,,ii #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #befh ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #bi1 #bjba,ms4 ,cortez ,masto introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to establish the ,open ,access ,evapotranspiration 7,open,e,t7 ,data ,program4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,open ,access ,evapotranspiration ,data ,act4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,evapotranspiration ,the term evapotranspiration means the process by which water is transferred from the land to the atmosphere by-- 7,a7 evaporation from soil and other surfaces2 and 7,b7 transpiration from plants4 7#b7 ,program ,the term program means the ,open ,access ,evapotranspiration 7,open,e,t7 ,data ,program established under section #d7;a74 7#c7 ,program partner ,the term program partner means-- 7,a7 an institution of higher education2 7,b7 a ,state 7including a ,state agency72 7,c7 a private sector entity2 7,d7 a nongovernmental organization2 or 7,e7 any other entity determined to be appropriate by the ,secretary4 7#d7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of the ,interior1 acting through the ,director of the ,united ,states ,geological ,survey4 #c4 ,findings ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 evapotranspiration is the second largest component of the water budget1 which is an accounting of the allocation of water resources to various water uses2 7#b7 evapotranspiration is a measure of the water that is consumed and lost from a water system1 removed from available supplies1 and unavailable for other uses within a watershed2 7#c7 accurate information on evapotranspiration is required to balance water supply and water demand in a watershed and ensure that adequate water supplies for beneficial uses are available over time2 7#d7 water users and managers are impeded in more efficient decisionmaking by-- 7,a7 the lack of consistent and comprehensive water use data2 and 7,b7 the fact that access to existing data is often limited and cost-prohibitive2 and 7#e7 evapotranspiration data may be applied for the purposes of-- 7,a7 assisting users and decisionmakers to better manage resources and protect financial viability of farm operations during drought2 7,b7 developing more accurate water budgets and innovative management programs to better promote conservation and sustainability efforts2 and 7,c7 employing greater groundwater management practices and understanding impacts of consumptive water use4 #d4 ,open ,access ,evapotranspiration 7,open,e,t7 data program 7a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary shall establish an ,open ,access ,evapotranspiration 7,open,e,t7 ,data ,program under which the ,secretary shall provide for the delivery of satellite-based evapotranspiration data-- 7#a7 to advance the quantification of evaporation and consumptive water use2 and 7#b7 to provide data users with field-scale estimates of evapotranspiration data across large landscapes over certain periods of time4 7b7 ,purpose ,the purpose of the program is to support the operational distribution of satellite-based evapotranspiration data generated under the program to sustain and enhance water resources in the ,united ,states4 7c7 ,duties ,in carrying out the program1 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 evaluate1 use1 and modify sources of satellite-based evapotranspiration data based on best available science and technologies2 and 7#b7 coordinate and consult with-- 7,a7 the heads of other relevant ,federal agencies1 including-- 7i7 the ,commissioner of ,reclamation2 7ii7 the ,administrator of the ,national ,aeronautics and ,space ,administration2 7iii7 the ,administrator of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration2 7iv7 the ,administrator of the ,agricultural ,research ,service2 and 7v7 the ,chief of the ,natural ,resources ,conservation ,service2 and 7,b7 program partners4 7d7 ,components ,in carrying out the program1 the ,secretary shall carry out activities that would develop1 maintain1 establish1 expand1 or advance delivery of satellite-based evapotranspiration data to advance the quantification of evaporation and consumptive water use1 with an emphasis on carrying out activities that would-- 7#a7 support the development and maintenance of evapotranspiration data and software systems and associated research and development in a manner that ensures that program data are reflective of the best available science1 including by providing support to program partners1 or coordinating activities with other programs within the ,department of the ,interior1 that have developed and are maintaining evapotranspiration software systems and datasets2 7#b7 demonstrate or test new and existing evapotranspiration measurement technology2 7#c7 improve evapotranspiration measurement science and technology2 and 7#d7 develop or refine the application of satellite-based evapotranspiration data available to ,federal agencies1 ,states1 and ,indian ,tribes1 including the integration of program data into-- 7,a7 the ,water ,availability and ,use ,science ,program1 the ,national ,water ,census1 and ,integrated ,water ,availability ,assessments by the ,united ,states ,geological ,survey2 and 7,b7 activities under the ,water,s,m,a,r,t program authorized by subtitle ,f of title ,,ix of the ,omnibus ,public ,land ,management ,act of #bjji 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ajcfa et seq474 7e7 ,use and availability of program data ,the ,secretary-- 7#a7 shall incorporate1 to the maximum extent practicable1 program information and data for purposes of determining consumptive water use on irrigated or other vegetated landscapes for use in water allocation decisions1 water budget accounting1 and water use reporting2 7#b7 shall coordinate data analyses1 use1 and collection efforts with other ,federal agencies1 ,states1 and ,tribal governments through existing coordinating organizations1 such as-- 7,a7 the ,western ,states ,water ,council2 and 7,b7 the ,western ,states ,federal ,agency ,support ,team2 and 7#c7 may provide information collected and analyzed under the program to program partners through appropriate mechanisms1 including through interagency agreements with ,federal agencies1 ,states 7including ,state agencies71 or ,indian ,tribes1 leases1 contracts1 cooperative agreements1 grants1 loans1 and memoranda of understanding4 7f7 ,cooperative agreements ,the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 enter into cooperative agreements with program partners to provide for the efficient and cost-effective administration of the program1 including through cost-sharing or by providing additional in-kind resources necessary to carry out the program2 and 7#b7 provide nonreimbursable matching funding for programmatic and operational activities under this section1 in consultation with program partners4 7g7 ,environmental laws ,nothing in this ,act modifies any obligation of the ,secretary to comply with applicable ,federal and ,state environmental laws in carrying out this ,act4 #e4 ,report ,not later than #d years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committees on ,energy and ,natural ,resources1 ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry1 and ,appropriations of the ,senate and the ,committees on ,natural ,resources1 ,agriculture1 and ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives a report that includes-- 7#a7 a status update on the operational incorporation of program data into modeling1 water planning1 and reporting efforts of relevant ,federal agencies1 including the ,water ,availability and ,use ,science ,program of the ,united ,states ,geological ,survey and the ,water,s,m,a,r,t program authorized by subtitle ,f of title ,,ix of the ,omnibus ,public ,land ,management ,act of #bjji 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ajcfa et seq472 and 7#b7 a list of ,federal agencies and program partners that are applying program data to beneficial use1 including a description of examples of beneficial uses4 #f4 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary to carry out this ,act #ad1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbb through #bjbf1 to remain available until expended4