,,ii #aahth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ejad ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #aj1 #bjbd,mr4 ,hickenlooper 7for himself and ,mr4 ,moran7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to provide for the establishment of a ,water ,project ,navigators ,program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,water ,project ,navigators ,act4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,disadvantaged community ,except as otherwise defined by the ,secretary of the ,interior 7acting through the ,commissioner of ,reclamation7 based on current methodologies1 the term disadvantaged community means a community 7including a city1 town1 county1 or reasonably isolated and divisible segment of a larger municipality7 with an annual median income that is less than the statewide annual median income for the ,state in which the community is located1 according to the most recent decennial census4 7#b7 ,eligible entity ,the term eligible entity means-- 7,a7 a ,state1 ,indian ,tribe1 acequia1 land grant-merced1 local government1 water supplier1 or municipal water district located in an eligible ,state2 7,b7 any ,state1 regional1 or local authority located in an eligible ,state1 the members of which include #a or more organizations with water or power delivery authority2 7,c7 a nonprofit conservation organization located in an eligible ,state2 7,d7 an agency located in an eligible ,state that is established under ,state or ,tribal law for the joint exercise of powers2 or 7,e7 a combination of entities described in subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,d74 7#c7 ,eligible state ,the term eligible ,state means-- 7,a7 a ,state or territory described in the first section of the ,act of ,june #ag1 #aijb 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #cia2 #cb ,stat4 #chh1 chapter #ajic72 7,b7 the ,state of ,alaska2 7,c7 the ,state of ,hawaii2 and 7,d7 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico4 7#d7 ,indian tribe ,the term ,indian ,tribe has the meaning given the term in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd74 7#e7 ,multi-benefit water project ,the term multi-benefit water project means any project in an eligible ,state that-- 7,a7 enhances the overall resilience of water supplies to climate-related impacts1 including through activities-- 7i7 to increase water use efficiency2 7ii7 to reduce consumptive use of water2 7iii7 to promote system conservation2 7iv7 to reduce water supply-demand imbalances2 7v7 to promote water recycling and other advanced water treatments to augment water supplies2 7vi7 to improve management or delivery of water resources2 or 7vii7 to encourage sustainable surface water or groundwater management2 and 7,b7 provides benefits to communities and ecosystems1 including through activities-- 7i7 to conserve or enhance fish and wildlife habitat2 7ii7 to improve water quality2 7iii7 to improve watershed health and function2 7iv7 to enhance recreational opportunities2 7v7 to promote rural economic development2 or 7vi7 to address risks to communities and infrastructure from climate change4 7#f7 ,natural feature ,the term natural feature means a feature that is created through the action of physical1 geological1 biological1 and chemical processes over time4 7#g7 ,nature-based feature ,the term nature-based feature means a feature that is created by human design1 engineering1 and construction to provide a means to reduce water supply and demand imbalances or drought or flood risk by acting in concert with natural processes4 7#h7 ,program ,the term ,program means the ,water ,project ,navigators ,program established under section #c7;a74 #c4 ,water project navigators program 7a7 ,establishment ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of the ,interior 7acting through the ,commissioner of ,reclamation7 7referred to in this ,act as the ,secretary7 shall establish a program to support the development and implementation of multi-benefit water projects within eligible ,states1 to be known as the ,water ,project ,navigators ,program4 7b7 ,authority ,in carrying out the ,program1 the ,secretary may award grants or cooperative agreements to eligible entities to support the creation or continuation of multi-benefit water project navigator positions4 7c7 ,criteria and guidelines 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall develop criteria and guidelines for awarding grants and cooperative agreements under the ,program that consider-- 7,a7 the potential of the eligible entity to accelerate development and implementation of multi-benefit water projects within-- 7i7 the jurisdiction or service area of the eligible entity2 or 7ii7 in the case of an eligible entity that is a nongovernmental applicant1 an area in which the eligible entity has a demonstrated history of productive engagement with the community and stakeholders2 7,b7 any history of development of multi-benefit water projects by the eligible entity2 and 7,c7 any potential multi-benefit water projects the eligible entity has not yet implemented due to lack of capacity4 7#b7 ,prioritization ,the criteria and guidelines developed under paragraph 7#a7 shall include prioritization criteria for awarding grants or cooperative agreements1 which shall include prioritizing applications from eligible entities-- 7,a7 that would provide benefits for ,indian ,tribes1 disadvantaged communities1 and other eligible entities with limited project development resources and capacity2 7,b7 that would provide support for local job creation and retention2 7,c7 with a demonstrated intent and ability to incorporate improvements to the condition of a natural feature or nature-based feature in multi-benefit water projects designed under the ,program2 7,d7 with demonstrated support from multiple stakeholders1 including ,indian ,tribes1 representatives of irrigated agricultural production1 hydroelectric production1 municipal and industrial water users1 local governments1 community-based organizations1 and nonprofit conservation organizations2 7,e7 that would provide benefits for areas experiencing severe long-term drought2 and 7,f7 with the capability to work in coordination with other projects that have been funded under1 or help advance the objectives of1 other ,department of ,interior programs1 including a program authorized under-- 7i7 section #iejd of the ,omnibus ,public ,land ,management ,act of #bjji 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ajcfd72 7ii7 section #fjjb of the ,omnibus ,public ,land ,management ,act of #bjji 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ajae;a72 7iii7 section #aaji of the ,consolidated ,appropriations ,act1 #bjba 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #bccj;c72 7iv7 title ,,ix of division ,d of the ,infrastructure ,investment and ,jobs ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #cbja et seq472 or 7v7 section #ejbcc of ,public ,law #aag-afi 7commonly known as the ,inflation ,reduction ,act of #bjbb7 7#acf ,stat4 #bjec74 7#c7 ,public comment ,before finalizing the criteria and guidelines developed under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall make the criteria and guidelines available for public comment4 7#d7 ,prohibition ,the ,secretary may not award a grant or cooperative agreement under the ,program that would fund activities to meet existing environmental mitigation or compliance obligations under ,federal or ,state law4 7d7 ,duties of navigators ,a multi-benefit water project navigator funded under the ,program shall assist the eligible entity in planning1 developing1 and implementing multi-benefit water projects1 including-- 7#a7 grant writing2 7#b7 project management2 7#c7 technical assistance1 such as feasibility1 design1 preliminary environmental review1 and engineering2 and 7#d7 any other necessary activities4 7e7 ,duration of grants and cooperative agreements 7#a7 ,limitation ,subject to paragraph 7#b71 a grant or cooperative agreement under the ,program shall be limited to a period of not more than #c years4 7#b7 ,continuation and extension ,at the discretion of the ,secretary1 the ,secretary may issue a continuation grant or extend a cooperative agreement awarded under the ,program for not more than #b additional years1 with additional funding to be awarded1 as determined to be appropriate by the ,secretary1 if the recipient of the grant or cooperative agreement has demonstrated satisfactory performance with implementation of the proposal under the initial grant or cooperative agreement1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7f7 ,continuous enrollment ,the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 make funding opportunities for the ,program available on a regular basis2 and 7#b7 allow applications for grants or cooperative agreements under the ,program to be submitted and evaluated multiple times per year4 7g7 ,cost share 7#a7 ,in general ,except as provided in paragraph 7#c71 the ,federal share of the cost of any activity awarded a grant or cooperative agreement under the ,program shall not exceed #ge percent of the cost of the activity carried out under the grant or cooperative agreement4 7#b7 ,form of non-federal cost share ,the non-,federal share of the cost of an activity awarded a grant or cooperative agreement under the ,program may be in the form of cash or in-kind contributions4 7#c7 ,reduction2 waiver ,with respect to a grant or cooperative agreement awarded to an ,indian ,tribe1 acequia1 land grant-merced1 disadvantaged community1 or any other eligible entity working in partnership with or on behalf of those entities1 the ,secretary may reduce or waive the non-,federal share of the cost of any activity that is the subject of the grant or cooperative agreement if the reduction or waiver would further a compelling ,federal interest1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7h7 ,coordination ,in administering the ,program1 the ,secretary shall coordinate with other ,federal1 ,tribal1 ,state1 and local government technical assistance programs to enhance multi-benefit water project development4 7i7 ,compliance ,a multi-benefit water project navigator funded under the ,program shall comply with all applicable ,federal and ,state laws in carrying out the duties of the multi-benefit water project navigator under the ,program4 7j7 ,report to congress ,not later than #e years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,natural ,resources of the ,house of ,representatives a report that describes-- 7#a7 the ways in which the ,program assists the ,secretary in-- 7,a7 reducing basin-wide water supply-demand imbalances2 and 7,b7 enhancing drought and ecosystem resilience2 and 7#b7 the benefits that the ,program provides1 including1 to the maximum extent practicable1 a quantitative analysis of the multiple benefits advanced under the ,program4 #d4 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this ,act #ae1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbd through #bjbi1 to remain available until expended4