,,ii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #cgcb ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,january #bi1 #bjbf,mr4 ,gallego 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,kelly1 and ,mr4 ,padilla7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,water ,infrastructure ,improvements for the ,nation ,act to authorize assistance under the storage program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,water ,security and ,drought ,resilience ,act4 #b4 ,authorization to provide assistance for storage program ,section #djjg of the ,water ,infrastructure ,improvements for the ,nation ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #cij;b note2 ,public ,law #aad-cbb7 is amended by striking subsection 7d7 and inserting the following3 7d7 ,authority ,to provide assistance 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of the ,interior may provide financial assistance under this subtitle to carry out projects within any ,reclamation ,state4 7#b7 ,additional project ,notwithstanding subsection 7i7 or section #djac1 any project for which a feasibility study is authorized under subsection 7a77#a77;,b77i7 of section #djijb of the ,infrastructure ,investment and ,jobs ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #cbjb7 shall1 pursuant to the construction funding requirements under subsection 7a77#b7 of that section1 as applicable1 be eligible for funding under this section4 7#c7 ,distribution among multiple reclamation states ,in providing financial assistance under this subtitle1 the ,secretary of the ,interior shall ensure that the financial assistance is distributed among projects across multiple ,reclamation ,states4 4 #c4 ,reauthorization of small storage program 7a7 ,eligibility and selection ,section #djijc7;b7 of the ,infrastructure ,investment and ,jobs ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #cbjc7;b77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking subparagraph 7,b7 and inserting the following3 7,b7 ,eligible projects ,a project shall be considered eligible for consideration for a grant under this section if the project-- 7i7 7,i7 has water storage capacity of not less than #bjj acre-feet and not more than #cj1jjj acre-feet2 and 7,,ii7 7aa7 increases surface water or groundwater storage2 or 7bb7 conveys water1 directly or indirectly1 to or from surface water or groundwater storage2 or 7ii7 7,i7 has water storage capacity for recharges of not less than #bjj acre-feet and not more than #aej1jjj acre-feet on an average annual basis over the life of the project for storage or use2 and 7,,ii7 7aa7 increases groundwater aquifer storage2 7bb7 conveys water1 directly or indirectly1 to1 or recovers water from1 groundwater storage2 7cc7 both increases groundwater aquifer storage and conveys water1 directly or indirectly1 to or recovers water from groundwater storage2 and 7dd7 stabilizes groundwater levels4 2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#f7 ,distribution among multiple ,reclamation ,states ,in awarding grants to projects under this section1 the ,secretary shall ensure that grants are distributed across multiple ,reclamation ,states4 4 7b7 ,termination of authority ,section #djijc of the ,infrastructure ,investment and ,jobs ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #cbjc7 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subsection 7e7 as subsection 7g72 and 7#b7 in subsection 7g7 7as so redesignated71 by striking #e and inserting #aj4 7c7 ,authorization of appropriations2 effect ,section #djijc of the ,infrastructure ,investment and ,jobs ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #cbjc7 is amended by inserting after subsection 7d7 the following3 7e7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary to carry out this section #bj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbg through #bjcc4 7f7 ,effect ,nothing in this section-- 7#a7 supersedes or in any manner affects or conflicts with ,state water law1 ,federal water law1 interstate compacts1 or treaty obligations2 7#b7 authorizes any acquisition of water by the ,federal ,government2 or 7#c7 supersedes or infringes on any water rights4 4 #d4 ,natural water retention and release project grants 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,eligible entity ,the term eligible entity means-- 7,a7 a ,state1 ,indian ,tribe1 municipality1 irrigation district1 water district1 wastewater district1 or other organization with water or power delivery authority2 7,b7 a ,state1 regional1 or local authority1 the members of which include #a or more organizations with water or power delivery authority2 or 7,c7 a qualified partner4 7#b7 ,natural water retention and release project ,the term natural water retention and release project means a project that is designed and developed to increase water availability for optimal management through aquifer recharge1 floodplain retention1 the alteration of the timing of runoff to allow increased utilization of existing storage facilities1 or another mechanism that-- 7,a7 uses primarily natural materials appropriate to the specific site and landscape setting2 7,b7 substantially mimics natural riverine1 wetland1 ecosystem1 or hydrologic processes2 and 7,c7 may include multiple distributed natural water retention and release projects across a watershed4 7#c7 ,qualified partner ,the term qualified partner means a nonprofit organization operating in a ,reclamation ,state that is acting with the written support of an eligible entity described in subparagraph 7,a7 or 7,b7 of paragraph 7#a74 7#d7 ,reclamation ,state ,the term ,reclamation ,state has the meaning given the term in section #djad of the ,water ,infrastructure ,improvements for the ,nation ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #cij;b note2 ,public ,law #aad-cbb74 7#e7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of the ,interior1 acting through the ,commissioner of ,reclamation4 7b7 ,authorization for grants ,the ,secretary may award to an eligible entity a grant for a natural water retention and release project under this section1 if-- 7#a7 in the case of a natural water retention and release project that costs not more than #bj1jjj1jjj1 the eligible entity demonstrates that the natural water retention and release project would help optimize the storage or delivery of water in a watershed in which a ,bureau of ,reclamation facility is located2 and 7#b7 in the case of a natural water retention and release project that costs more than #bj1jjj1jjj-- 7,a7 the requirements described in paragraph 7#a7 have been met with respect to the natural water retention and release project2 and 7,b7 the eligible entity determines1 and the ,secretary concurs1 that-- 7i7 the natural water retention and release project would produce or allow additional retention or delivery of water in a watershed in which a ,bureau of ,reclamation facility is located2 and 7ii7 there is a credible estimate of the quantity of the storage benefit of the natural water retention and release project during each of a wet year1 a normal year1 and a dry year4 7c7 ,distribution among multiple ,reclamation ,states ,in providing grants for natural water retention and release projects under this section1 the ,secretary shall ensure that grants are distributed across multiple ,reclamation ,states4 7d7 ,federal cost-,share ,the ,federal share of the cost of a natural water retention and release project provided a grant under this section shall not exceed #ij percent of the total cost of the natural water retention and release project4 7e7 ,reimbursability ,any ,federal funds provided by the ,secretary to an eligible entity under this section shall be considered nonreimbursable to the ,united ,states4 7f7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary to carry out this section #ae1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbg through #bjca4