,,ii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #abdb ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #a 7legislative day1 ,march #ca71 #bjbe,mr4 ,wyden introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to authorize the ,secretary of the ,interior to carry out watershed pilots1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,watershed ,results ,act4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,advance watershed analytics ,the term advance watershed analytics means the technical analysis that-- 7,a7 is conducted before providing funding for a watershed outcomes project2 7,b7 identifies and quantifies the outcomes and costs of all potential qualifying activities across the watershed outcomes project2 and 7,c7 assesses how different groups of qualifying activities in the watershed outcomes project could efficiently maximize outcomes for the least cost4 7#b7 ,appropriate committees of ,congress ,the term appropriate committees of ,congress means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources of the ,senate2 and 7,b7 the ,committee on ,natural ,resources of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#c7 ,eligible entity ,the term eligible entity includes-- 7,a7 a ,state1 ,indian ,tribe1 ,tribal organization1 irrigation district1 or water district2 7,b7 a ,state1 regional1 or local authority1 the members of which include #a or more organizations with water or power delivery authority2 7,c7 any other organization with water or power delivery authority2 and 7,d7 any nongovernmental entity4 7#d7 ,pay-for-performance contract ,the term pay-for-performance contract means a contract to purchase verified outcomes produced by implemented qualifying activities in a watershed outcomes project at a negotiated price4 7#e7 ,qualifying activity ,the term qualifying activity means a conservation project carried out in a watershed identified through advance watershed analytics as having a high likelihood of cost-effectively achieving #a or more outcomes if implement consistent with applicable performance standards made available under section #c7;e77#d74 7#f7 ,reclamation ,state ,the term ,reclamation ,state means-- 7,a7 a ,state or territory described in the first section of the ,act of ,june #ag1 #aijb 7#cb ,stat4 #chh1 chapter #ajic2 #dc ,u4,s4,c4 #cia72 7,b7 the ,state of ,hawaii2 7,c7 the ,state of ,alaska2 and 7,d7 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico4 7#g7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of the ,interior1 acting through the ,commissioner of ,reclamation4 7#h7 ,watershed outcomes project ,the term watershed outcomes project means the overall watershed project managed by the watershed partner4 7#i7 ,watershed partner ,the term watershed partner means an eligible entity selected by the ,secretary under section #c7;a77#b7 to carry out a watershed outcomes project4 #c4 ,watershed outcomes projects 7a7 ,proposals2 selection ,the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 solicit the submission from eligible entities of proposals to develop and implement a strategy that develops and uses advance watershed analytics to cost-effectively carry out watershed outcomes projects to achieve meaningful watershed-scale outcomes in a ,reclamation ,state2 and 7#b7 from among the proposals submitted under paragraph 7#a71 select a watershed partner for each watershed to complete advance watershed analytics1 carry out watershed outcomes projects in a ,reclamation ,state1 manage watershed partnership duties during the term of the partnership agreement1 and support pay-for-performance contracts4 7b7 ,guidelines and criteria for proposals ,the ,secretary-- 7#a7 shall develop criteria and guidelines for the submission and selection of proposals under subsection 7a72 and 7#b7 for purposes of developing the criteria and guidelines under paragraph 7#a71 may consider-- 7,a7 the scope of the proposed watershed outcomes project1 including the selected subregion or basin-level watershed for consideration2 7,b7 the purpose and goals of the proposed watershed outcomes project2 7,c7 any stakeholder outreach conducted with respect to the proposed watershed outcomes project2 7,d7 evidence of widespread support within the local community for1 the proposed watershed outcomes project2 7,e7 the capability of the watershed partner to perform the required duties in accordance with subsection 7d72 7,f7 how the watershed partner will procure and use advance watershed analytics to identify and quantify the outcomes and costs of all potential qualifying activities for the proposed watershed outcomes project2 7,g7 estimated costs of completing advance watershed analytics and operating the proposed watershed outcomes project2 7,h7 the anticipated qualifying activity types that are relevant for the selected watershed identified under subparagraph 7,a72 and 7,i7 plans for monitoring1 evaluating1 and reporting on progress made toward achieving the outcomes of the proposed watershed outcomes project4 7c7 ,partnership agreements 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary may enter into a partnership agreement with a watershed partner selected under subsection 7a77#b7 to design and implement a watershed outcomes project that uses advance watershed analytics to achieve meaningful watershed-scale outcomes in accordance with this section4 7#b7 ,term 7,a7 ,in general ,a partnership agreement entered into under paragraph 7#a7 shall be for a term-- 7i7 of not more #e years2 or 7ii7 if the ,secretary determines that a longer term is necessary to meet the objectives of the watershed outcomes project1 a longer term established by the ,secretary4 7,b7 ,renewal ,a partnership agreement entered into under paragraph 7#a7 may be renewed for a term of not more than #e years4 7,c7 ,extension ,a partnership agreement entered into under paragraph 7#a7 or renewed under subparagraph 7,b7 may be extended #a time for a term of not more than #b years1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7#c7 ,technical and financial assistance ,through a partnership agreement entered into under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall provide to a watershed partner-- 7,a7 technical or financial assistance to design and implement a watershed outcomes project2 and 7,b7 grants1 cooperative agreements1 or other financial assistance to support-- 7i7 the activities under subparagraph 7,a72 and 7ii7 performance payments to qualifying activities under subsection 7g77#d74 7#d7 ,project development costs ,the ,secretary may annually award to a watershed partner an amount equal to not more than #ej percent of estimated costs of the watershed outcomes project to carry out the duties described in subsection 7d74 7d7 ,duties of watershed partners ,under a partnership agreement entered into under subsection 7c77#a71 the ,secretary shall establish duties to be carried out by the watershed partner1 including considering establishing the following duties3 7#a7 ,preparing a funding and implementation strategy that uses advance watershed analytics to cost-effectively carry out a watershed outcomes project by selecting a sufficient number of qualifying activities to achieve meaningful watershed-scale outcomes by-- 7,a7 completing advance watershed analytics to identify and quantify the outcomes and costs of all potential qualifying activities for the watershed outcomes project2 7,b7 establishing baseline metrics to support the development of setting outcome prices and performance standards for the watershed outcomes project2 7,c7 developing performance standards for the watershed outcomes project2 7,d7 leveraging financial assistance provided by the ,secretary to secure additional funds for the watershed outcomes project2 7,e7 designing1 recruiting1 and verifying qualifying activities for the watershed outcomes project2 and 7,f7 providing outcome and financial accounting services relating to qualifying activities carried out to achieve outcomes4 7#b7 ,using the strategy prepared under paragraph 7#a7 to prioritize qualifying activity outreach efforts4 7#c7 ,working with local stakeholders to recruit and design an implementation-ready queue of priority qualifying activities4 7#d7 ,ensuring that any proposed priority qualifying activities have the support of affected local stakeholders4 7#e7 ,setting activity outcome prices and developing performance standards for qualifying activities4 7#f7 ,developing a plan to carry out qualifying activities having a high likelihood of cost-effectively achieving #a or more outcomes described in subsection 7f7 if implemented consistent with the applicable performance standards made available by the ,secretary under subsection 7e77#d74 7#g7 ,selecting1 developing pay-for-performance contracts for1 funding1 and carrying out qualifying activities1 in accordance with the plan developed under paragraph 7#f71 to achieve meaningful watershed-scale outcomes4 7#h7 7,a7 ,quantifying the outcomes for qualifying activities4 7,b7 ,verifying that qualifying activities have been implemented consistent with applicable performance standards4 7,c7 ,providing applicable documentation to the ,secretary with respect to the information quantified and verified under subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b74 7#i7 ,monitoring qualifying activities at appropriate levels to confirm ongoing performance4 7#aj7 ,other duties necessary to carry out a watershed outcomes project1 as determined to be necessary by the ,secretary4 7e7 ,duties of ,secretary ,under a partnership agreement entered into under subsection 7c71 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 ensure that there is widespread support within the local community for the watershed outcomes project2 7#b7 verify the advance watershed analytics completed by the watershed partner1 to the maximum extent practicable2 7#c7 ensure that there are made available to the public outcome price tables1 by qualifying activity type1 for use as the basis for negotiating pay-for-performance contracts for the applicable watershed outcomes project2 7#d7 ensure that there are made available to the public qualifying activity and watershed outcomes project performance standards that are to be used as the basis for-- 7,a7 identifying1 quantifying1 and verifying qualifying activity outcomes2 and 7,b7 executing pay-for-performance contracts2 7#e7 review outcome quantification and verification documentation provided by the watershed partner under subsection 7d77#h77;,c72 7#f7 provide to a watershed partner financial assistance to purchase verified outcomes from qualifying activities in a watershed outcomes project1 at prices set for the watershed outcomes project in accordance with this section2 and 7#g7 coordinate with other ,federal agencies1 to the maximum extent practicable1 to help leverage and concentrate funding into watershed outcomes projects4 7f7 ,required outcomes for qualifying activities ,to be eligible for a performance payment under subsection 7g77#d71 a qualified activity shall produce #a or more measurable1 clearly defined outcomes that result in a quantifiable and verifiable-- 7#a7 increase in surface water or groundwater2 7#b7 increase in aquatic habitat quality1 quantity1 connectivity1 or access in a watershed2 7#c7 surface water or groundwater quality improvement1 including water temperature reductions1 or a reduction in salinity or nutrient or sediment runoff associated with irrigated agriculture2 or 7#d7 other quantifiable benefits1 as determined by the ,secretary1 likely to improve watershed health in the watershed outcomes project4 7g7 ,financial assistance for qualifying activities in watershed outcomes projects 7#a7 ,leveraging ,federal funding ,to achieve meaningful watershed-scale outcomes1 amounts made available under section #e may be used to satisfy any cost-sharing requirement with respect to carrying out a watershed outcomes project4 7#b7 ,federal share ,the ,federal share of grants or other financial assistance for a watershed outcomes project under this ,act shall be not more than #ge percent of the total cost of the watershed outcomes project4 7#c7 ,watershed partner contributions ,the ,secretary may-- 7,a7 accept non-,federal contributions for a watershed outcomes project1 including funding or financing secured by the watershed partner in accordance with the strategy developed under subsection 7d77#a72 and 7,b7 use amounts accepted under subparagraph 7,a7 to carry out activities authorized under this ,act in the watershed outcomes project4 7#d7 ,performance payments ,not later than #ij days after the date on which a watershed partner verifies the outcomes generated from qualifying activities and confirms that the qualifying activity has been implemented consistent with the performance standards of the applicable watershed outcomes project1 the ,secretary shall provide financial assistance to the watershed partner to support performance payments4 7h7 ,maximum number of watershed outcomes projects ,not more than a total of #e watershed outcomes projects may be carried out under this section4 7i7 ,restrictions on use of advance watershed analytics data 7#a7 ,in general ,nothing in this ,act affects or modifies existing law with respect to the treatment of personal data in the conduct by an employee of the ,federal ,government or a designee of an employee of the ,federal ,government in carrying out official duties of the ,federal employee or designee under this ,act4 7#b7 ,data collection ,all information or data collected or assembled by a ,federal employee or a designee of a ,federal employee to complete advance watershed analytics activities1 directly or indirectly1 under this ,act-- 7,a7 shall be used for the sole purpose of identifying1 prioritizing1 and funding qualifying activities in a watershed outcomes project2 and 7,b7 shall be considered to be confidential commercial information that is exempt from disclosure under section #eeb7;b77#d7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code 7commonly known as the ,freedom of ,information ,act74 7#c7 ,applicability to watershed partners ,any restrictions on a ,federal employee under this section shall apply to an employee of a watershed partner4 7j7 ,effect ,nothing in this ,act creates1 impairs1 alters1 or supersedes a ,federal or ,state water right4 #d4 ,briefing2 ,reports 7a7 ,annual briefing or report ,for each fiscal year for which a watershed outcomes project is carried out under section #c1 not later than the date on which the budget of the ,united ,states ,government is submitted by the ,president under section #aaje of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 for that fiscal year1 the ,secretary shall provide to the appropriate committees of ,congress a briefing or report describing the status of each watershed outcomes project1 including progress towards the applicable strategy prepared under section #c7;d77#a71 including any payments made for outcomes4 7b7 #e-,year report ,not later than ,october #a of the fifth fiscal year in which a watershed outcomes project is carried out under section #c1 the ,secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress a report that-- 7#a7 summarizes-- 7,a7 the projected results of the qualifying activities in the watershed outcomes project in meeting the strategy prepared under section #c7;d77#a72 7,b7 the projected outcomes of the watershed outcomes project2 7,c7 the total amount of funds secured for the watershed outcomes project2 7,d7 the type of funding expended under the watershed outcomes project2 and 7,e7 such other information as the ,secretary determines to be appropriate2 and 7#b7 includes recommendations for continuing1 terminating1 or making permanent the authorizations under this ,act4 #e4 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary to carry out this ,act #ag1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbf through #bjca4