the ,salton ,sink and the erosion of the ,new ,river channel which formed the deep river canyon between #aije and #aijg2 7#b7 the ,new ,river starts in ,mexicali1 ,mexico1 flows north into the ,united ,states through ,calexico1 passes through the ,imperial ,valley and drains into the ,salton ,sea1 roughly #ff miles north of the international boundary1 and the sub-watershed covers approximately #gej square miles1 with #fc percent of that in ,mexico and #cg percent in the ,united ,states2 7#c7 the ,new ,river has been widely recognized for its significant water pollution problems1 primarily because of agricultural runoff1 raw sewage1 pesticides1 and discharges of wastes from domestic1 agricultural1 and industrial sources in ,mexico and the ,imperial ,valley2 7#d7 by the #aihjs1 the ,new ,river acquired the reputation of being one of the most polluted rivers in the ,united ,states1 with many of the pollutants posing serious human health hazards to local populations1 particularly those in ,calexico and ,mexicali2 7#e7 in #aiib1 the ,international ,boundary ,water ,commission's ,treaty ,minute ,no4 #bhh established a sanitation strategy for the ,new ,river water quality problems at the international boundary and divided the sanitation projects into two immediate repairs projects1 the ,mexicali ,i and the ,mexicali ,,ii1 which totaled about #ej million dollars and were funded by both countries through the ,north ,american ,development ,bank2 7#f7 in #aiie1 the ,environmental ,protection ,agency provided funds to the ,california ,regional ,water ,quality ,control ,board to monitor and document the water quality at the international boundary on a monthly basis2 7#g7 in the late #aiijs1 the ,united ,states and ,mexico spent #ajj million 7#de percent paid by ,mexico and #ee percent paid by the ,united ,states7 to build the ,las ,arenitas and ,zaragoza ,wastewater ,treatment plants1 and untreated ,new ,river water passing through four microbial treatment cells at ,las ,arenitas was then chlorinated and fed into a re-forestation project along the desiccated ,rio ,hardy which stretches to the ,sea of ,cortez2 7#h7 a #aj-year effort by community groups1 lawyers1 regulatory agencies1 and politicians addressed the problem at the source by federally funding a new sewage treatment plant in ,mexicali and developing a site plan for the river on the ,united ,states side2 7#i7 in #bjji1 the ,state of ,california required the ,california-,mexico ,border ,relations ,council to create a strategic plan to study1 monitor1 remediate1 and enhance the ,new ,river's water quality to protect human health and develop a river parkway suitable for public use2 7#aj7 in #bjab1 the ,california-,mexico ,border ,relations ,council approved the strategic plan for the ,new ,river ,improvement ,project prepared by the ,new ,river ,improvement ,project ,technical ,advisory ,committee2 7#aa7 in #bjaf1 the ,new ,river ,improvement ,project ,technical ,advisory ,committee revised the recommended infrastructure of the ,new ,river ,improvement ,project1 and the ,state of ,california appropriated #a4d million to provide grants or contracts to implement the necessary planning1 design1 environmental review1 and permitting work2 7#ab7 the revised ,new ,river ,improvement ,project includes the installation of a large trash screen1 a conveyance system1 aeration devices1 a new pump station and managed wetlands2 and 7#ac7 the existing and ongoing voluntary conservation efforts at the ,new ,river necessitate improved efficiency and cost effectiveness1 as well as increased private-sector investments and coordination of ,federal and non-,federal resources4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,administrator ,the term ,administrator means the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency4 7#b7 ,mexican ,the term ,mexican refers to the ,federal1 ,state1 and local governments of the ,united ,mexican ,states4 7#c7 ,new ,river ,the term ,new ,river means the river that starts in ,mexicali1 ,mexico1 flows north into the ,united ,states through ,calexico1 passes through the ,imperial ,valley1 and drains into the ,salton ,sea4 7#d7 ,program ,the term program means the ,california ,new ,river restoration program established under section #d4 7#e7 ,restoration and protection ,the term restoration and protection means the conservation1 stewardship1 and enhancement of habitat for fish and wildlife to preserve and improve ecosystems and ecological processes on which they depend4 #d4 ,california ,new ,river restoration program establishment 7a7 ,establishment ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator shall establish a program to be known as the ,california ,new ,river restoration program4 7b7 ,duties ,in carrying out the program1 the ,administrator shall-- 7#a7 implement projects1 plans1 and initiatives for the ,new ,river supported by the ,california-,mexico ,border ,relations ,council1 and work in consultation with applicable management entities1 including representatives of the ,calexico ,new ,river ,committee1 the ,california-,mexico ,border ,relations ,council1 the ,new ,river ,improvement ,project ,technical ,advisory ,committee1 the ,federal ,government1 ,state and local governments1 and regional and nonprofit organizations1 to implement restoration and protection activities relating to the ,new ,river2 7#b7 undertake activities that-- 7,a7 support the implementation of a shared set of science-based restoration and protection activities identified in accordance with paragraph 7#a72 7,b7 target cost-effective projects with measurable results2 and 7,c7 maximize conservation outcomes with no net gain of ,federal full-time equivalent employees2 and 7#c7 provide grants and technical assistance in accordance with section #e4 7c7 ,coordination ,in establishing the program1 the ,administrator shall consult1 as appropriate1 with-- 7#a7 the heads of ,federal agencies1 including-- 7,a7 the ,secretary of the ,interior2 7,b7 the ,secretary of ,agriculture2 7,c7 the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security2 7,d7 the ,administrator of ,general ,services2 7,e7 the ,commissioner of ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection2 7,f7 the ,commissioner of the ,international ,boundary ,water ,commission2 and 7,g7 the head of any other applicable agency2 7#b7 the ,governor of ,california2 7#c7 the ,california ,environmental ,protection ,agency2 7#d7 the ,california ,state ,water ,resources ,control ,board2 7#e7 the ,california ,department of ,water ,resources2 7#f7 the ,colorado ,river ,basin ,regional ,water ,quality ,control ,board2 7#g7 the ,imperial ,irrigation ,district2 and 7#h7 other public agencies and organizations with authority for the planning and implementation of conservation strategies relating to the ,new ,river in both the ,united ,states and ,mexico4 7d7 ,purposes ,the purposes of the program include-- 7#a7 coordinating restoration and protection activities1 among ,mexican1 ,federal1 ,state1 local1 and regional entities and conservation partners1 relating to the ,new ,river2 and 7#b7 carrying out coordinated restoration and protection activities1 and providing for technical assistance relating to the ,new ,river-- 7,a7 to sustain and enhance fish and wildlife habitat restoration and protection activities2 7,b7 to improve and maintain water quality to support fish and wildlife1 as well as the habitats of fish and wildlife2 7,c7 to sustain and enhance water management for volume and flood damage mitigation improvements to benefit fish and wildlife habitat2 7,d7 to improve opportunities for public access to1 and recreation in and along1 the ,new ,river consistent with the ecological needs of fish and wildlife habitat2 7,e7 to maximize the resilience of natural systems and habitats under changing watershed conditions2 7,f7 to engage the public through outreach1 education1 and citizen involvement1 to increase capacity and support for coordinated restoration and protection activities relating to the ,new ,river2 7,g7 to increase scientific capacity to support the planning1 monitoring1 and research activities necessary to carry out coordinated restoration and protection activities2 and 7,h7 to provide technical assistance to carry out restoration and protection activities relating to the ,new ,river4 #e4 ,grants and assistance 7a7 ,in general ,in carrying out the program1 the ,administrator shall provide grants and technical assistance to ,state and local governments1 nonprofit organizations1 and institutions of higher education1 in both the ,united ,states and ,mexico1 to carry out the purposes of the program4 7b7 ,criteria ,the ,administrator1 in consultation with the organizations described in section #d7;c71 shall develop criteria for providing grants and technical assistance under this section to ensure that such activities accomplish one or more of the purposes identified in section #d7;d77#b7 and advance the implementation of priority actions or needs identified in the ,new ,river-wide strategy adopted under section #d7;b77#b74 7c7 ,cost sharing 7#a7 ,federal share ,the ,federal share of the cost of a project for which a grant is provided under this section shall not exceed #ee percent of the total cost of the activity1 as determined by the ,administrator4 7#b7 ,non-,federal share ,the non-,federal share of the cost of a project for which a grant is provided under this section may be provided in the form of an in-kind contribution of services or materials4 7d7 ,administration 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator may enter into an agreement to manage the implementation of this section with the ,north ,american ,development ,bank or a similar organization that offers grant management services4 7#b7 ,funding ,if the ,administrator enters into an agreement under paragraph 7#a71 the organization selected shall-- 7,a7 for each fiscal year1 receive amounts to carry out this section in an advance payment of the entire amount on ,october #a1 or as soon as practicable thereafter1 of that fiscal year2 7,b7 invest and reinvest those amounts for the benefit of the program2 and 7,c7 otherwise administer the implementation of this section to support partnerships between the public and private sectors in accordance with this ,act4 #f4 ,annual reports ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 and annually thereafter1 the ,administrator shall submit to ,congress a report on the implementation of this ,act1 including a description of each project that has received funding under this ,act and the status of all such projects that are in progress on the date of submission of the report4