,i  #aai? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #hbei  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,april #ad1 #bjbf,mr4 
,b5tz 7= himself & ,mr4 ,ful*]7         
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,natural ,res\rces  ,a 
,,bill  ,to ensure mean+ful consultation
 & coop]ation betwe5 ,f$]al & local     
entities 9 ! op]ation ( ,f$]al wat]     
projects 9 ! ,reclamation ,/ates1 & =   
o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act
 may be cit$ z ! ,f$]al ,wat] ,projects 
,consultation ,improvem5t ,act ( #bjbf4 
#b4 ,consultation ) affect$ contractors 
( ,f$]al wat] projects  7a7 ,resolution 
( wat] res\rce issues ,9 fur!rance ( !  
policy e/abli%$ by section #b7;c77#b7 ( 
! ,endang]$ ,species ,act ( #aigc 7#af  
,u4,s4,c4 #aeca7;c77#b771 9 a           
consultation or reconsultation "u       
section #g ( t ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4      
#aecf7 ) respect to ! op]ation ( a      
,f$]al wat] project1 ! head ( ea* action
 ag5cy1 ! ,secret>y1 or ! head ( an     
action ag5cy & ! ,secret>y work+ 9      

coord9ation1 z applicable1 %all ensure t
 ea* cov]$ entity t s reque/s %all--    
7#a7 h r\t9e & cont9u+ opportunities--  
7,a7 to discuss & submit in=mation to ! 
action ag5cy = consid]ation dur+ !      
developm5t ( any biological assessm5t2 &
  7,b7 engage ) ! action ag5cy ) respect
 to ! prep>ation ( ! biological         
assessm5t2  7#b7 if ! head ( an action  
ag5cy sugge/s or consid]s an ag5cy      
action t w\ld n result 9 full deliv]y ( 
wat] pursuant to a contract =           
contractors ( ! ,f$]al wat] project1 be 
in=m$ & engag$ z to--  7,a7 ! legal     
au?ority invok$ by ! action ag5cy to    
support t su* ag5cy action w\ld be )9 ! 
scope ( ! au?ority ( ! action ag5cy2    
7,b7 h[ ea* compon5t ( ! ag5cy action   
w\ld contribute to avoid+ jeop>diz+ !   
cont9u$ exi/5ce ( any ?reat5$ species or
 endang]$ species & de/roy+ or adv]sely 
modify+ critical habitat & ! sci5tific  
data or in=mation t supports ea*        
compon5t ( ! ag5cy action "u            
consid]ation2 &  7,c7 :y any o!r ag5cy  

actions t w\ld h few] adv]se wat] supply
 & economic impacts are inadequate to   
avoid jeop>diz+ ! cont9u$ exi/5ce ( any 
?reat5$ species or endang]$ species &   
de/roy+ or adv]sely modify+ critical    
habitat2  7#c7 be in=m$ by ! head ( !   
action ag5cy ( ! s*$ule = prep>ation ( a
 biological assessm5t2  7#d7 be in=m$ by
 ! ,secret>y ( ! s*$ule = prep>ation ( !
 biological op9ion at su* "t z !        
biological assessm5t is submitt$ to !   
,s]vices by ! action ag5cy2  7#e7       
receive a copy ( draft biological op9ion
 & h ! opportunity to review ea* su*    
draft biological op9ion & provide comm5t
 to ! ,secret>y ?r\gh engagem5t ) !     
action ag5cy1 :i* comm5ts %all be af=d$ 
due consid]ation dur+ ! consultation2   
7#f7 h ! opportunity to conf] & engage )
 ! head ( ! action ag5cy & applicant1 if
 any1 ) respect to reasonable & prud5t  
alt]natives prior to ! id5tification (  
any reasonable & prud5t alt]native =    
consid]ation2  7#g7 if ! ,secret>y      
sugge/s a reasonable & prud5t           

alt]native1 be in=m$ & engag$ ) respect 
to--  7,a7 h[ ea* compon5t ( !          
reasonable & prud5t alt]native w        
contribute to avoid+ jeop>diz+ ! cont9u$
 exi/5ce ( any ?reat5$ species or       
endang]$ species & de/roy+ or adv]sely  
modify+ critical habitat & ! sci5tific  
data or in=mation t supports ea*        
compon5t ( ! reasonable & prud5t        
alt]native2 &  7,b7 :y any o!r propos$  
reasonable & prud5t alt]natives t w\ld h
 few] adv]se wat] supply & economic     
impacts are inadequate to avoid         
jeop>diz+ ! cont9u$ exi/5ce ( any       
?reat5$ species or endang]$ species &   
de/roy+ or adv]sely modify+ critical    
habitat2 &  7#h7 if ! ,secret>y proposes
 a reasonable & prud5t measure to avoid 
or m9imize take ( ?reat5$ species or    
endang]$ species1 or t]ms & conditions  
to implem5t su* reasonable & prud5t     
measure1 be in=m$ & engag$ ) respect    
to-- 7,a7 h[ ! reasonable & prud5t      
measure or t]ms & conditions relate to  
avoid+ or m9imiz+ su* take2 &  7,b7 :e!r

 ! reasonable & prud5t measure or t]ms &
 conditions con=m to any applicable     
limitations4  #c4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is    
,act3  7#a7 ,action ag5cy ,! t]m action 
ag5cy means ! ,f$]al ag5cy responsible =
 au?oriz+1 fund+1 or c>ry+ out an action
 subject to consultation "u section #g (
 ! ,endang]$ ,species ,act ( #aigc 7#af 
,u4,s4,c4 #aecf74  7#b7 ,ag5cy action ,!
 t]m ag5cy action has ! mean+ giv5 ! t]m
 9 section #g7;a77#b7 ( ! ,endang]$     
,species ,act ( #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4    
#aecf7;a77#b774  7#c7 ,biological       
assessm5t ,! t]m biological assessm5t   
means a biological assessm5t conduct$ "u
 section #g7;c7 ( ! ,endang]$ ,species  
,act ( #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aecf7;c774 
7#d7 ,biological op9ion ,! t]m          
biological op9ion means a writt5 /atem5t
 provid$ by ! ,secret>y "u section      
#g7;b77#c7 ( ! ,endang]$ ,species ,act (
 #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aecf7;b77#c774   
7#e7 ,contractor ,! t]m contractor means
 any public ag5cy1 quasi-municipal      
corporation1 irrigation di/rict1 wat]   

us]s association1 or simil> entity t has
 ent]$ into a wat] s]vice1 repaym5t1 or 
o!r contract ) ! ,unit$ ,/ates relat$ to
 /orage1 div]sion1 or deliv]y ( wat] f a
 ,f$]al wat] project4  7#f7 ,cov]$      
entity ,! t]m cov]$ entity means a      
public or quasi-municipal ag5cy or wat] 
us]s association t has a contract ) !   
,bureau ( ,reclamation = municipal or   
agricultural wat] supply f a ,f$]al wat]
 project4  7#g7 ,critical habitat ,! t]m
 critical habitat has ! mean+ giv5 ! t]m
 9 section #c ( ! ,endang]$ ,species    
,act ( #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aecb74     
7#h7 ,endang]$ species ,! t]m endang]$  
species has ! mean+ giv5 ! t]m 9 section
 #c ( ! ,endang]$ ,species ,act ( #aigc 
7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aecb74  7#i7 ,engage ,! 
t]m engage means to conduct direct      
writt5 & 9-p]son communications         
recogniz+ ! unique int]e/ ( ! contractor
 & promot+ maximum c&or & coop]ation4   
7#aj7 ,f$]al wat] project ,! t]m ,f$]al 
wat] project means any project or       
facility--  7,a7 9 a ,reclamation ,/ate 

describ$ 9 subp>agraphs 7,b7 ?r\gh 7,r7 
( section #abh7;a77#g7 ( ! ,,explore    
,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hdbf7;a77#g772 &   
7,b7 op]at$ or manag$ by a ,f$]al ag5cy 
= ! au?oriz$ purpose ( municipal or     
agricultural wat] supply4  7#aa7        
,reasonable & prud5t alt]native ,! t]m  
reasonable & prud5t alt]native means a  
reasonable & prud5t alt]native sugge/$  
by ! ,secret>y "u section #g7;b77#c7 ( !
 ,endang]$ ,species ,act ( #aigc 7#af   
,u4,s4,c4 #aecf7;b77#c774  7#ab7        
,reasonable & prud5t measure ,! t]m     
reasonable & prud5t measure means a     
reasonable & prud5t measure specifi$ by 
! ,secret>y "u section #g7;b77#d7 ( !   
,endang]$ ,species ,act ( #aigc 7#af    
,u4,s4,c4 #aecf7;b77#d774  7#ac7        
,secret>y ,! t]m ,secret>y has ! mean+  
giv5 ! t]m 9 section #c ( ! ,endang]$   
,species ,act ( #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4    
#aecb74  7#ad7 ,take ,! t]m take has !  
mean+ giv5 ! t]m 9 section #c ( !       
,endang]$ ,species ,act ( #aigc 7#af    
,u4,s4,c4 #aecb74  7#ae7 ,?reat5$       

species ,! t]m ?reat5$ species has !    
mean+ giv5 ! t]m 9 section #c ( !       
,endang]$ ,species ,act ( #aigc 7#af    
,u4,s4,c4 #aecb74