,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #hgge ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,november #ah1 #bjbj ,mr4 ,ruiz 7for himself and ,mr4 ,vargas7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce1 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 require the ,secretary of the ,interior to take certain measures with respect to protecting the ,salton ,sea1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,salton ,sea ,public ,health and ,environmental ,protection ,act of #bjbj4 #b4 ,federal ,salton ,sea ,management ,acres ,title ,,xi of the ,reclamation ,projects ,authorization and ,adjustment ,act of #aiib 7,public ,law #ajb-ege7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #aajb4 ,restoration program 7a7 ,restoration program ,the ,secretary of the ,interior1 acting through the ,bureau of ,reclamation1 shall provide for a program within the ,bureau's ,salton ,sea ,program ,office to improve water quality1 provide for dust mitigation1 protect the public's health1 and provide for environmental and habitat restoration at the ,salton ,sea in ,california4 7b7 ,federal ,salton ,sea ,management ,acres 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of the ,interior shall provide for such measures as such ,secretary determines appropriate for dust control and habitat conservation1 consistent with ,state and local requirements1 with respect to an acreage within the ,salton ,sea of the same size as the acreage for which the ,state of ,california provides for dust control and habitat conservation under the ,salton ,sea ,management ,program and the ,state ,water ,board ,order4 ,such ,secretary shall1 to the maximum extent possible when carrying out this requirement1 provide such measures for an equivalent number of acres of dust control and of habitat conservation4 7#b7 ,calculation ,the ,secretary of the ,interior may calculate the satisfaction of the ,federal ,salton ,sea ,management ,acres obligation described in paragraph 7#a7 in three-year increments to account for variability in acres available and appropriate for management4 7#c7 ,coordination with the ,state of ,california 7,a7 ,memorandum of understanding ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this section1 the ,secretary of the ,interior shall seek to conclude a memorandum of understanding with the ,state of ,california and the ,salton ,sea ,authority to coordinate ,federal and ,state activities relating to the construction1 operation1 and maintenance of ,federal ,salton ,sea ,management ,acres and ,salton ,sea ,management ,program activities4 ,such memorandum of understanding shall include a schedule delineating the timeframe for the accomplishment of the establishment of ,salton ,sea ,management ,acres and consideration of the effects of such memorandum of understanding on affected disadvantaged communities4 7,b7 ,access ,the ,secretary of the ,interior shall make ,federal lands within the ,salton ,sea available to the ,state of ,california for activities under the ,salton ,sea ,management ,program and the ,state ,water ,board ,order and shall give priority to such activities4 7#d7 ,state responsibilities ,nothing in this section shall modify the ,state of ,california's responsibilities or associated timelines under the ,state ,water ,board ,order4 7#e7 ,support from the ,secretary of ,agriculture ,the ,secretary of ,agriculture shall1 in issuing funding or other types of support under such authority as is available to such ,secretary1 prioritize support and funding to assist the ,secretary of the ,interior in fulfilling the responsibilities described in this subsection4 7#f7 ,delegation to the ,state of ,california 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of the ,interior may delegate such ,secretary's responsibilities under this subsection to the ,state of ,california through a cooperative agreement or other contractual agreement only upon the provision by such ,secretary to the ,state of adequate ,federal funding to assure the requirements of this section are met1 including funding for operations and maintenance of ,federal ,salton ,sea ,management ,acres4 ,such ,secretary may award grants to the ,state for completion of this responsibility4 7,b7 ,agreement pending funding not restricted ,subparagrah 7,a7 shall not be construed to prohibit the ,secretary of the ,interior from entering such an agreement prior to the provision of such adequate ,federal funding4 7#g7 ,not a ,special ,aquatic ,site ,for the purposes of the construction1 operation1 and maintenance of ,federal ,salton ,sea ,management ,acres and ,salton ,sea ,management ,program activities1 lakebed exposed as the ,salton ,sea recedes shall not be considered a ,special ,aquatic ,site for the purposes of determining jurisdiction under section #djd of the ,clean ,water ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #acdd74 7#h7 ,report to ,congress ,the ,secretary of the ,interior shall report to ,congress annually identifying-- 7,a7 the total number of acres under management by such ,secretary or funding provided to the ,state of ,california under paragraph 7#f72 7,b7 the type of management applied to ,federal ,salton ,sea ,management ,acres1 and whether such management is dust suppression or habitat restoration2 7,c7 if such ,secretary has not met such ,secretary's responsibility under paragraph 7#a7 over the current three-year period under paragraph 7#b71 a plan for coming into compliance2 and 7,d7 additional funding needed to meet such obligation4 7c7 ,definitions ,in this section1 the following terms have the meaning given to such terms in section #e of the ,salton ,sea ,public ,health and ,environmental ,protection ,act of #bjbj3 7#a7 ,federal ,salton ,sea ,management ,acres4 7#b7 ,salton ,sea ,authority4 7#c7 ,salton ,sea ,management ,program4 7#d7 ,state ,water ,board ,order4 4 #c4 ,salton ,sea ,management ,council 7a7 ,establishment of ,federal ,salton ,sea ,council ,not later than #ij days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of the ,interior shall establish a ,salton ,sea ,council with the goal of coordinating interagency ,salton ,sea projects1 expediting permits1 coordinating environmental review1 streamlining funding of projects associated with the ,salton ,sea ,management ,program and ,federal ,salton ,sea ,management ,acres1 and coordinating such goals with the ,state of ,california and the ,salton ,sea ,authority4 7b7 ,membership ,council shall consist of the following and shall be chaired by the ,secretary of the ,interior3 7#a7 ,the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 or a representative of such ,secretary4 7#b7 ,the ,secretary of the ,army or a representative of such ,secretary4 7#c7 ,the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency or a representative of such ,administrator4 7#d7 ,the ,commissioner of the ,bureau of ,reclamation or a representative of such ,commissioner4 7#e7 ,the ,director of the ,united ,states ,fish and ,wildlife ,service or a representative of such ,director4 7#f7 ,the ,director of the ,united ,states ,geological ,survey or a representative of such ,director4 7c7 ,duties ,the ,council shall-- 7#a7 convene and establish a process for collaboration among the members of the ,council1 the ,state of ,california1 the ,salton ,sea ,authority1 local communities1 ,tribal governments1 the ,south ,coast ,air ,quality ,management ,district1 the ,imperial ,county ,air ,pollution ,control ,district1 and other persons1 including holding at least one annual public meeting at the ,salton ,sea to receive feedback from local stakeholders2 7#b7 develop a ,federal funding plan across ,federal agencies with jurisdiction at the ,salton ,sea to assist the ,secretary in meeting the ,salton ,sea ,management ,acres obligation and associated operations and maintenance costs2 and 7#c7 identify and implement measures to expedite and streamline ,federal permitting of ,salton ,sea management undertaken by the ,state of ,california's ,salton ,sea ,management ,program4 7d7 ,production of ,report ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,council shall submit to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources of the ,house of ,representatives a report that-- 7#a7 identifies ,federal and ,state funding sources and previous funding for projects and studies related to potentially benefitting or impacting the ,salton ,sea2 7#b7 analyzes how ,federal and ,state funding sources can be matched or paired to reach acreage goals2 and 7#c7 identifies additional ,federal resources including resources for technical assistance and project permitting assistance that could be applied to the management of the ,salton ,sea4 #d4 ,public ,health ,reporting ,requirement 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of the ,interior1 in consultation with the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency1 shall publish an annual report on air quality surrounding the ,salton ,sea1 including an analysis of the presence of pollutants1 salinity levels1 and agricultural chemicals present in the exposed lakebed on ,federal lands4 ,such report shall include-- 7#a7 the change in number of acres of ,federal land that is exposed lakebed and land with respect to which such ,secretary has taken corrective action1 either through habitat restoration or dust suppression2 and 7#b7 any associated health risks with particulate matter pollution and any chemicals present4 7b7 ,population health study ,the ,secretary of ,interior may partner with a university or research institution to conduct a long-term population health study on individuals with extended exposure to the ,salton ,sea4 7c7 ,additional air monitors ,the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency shall take such measures as the ,administrator determines necessary to monitor the air quality in population centers near the ,salton ,sea4 #e4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,federal ,salton ,sea ,management ,acres ,the term ,federal ,salton ,sea ,management ,acres means the ,salton ,sea exposed lakebed acres required to be managed by the ,secretary of the ,interior for dust control or habitat in consultation with the ,state of ,california and ,salton ,sea ,authority4 7#b7 ,salton ,sea ,authority ,the term ,salton ,sea ,authority means a ,joint ,powers ,authority composed of member agencies including the ,torres ,martinez ,desert ,cahuilla ,tribe1 ,county of ,imperial1 the ,county of ,riverside1 the ,coachella ,valley ,water ,district1 and the ,imperial ,irrigation ,district1 established to work in coordination with the ,state of ,california to oversee the comprehensive restoration of the ,salton ,sea4 7#c7 ,salton ,sea ,management ,program ,the term ,salton ,sea ,management ,program means the program created by the ,state of ,california to address air quality and ecological threats at the ,salton ,sea4 7#d7 ,salton ,sea #aj-,year ,plan ,the term ,salton ,sea #aj-,year ,plan means the ,state of ,california's ,salton ,sea ,management ,program ,phase #a3 #aj-year plan to provide for the construction of #cj1jjj acres of air quality and habitat projects at the ,salton ,sea4 7#e7 ,state ,water ,board ,order ,the term ,state ,water ,board ,order means ,california ,state ,water ,board ,order #bjag-jacd entitled ,,order ,,accepting ,,and ,,revising ,,state ,,water ,,board ,,revised ,,order ,,wro #bjjb-jjac issued on ,november #g1 #bjag1 establishing ,salton ,sea management acre milestones for the ,state of ,california4