Title I — Pub. L. 113-121

SEC. 1001. Vertical Integration and Acceleration of Studies.

(a)

In General.— To the extent practicable, a feasibility study initiated by the Secretary, after the date of enactment of this Act, under section 905(a) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2282(a)) shall—

(1)

result in the completion of a final feasibility report not later than 3 years after the date of initiation;

(2)

have a maximum Federal cost of $3,000,000; and

(3)

ensure that personnel from the district, division, and headquarters levels of the Corps of Engineers concurrently conduct the review required under that section.

(b)

Extension.— If the Secretary determines that a feasibility study described in subsection (a) will not be conducted in accordance with subsection (a), the Secretary, not later than 30 days after the date of making the determination, shall—

(1)

prepare an updated feasibility study schedule and cost estimate;

(2)

notify the non-Federal feasibility cost-sharing partner that the feasibility study has been delayed; and

(3)

provide written notice to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives as to the reasons the requirements of subsection (a) are not attainable.

(c)

Termination of Authorization.— A feasibility study for which the Secretary has issued a determination under subsection (b) is not authorized after the last day of the 1-year period beginning on the date of the determination if the Secretary has not completed the study on or before such last day.

(d)

Exception.—

(1)

In general.— Notwithstanding the requirements of subsection (c), the Secretary may extend the timeline of a study by a period not to exceed 3 years, if the Secretary determines that the feasibility study is too complex to comply with the requirements of subsections (a) and (c).

(2)

Factors.— In making a determination that a study is too complex to comply with the requirements of subsections (a) and (c), the Secretary shall consider—

(A)

the type, size, location, scope, and overall cost of the project;

(B)

whether the project will use any innovative design or construction techniques;

(C)

whether the project will require significant action by other Federal, State, or local agencies;

(D)

whether there is significant public dispute as to the nature or effects of the project; and

(E)

whether there is significant public dispute as to the economic or environmental costs or benefits of the project.

(3)

Notification.— Each time the Secretary makes a determination under this subsection, the Secretary shall provide written notice to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives as to the results of that determination, including an identification of the specific 1 or more factors used in making the determination that the project is complex.

(4)

Limitation.— The Secretary shall not extend the timeline for a feasibility study for a period of more than 7 years, and any feasibility study that is not completed before that date shall no longer be authorized.

(e)

Reviews.— Not later than 90 days after the date of the initiation of a study described in subsection (a) for a project, the Secretary shall—

(1)

take all steps necessary to initiate the process for completing federally mandated reviews that the Secretary is required to complete as part of the study, including the environmental review process under section 1005;

(2)

convene a meeting of all Federal, tribal, and State agencies identified under section 2045(e) of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (33 U.S.C. 2348(e)) that may be required by law to conduct or issue a review, analysis, or opinion on or to make a determination concerning a permit or license for the study; and

(3)

take all steps necessary to provide information that will enable required reviews and analyses related to the project to be conducted by other agencies in a thorough and timely manner.

(f)

Interim Report.— Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and make publicly available a report that describes—

(1)

the status of the implementation of the planning process under this section, including the number of participating projects;

(2)

a review of project delivery schedules, including a description of any delays on those studies participating in the planning process under this section; and

(3)

any recommendations for additional authority necessary to support efforts to expedite the feasibility study process for water resource projects.

(g)

Final Report.— Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and make publicly available a report that describes—

(1)

the status of the implementation of this section, including a description of each feasibility study subject to the requirements of this section;

(2)

the amount of time taken to complete each feasibility study; and

(3)

any recommendations for additional authority necessary to support efforts to expedite the feasibility study process, including an analysis of whether the limitation established by subsection (a)(2) needs to be adjusted to address the impacts of inflation.

SEC. 1002. Consolidation of Studies.

(a)

In General.—

(1)

Repeal.— Section 905(b) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2282(b)) is repealed.

(2)

Conforming amendment.— Section 905(a)(1) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2282(a)(1)) is amended by striking “ perform a reconnaissance study and”.

(b)

Contents of Feasibility Reports.— Section 905(a)(2) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2282(a)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following: “ A feasibility report shall include a preliminary analysis of the Federal interest and the costs, benefits, and environmental impacts of the project.”.

(c)

Feasibility Studies.— Section 905 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2282) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(g) Detailed Project Schedule.—

“(1) In general.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall determine a set of milestones needed for the completion of a feasibility study under this subsection, including all major actions, report submissions and responses, reviews, and comment periods.

“(2) Detailed project schedule milestones.—Each District Engineer shall, to the maximum extent practicable, establish a detailed project schedule, based on full funding capability, that lists all deadlines for milestones relating to feasibility studies in the District developed by the Secretary under paragraph (1).

“(3) Non-federal interest notification.—Each District Engineer shall submit by certified mail the detailed project schedule under paragraph (2) to each relevant non-Federal interest—

“(A) for projects that have received funding from the General Investigations Account of the Corps of Engineers in the period beginning on October 1, 2009, and ending on the date of enactment of this subsection, not later than 180 days after the establishment of milestones under paragraph (1); and

“(B) for projects for which a feasibility cost-sharing agreement is executed after the establishment of milestones under paragraph (1), not later than 90 days after the date on which the agreement is executed.

“(4) Congressional and public notification.—Beginning in the first full fiscal year after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall—

“(A) submit an annual report that lists all detailed project schedules under paragraph (2) and an explanation of any missed deadlines to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives; and

“(B) make publicly available, including on the Internet, a copy of the annual report described in subparagraph (A) not later than 14 days after date on which a report is submitted to Congress.

“(5) Failure to act.—If a District Engineer fails to meet any of the deadlines in the project schedule under paragraph (2), the District Engineer shall—

“(A) not later than 30 days after each missed deadline, submit to the non-Federal interest a report detailing—

“(i) why the District Engineer failed to meet the deadline; and

“(ii) a revised project schedule reflecting amended deadlines for the feasibility study; and

“(B) not later than 30 days after each missed deadline, make publicly available, including on the Internet, a copy of the amended project schedule described in subparagraph (A)(ii).”

(d)

Applicability.— The Secretary shall continue to carry out a study for which a reconnaissance level investigation has been initiated before the date of enactment of this Act as if this section, including the amendments made by this section, had not been enacted.

SEC. 1003. Expedited Completion of Reports.

The Secretary shall—

(1)

expedite the completion of any on-going feasibility study for a project initiated before the date of enactment of this Act; and

(2)

if the Secretary determines that the project is justified in a completed report, proceed directly to preconstruction planning, engineering, and design of the project in accordance with section 910 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2287).

SEC. 1004. Removal of Duplicative Analyses.

Section 911 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2288) is repealed.

SEC. 1005. Project Acceleration.

(a)

Project Acceleration.—

(1)

Amendment.— Section 2045 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (33 U.S.C. 2348) is amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 2045. PROJECT ACCELERATION.

“(a) Definitions.—In this section:

“(1) Environmental impact statement.—The term ‘environmental impact statement’ means the detailed statement of environmental impacts of a project required to be prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

“(2) Environmental review process.—

“(A) In general.—The term ‘environmental review process’ means the process of preparing an environmental impact statement, environmental assessment, categorical exclusion, or other document under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) for a project study.

“(B) Inclusions.—The term ‘environmental review process’ includes the process for and completion of any environmental permit, approval, review, or study required for a project study under any Federal law other than the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

“(3) Federal jurisdictional agency.—The term ‘Federal jurisdictional agency’ means a Federal agency with jurisdiction delegated by law, regulation, order, or otherwise over a review, analysis, opinion, statement, permit, license, or other approval or decision required for a project study under applicable Federal laws (including regulations).

“(4) Federal lead agency.—The term ‘Federal lead agency’ means the Corps of Engineers.

“(5) Project.—The term ‘project’ means a water resources development project to be carried out by the Secretary.

“(6) Project sponsor.—The term ‘project sponsor’ has the meaning given the term ‘non-Federal interest’ in section 221(b) of the Flood Control Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 1962d–5b(b)).

“(7) Project study.—The term ‘project study’ means a feasibility study for a project carried out pursuant to section 905 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2282).

“(b) Applicability.—

“(1) In general.—This section—

“(A) shall apply to each project study that is initiated after the date of enactment of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 and for which an environmental impact statement is prepared under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and

“(B) may be applied, to the extent determined appropriate by the Secretary, to other project studies initiated after such date of enactment and for which an environmental review process document is prepared under that Act.

“(2) Flexibility.—Any authority granted under this section may be exercised, and any requirement established under this section may be satisfied, for the conduct of an environmental review process for a project study, a class of project studies, or a program of project studies.

“(3) List of project studies.—

“(A) In general.—The Secretary shall annually prepare, and make publicly available, a separate list of each study that the Secretary has determined—

“(i) meets the standards described in paragraph (1); and

“(ii) does not have adequate funding to make substantial progress toward the completion of the project study.

“(B) Inclusions.—The Secretary shall include for each project study on the list under subparagraph (A) a description of the estimated amounts necessary to make substantial progress on the project study.

“(c) Project Review Process.—

“(1) In general.—The Secretary shall develop and implement a coordinated environmental review process for the development of project studies.

“(2) Coordinated review.—The coordinated environmental review process described in paragraph (1) shall require that any review, analysis, opinion, statement, permit, license, or other approval or decision issued or made by a Federal, State, or local governmental agency or an Indian tribe for a project study described in subsection (b) be conducted, to the maximum extent practicable, concurrently with any other applicable governmental agency or Indian tribe.

“(3) Timing.—The coordinated environmental review process under this subsection shall be completed not later than the date on which the Secretary, in consultation and concurrence with the agencies identified under subsection (e), establishes with respect to the project study.

“(d) Lead Agencies.—

“(1) Joint lead agencies.—

“(A) In general.—At the discretion of the Secretary and subject to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and the requirements of section 1506.8 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations), including the concurrence of the proposed joint lead agency, a project sponsor may serve as the joint lead agency.

“(B) Project sponsor as joint lead agency.—A project sponsor that is a State or local governmental entity may—

“(i) with the concurrence of the Secretary, serve as a joint lead agency with the Federal lead agency for purposes of preparing any environmental document under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and

“(ii) prepare any environmental review process document under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) required in support of any action or approval by the Secretary if—

“(I) the Secretary provides guidance in the preparation process and independently evaluates that document;

“(II) the project sponsor complies with all requirements applicable to the Secretary under—

“(aa) the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.);

“(bb) any regulation implementing that Act; and

“(cc) any other applicable Federal law; and

“(III) the Secretary approves and adopts the document before the Secretary takes any subsequent action or makes any approval based on that document, regardless of whether the action or approval of the Secretary results in Federal funding.

“(2) Duties.—The Secretary shall ensure that—

“(A) the project sponsor complies with all design and mitigation commitments made jointly by the Secretary and the project sponsor in any environmental document prepared by the project sponsor in accordance with this subsection; and

“(B) any environmental document prepared by the project sponsor is appropriately supplemented to address any changes to the project the Secretary determines are necessary.

“(3) Adoption and use of documents.—Any environmental document prepared in accordance with this subsection shall be adopted and used by any Federal agency making any determination related to the project study to the same extent that the Federal agency could adopt or use a document prepared by another Federal agency under—

“(A) the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and

“(B) parts 1500 through 1508 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations).

“(4) Roles and responsibility of lead agency.—With respect to the environmental review process for any project study, the Federal lead agency shall have authority and responsibility—

“(A) to take such actions as are necessary and proper and within the authority of the Federal lead agency to facilitate the expeditious resolution of the environmental review process for the project study; and

“(B) to prepare or ensure that any required environmental impact statement or other environmental review document for a project study required to be completed under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) is completed in accordance with this section and applicable Federal law.

“(e) Participating and Cooperating Agencies.—

“(1) Identification of jurisdictional agencies.—With respect to carrying out the environmental review process for a project study, the Secretary shall identify, as early as practicable in the environmental review process, all Federal, State, and local government agencies and Indian tribes that may—

“(A) have jurisdiction over the project;

“(B) be required by law to conduct or issue a review, analysis, opinion, or statement for the project study; or

“(C) be required to make a determination on issuing a permit, license, or other approval or decision for the project study.

“(2) State authority.—If the environmental review process is being implemented by the Secretary for a project study within the boundaries of a State, the State, consistent with State law, may choose to participate in the process and to make subject to the process all State agencies that—

“(A) have jurisdiction over the project;

“(B) are required to conduct or issue a review, analysis, opinion, or statement for the project study; or

“(C) are required to make a determination on issuing a permit, license, or other approval or decision for the project study.

“(3) Invitation.—

“(A) In general.—The Federal lead agency shall invite, as early as practicable in the environmental review process, any agency identified under paragraph (1) to become a participating or cooperating agency, as applicable, in the environmental review process for the project study.

“(B) Deadline.—An invitation to participate issued under subparagraph (A) shall set a deadline by which a response to the invitation shall be submitted, which may be extended by the Federal lead agency for good cause.

“(4) Procedures.—Section 1501.6 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014) shall govern the identification and the participation of a cooperating agency.

“(5) Federal cooperating agencies.—Any Federal agency that is invited by the Federal lead agency to participate in the environmental review process for a project study shall be designated as a cooperating agency by the Federal lead agency unless the invited agency informs the Federal lead agency, in writing, by the deadline specified in the invitation that the invited agency—

“(A)

(i)

(I) has no jurisdiction or authority with respect to the project;

“(II) has no expertise or information relevant to the project; or

“(III) does not have adequate funds to participate in the project; and

“(ii) does not intend to submit comments on the project; or

“(B) does not intend to submit comments on the project.

“(6) Administration.—A participating or cooperating agency shall comply with this section and any schedule established under this section.

“(7) Effect of designation.—Designation as a participating or cooperating agency under this subsection shall not imply that the participating or cooperating agency—

“(A) supports a proposed project; or

“(B) has any jurisdiction over, or special expertise with respect to evaluation of, the project.

“(8) Concurrent reviews.—Each participating or cooperating agency shall—

“(A) carry out the obligations of that agency under other applicable law concurrently and in conjunction with the required environmental review process, unless doing so would prevent the participating or cooperating agency from conducting needed analysis or otherwise carrying out those obligations; and

“(B) formulate and implement administrative, policy, and procedural mechanisms to enable the agency to ensure completion of the environmental review process in a timely, coordinated, and environmentally responsible manner.

“(f) Programmatic Compliance.—

“(1) In general.—The Secretary shall issue guidance regarding the use of programmatic approaches to carry out the environmental review process that—

“(A) eliminates repetitive discussions of the same issues;

“(B) focuses on the actual issues ripe for analyses at each level of review;

“(C) establishes a formal process for coordinating with participating and cooperating agencies, including the creation of a list of all data that is needed to carry out an environmental review process; and

“(D) complies with—

“(i) the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and

“(ii) all other applicable laws.

“(2) Requirements.—In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall—

“(A) as the first step in drafting guidance under that paragraph, consult with relevant Federal, State, and local governmental agencies, Indian tribes, and the public on the appropriate use and scope of the programmatic approaches;

“(B) emphasize the importance of collaboration among relevant Federal, State, and local governmental agencies, and Indian tribes in undertaking programmatic reviews, especially with respect to including reviews with a broad geographical scope;

“(C) ensure that the programmatic reviews—

“(i) promote transparency, including of the analyses and data used in the environmental review process, the treatment of any deferred issues raised by Federal, State, and local governmental agencies, Indian tribes, or the public, and the temporal and special scales to be used to analyze those issues;

“(ii) use accurate and timely information in the environmental review process, including—

“(I) criteria for determining the general duration of the usefulness of the review; and

“(II) the timeline for updating any out-of-date review;

“(iii) describe—

“(I) the relationship between programmatic analysis and future tiered analysis; and

“(II) the role of the public in the creation of future tiered analysis; and

“(iv) are available to other relevant Federal, State, and local governmental agencies, Indian tribes, and the public;

“(D) allow not fewer than 60 days of public notice and comment on any proposed guidance; and

“(E) address any comments received under subparagraph (D).

“(g) Coordinated Reviews.—

“(1) Coordination plan.—

“(A) Establishment.—

“(i) In general.—The Federal lead agency shall, after consultation with and with the concurrence of each participating and cooperating agency and the project sponsor or joint lead agency, as applicable, establish a plan for coordinating public and agency participation in, and comment on, the environmental review process for a project study or a category of project studies.

“(ii) Incorporation.—The plan established under clause (i) shall be incorporated into the project schedule milestones set under section 905(g)(2) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2282(g)(2)).

“(B) Schedule.—

“(i) In general.—As soon as practicable but not later than 45 days after the close of the public comment period on a draft environmental impact statement, the Federal lead agency, after consultation with and the concurrence of each participating and cooperating agency and the project sponsor or joint lead agency, as applicable, shall establish, as part of the coordination plan established in subparagraph (A), a schedule for completion of the environmental review process for the project study.

“(ii) Factors for consideration.—In establishing a schedule, the Secretary shall consider factors such as—

“(I) the responsibilities of participating and cooperating agencies under applicable laws;

“(II) the resources available to the project sponsor, joint lead agency, and other relevant Federal and State agencies, as applicable;

“(III) the overall size and complexity of the project;

“(IV) the overall schedule for and cost of the project; and

“(V) the sensitivity of the natural and historical resources that could be affected by the project.

“(iii) Modifications.—The Secretary may—

“(I) lengthen a schedule established under clause (i) for good cause; and

“(II) shorten a schedule only with concurrence of the affected participating and cooperating agencies and the project sponsor or joint lead agency, as applicable.

“(iv) Dissemination.—A copy of a schedule established under clause (i) shall be—

“(I) provided to each participating and cooperating agency and the project sponsor or joint lead agency, as applicable; and

“(II) made available to the public.

“(2) Comment deadlines.—The Federal lead agency shall establish the following deadlines for comment during the environmental review process for a project study:

“(A) Draft environmental impact statements.—For comments by Federal and States agencies and the public on a draft environmental impact statement, a period of not more than 60 days after publication in the Federal Register of notice of the date of public availability of the draft environmental impact statement, unless—

“(i) a different deadline is established by agreement of the Federal lead agency, the project sponsor or joint lead agency, as applicable, and all participating and cooperating agencies; or

“(ii) the deadline is extended by the Federal lead agency for good cause.

“(B) Other environmental review processes.—For all other comment periods established by the Federal lead agency for agency or public comments in the environmental review process, a period of not more than 30 days after the date on which the materials on which comment is requested are made available, unless—

“(i) a different deadline is established by agreement of the Federal lead agency, the project sponsor, or joint lead agency, as applicable, and all participating and cooperating agencies; or

“(ii) the deadline is extended by the Federal lead agency for good cause.

“(3) Deadlines for decisions under other laws.—In any case in which a decision under any Federal law relating to a project study, including the issuance or denial of a permit or license, is required to be made by the date described in subsection (h)(5)(B)(ii), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives—

“(A) as soon as practicable after the 180-day period described in subsection (h)(5)(B)(ii), an initial notice of the failure of the Federal agency to make the decision; and

“(B) every 60 days thereafter until such date as all decisions of the Federal agency relating to the project study have been made by the Federal agency, an additional notice that describes the number of decisions of the Federal agency that remain outstanding as of the date of the additional notice.

“(4) Involvement of the public.—Nothing in this subsection reduces any time period provided for public comment in the environmental review process under applicable Federal law (including regulations).

“(5) Transparency reporting.—

“(A) Reporting requirements.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014, the Secretary shall establish and maintain an electronic database and, in coordination with other Federal and State agencies, issue reporting requirements to make publicly available the status and progress with respect to compliance with applicable requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et. seq.) and any other Federal, State, or local approval or action required for a project study for which this section is applicable.

“(B) Project study transparency.—Consistent with the requirements established under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall publish the status and progress of any Federal, State, or local decision, action, or approval required under applicable laws for each project study for which this section is applicable.

“(h) Issue Identification and Resolution.—

“(1) Cooperation.—The Federal lead agency, the cooperating agencies, and any participating agencies shall work cooperatively in accordance with this section to identify and resolve issues that could delay completion of the environmental review process or result in the denial of any approval required for the project study under applicable laws.

“(2) Federal lead agency responsibilities.—

“(A) In general.—The Federal lead agency shall make information available to the cooperating agencies and participating agencies as early as practicable in the environmental review process regarding the environmental and socioeconomic resources located within the project area and the general locations of the alternatives under consideration.

“(B) Data sources.—The information under subparagraph (A) may be based on existing data sources, including geographic information systems mapping.

“(3) Cooperating and participating agency responsibilities.—Based on information received from the Federal lead agency, cooperating and participating agencies shall identify, as early as practicable, any issues of concern regarding the potential environmental or socioeconomic impacts of the project, including any issues that could substantially delay or prevent an agency from granting a permit or other approval that is needed for the project study.

“(4) Accelerated issue resolution and elevation.—

“(A) In general.—On the request of a participating or cooperating agency or project sponsor, the Secretary shall convene an issue resolution meeting with the relevant participating and cooperating agencies and the project sponsor or joint lead agency, as applicable, to resolve issues that may—

“(i) delay completion of the environmental review process; or

“(ii) result in denial of any approval required for the project study under applicable laws.

“(B) Meeting date.—A meeting requested under this paragraph shall be held not later than 21 days after the date on which the Secretary receives the request for the meeting, unless the Secretary determines that there is good cause to extend that deadline.

“(C) Notification.—On receipt of a request for a meeting under this paragraph, the Secretary shall notify all relevant participating and cooperating agencies of the request, including the issue to be resolved and the date for the meeting.

“(D) Elevation of issue resolution.—If a resolution cannot be achieved within the 30 day-period beginning on the date of a meeting under this paragraph and a determination is made by the Secretary that all information necessary to resolve the issue has been obtained, the Secretary shall forward the dispute to the heads of the relevant agencies for resolution.

“(E) Convention by secretary.—The Secretary may convene an issue resolution meeting under this paragraph at any time, at the discretion of the Secretary, regardless of whether a meeting is requested under subparagraph (A).

“(5) Financial penalty provisions.—

“(A) In general.—A Federal jurisdictional agency shall complete any required approval or decision for the environmental review process on an expeditious basis using the shortest existing applicable process.

“(B) Failure to decide.—

“(i) In general.—If a Federal jurisdictional agency fails to render a decision required under any Federal law relating to a project study that requires the preparation of an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment, including the issuance or denial of a permit, license, statement, opinion, or other approval by the date described in clause (ii), the amount of funds made available to support the office of the head of the Federal jurisdictional agency shall be reduced by an amount of funding equal to the amounts specified in subclause (I) or (II) and those funds shall be made available to the division of the Federal jurisdictional agency charged with rendering the decision by not later than 1 day after the applicable date under clause (ii), and once each week thereafter until a final decision is rendered, subject to subparagraph (C)—

“(I) $20,000 for any project study requiring the preparation of an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement; or

“(II) $10,000 for any project study requiring any type of review under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) other than an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.

“(ii) Description of date.—The date referred to in clause (i) is the later of—

“(I) the date that is 180 days after the date on which an application for the permit, license, or approval is complete; and

“(II) the date that is 180 days after the date on which the Federal lead agency issues a decision on the project under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

“(C) Limitations.—

“(i) In general.—No transfer of funds under subparagraph (B) relating to an individual project study shall exceed, in any fiscal year, an amount equal to 1 percent of the funds made available for the applicable agency office.

“(ii) Failure to decide.—The total amount transferred in a fiscal year as a result of a failure by an agency to make a decision by an applicable deadline shall not exceed an amount equal to 5 percent of the funds made available for the applicable agency office for that fiscal year.

“(iii) Aggregate.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for each fiscal year, the aggregate amount of financial penalties assessed against each applicable agency office under the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 and any other Federal law as a result of a failure of the agency to make a decision by an applicable deadline for environmental review, including the total amount transferred under this paragraph, shall not exceed an amount equal to 9.5 percent of the funds made available for the agency office for that fiscal year.

“(D) No fault of agency.—

“(i) In general.—A transfer of funds under this paragraph shall not be made if the applicable agency described in subparagraph (A) notifies, with a supporting explanation, the Federal lead agency, cooperating agencies, and project sponsor, as applicable, that—

“(I) the agency has not received necessary information or approvals from another entity in a manner that affects the ability of the agency to meet any requirements under Federal, State, or local law;

“(II) significant new information, including from public comments, or circumstances, including a major modification to an aspect of the project, requires additional analysis for the agency to make a decision on the project application; or

“(III) the agency lacks the financial resources to complete the review under the scheduled time frame, including a description of the number of full-time employees required to complete the review, the amount of funding required to complete the review, and a justification as to why not enough funding is available to complete the review by the deadline.

“(ii) Lack of financial resources.—If the agency provides notice under clause (i)(III), the Inspector General of the agency shall—

“(I) conduct a financial audit to review the notice; and

“(II) not later than 90 days after the date on which the review described in subclause (I) is completed, submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report on the notice.

“(E) Limitation.—The Federal agency from which funds are transferred pursuant to this paragraph shall not reprogram funds to the office of the head of the agency, or equivalent office, to reimburse that office for the loss of the funds.

“(F) Effect of paragraph.—Nothing in this paragraph affects or limits the application of, or obligation to comply with, any Federal, State, local, or tribal law.

“(i) Memorandum of Agreements for Early Coordination.—

“(1) Sense of congress.—It is the sense of Congress that—

“(A) the Secretary and other Federal agencies with relevant jurisdiction in the environmental review process should cooperate with each other, State agencies, and Indian tribes on environmental review and project delivery activities at the earliest practicable time to avoid delays and duplication of effort later in the process, prevent potential conflicts, and ensure that planning and project development decisions reflect environmental values; and

“(B) the cooperation referred to in subparagraph (A) should include the development of policies and the designation of staff that advise planning agencies and project sponsors of studies or other information foreseeably required for later Federal action and early consultation with appropriate State and local agencies and Indian tribes.

“(2) Technical assistance.—If requested at any time by a State or project sponsor, the Secretary and other Federal agencies with relevant jurisdiction in the environmental review process, shall, to the maximum extent practicable and appropriate, as determined by the agencies, provide technical assistance to the State or project sponsor in carrying out early coordination activities.

“(3) Memorandum of agency agreement.—If requested at any time by a State or project sponsor, the Federal lead agency, in consultation with other Federal agencies with relevant jurisdiction in the environmental review process, may establish memoranda of agreement with the project sponsor, Indian tribe, State and local governments, and other appropriate entities to carry out the early coordination activities, including providing technical assistance in identifying potential impacts and mitigation issues in an integrated fashion.

“(j) Limitations.—Nothing in this section preempts or interferes with—

“(1) any obligation to comply with the provisions of any Federal law, including—

“(A) the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and

“(B) any other Federal environmental law;

“(2) the reviewability of any final Federal agency action in a court of the United States or in the court of any State;

“(3) any requirement for seeking, considering, or responding to public comment; or

“(4) any power, jurisdiction, responsibility, duty, or authority that a Federal, State, or local governmental agency, Indian tribe, or project sponsor has with respect to carrying out a project or any other provision of law applicable to projects.

“(k) Timing of Claims.—

“(1) Timing.—

“(A) In general.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a claim arising under Federal law seeking judicial review of a permit, license, or other approval issued by a Federal agency for a project study shall be barred unless the claim is filed not later than 3 years after publication of a notice in the Federal Register announcing that the permit, license, or other approval is final pursuant to the law under which the agency action is taken, unless a shorter time is specified in the Federal law that allows judicial review.

“(B) Applicability.—Nothing in this subsection creates a right to judicial review or places any limit on filing a claim that a person has violated the terms of a permit, license, or other approval.

“(2) New information.—

“(A) In general.—The Secretary shall consider new information received after the close of a comment period if the information satisfies the requirements for a supplemental environmental impact statement under title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (including successor regulations).

“(B) Separate action.—The preparation of a supplemental environmental impact statement or other environmental document, if required under this section, shall be considered a separate final agency action and the deadline for filing a claim for judicial review of the action shall be 3 years after the date of publication of a notice in the Federal Register announcing the action relating to such supplemental environmental impact statement or other environmental document.

“(l) Categorical Exclusions.—

“(1) In general.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014, the Secretary shall—

“(A) survey the use by the Corps of Engineers of categorical exclusions in projects since 2005;

“(B) publish a review of the survey that includes a description of—

“(i) the types of actions that were categorically excluded or could be the basis for developing a new categorical exclusion; and

“(ii) any requests previously received by the Secretary for new categorical exclusions; and

“(C) solicit requests from other Federal agencies and project sponsors for new categorical exclusions.

“(2) New categorical exclusions.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014, if the Secretary has identified a category of activities that merit establishing a categorical exclusion that did not exist on the day before the date of enactment of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 based on the review under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall publish a notice of proposed rulemaking to propose that new categorical exclusion, to the extent that the categorical exclusion meets the criteria for a categorical exclusion under section 1508.4 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulation).

“(m) Review of Project Acceleration Reforms.—

“(1) In general.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall—

“(A) assess the reforms carried out under this section; and

“(B) not later than 5 years and not later than 10 years after the date of enactment of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014, submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report that describes the results of the assessment.

“(2) Contents.—The reports under paragraph (1) shall include an evaluation of impacts of the reforms carried out under this section on—

“(A) project delivery;

“(B) compliance with environmental laws; and

“(C) the environmental impact of projects.

“(n) Performance Measurement.—The Secretary shall establish a program to measure and report on progress made toward improving and expediting the planning and environmental review process.

“(o) Implementation Guidance.—The Secretary shall prepare, in consultation with the Council on Environmental Quality and other Federal agencies with jurisdiction over actions or resources that may be impacted by a project, guidance documents that describe the coordinated environmental review processes that the Secretary intends to use to implement this section for the planning of projects, in accordance with the civil works program of the Corps of Engineers and all applicable law.”

(2)

Clerical amendment.— The table of contents contained in section 1(b) of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (121 Stat. 1042) is amended by striking the item relating to section 2045 and inserting the following:

“Sec. 2045. Project acceleration.”.

(b)

Categorical Exclusions in Emergencies.— For the repair, reconstruction, or rehabilitation of a water resources project that is in operation or under construction when damaged by an event or incident that results in a declaration by the President of a major disaster or emergency pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), the Secretary shall treat such repair, reconstruction, or rehabilitation activity as a class of action categorically excluded from the requirements relating to environmental assessments or environmental impact statements under section 1508.4 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations), if the repair or reconstruction activity is—

(1)

in the same location with the same capacity, dimensions, and design as the original water resources project as before the declaration described in this section; and

(2)

commenced within a 2-year period beginning on the date of a declaration described in this subsection.

SEC. 1006. Expediting the Evaluation and Processing of Permits.

Section 214 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2000 (Public Law 106–541; 33 U.S.C. 2201 note) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

by striking “ (a) In General.—The Secretary” and inserting the following:

“(a) Funding to Process Permits.—

“(1) Definitions.—In this subsection:

“(A) Natural gas company.—The term ‘natural gas company’ has the meaning given the term in section 1262 of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16451), except that the term also includes a person engaged in the transportation of natural gas in intrastate commerce.

“(B) Public-utility company.—The term ‘public-utility company’ has the meaning given the term in section 1262 of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16451).

“(2) Permit processing.—The Secretary”

(B)

in paragraph (2) (as so designated)—

(i)

by inserting “ or a public-utility company or natural gas company” after “ non-Federal public entity”; and

(ii)

by inserting “ or company” after “ that entity”; and

(C)

by adding at the end the following:

“(3) Limitation for public-utility and natural gas companies.—The authority provided under paragraph (2) to a public-utility company or natural gas company shall expire on the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this paragraph.

“(4) Effect on other entities.—To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall ensure that expediting the evaluation of a permit through the use of funds accepted and expended under this section does not adversely affect the timeline for evaluation (in the Corps district in which the project or activity is located) of permits under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Army of other entities that have not contributed funds under this section.

“(5) GAO study.—Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Comptroller General of the United States shall carry out a study of the implementation by the Secretary of the authority provided under paragraph (2) to public-utility companies and natural gas companies.”

; and

(2)

by striking subsections (d) and (e) and inserting the following:

“(d) Public Availability.—

“(1) In general.—The Secretary shall ensure that all final permit decisions carried out using funds authorized under this section are made available to the public in a common format, including on the Internet, and in a manner that distinguishes final permit decisions under this section from other final actions of the Secretary.

“(2) Decision document.—The Secretary shall—

“(A) use a standard decision document for evaluating all permits using funds accepted under this section; and

“(B) make the standard decision document, along with all final permit decisions, available to the public, including on the Internet.

“(3) Agreements.—The Secretary shall make all active agreements to accept funds under this section available on a single public Internet site.

“(e) Reporting.—

“(1) In general.—The Secretary shall prepare an annual report on the implementation of this section, which, at a minimum, shall include for each district of the Corps of Engineers that accepts funds under this section—

“(A) a comprehensive list of any funds accepted under this section during the previous fiscal year;

“(B) a comprehensive list of the permits reviewed and approved using funds accepted under this section during the previous fiscal year, including a description of the size and type of resources impacted and the mitigation required for each permit; and

“(C) a description of the training offered in the previous fiscal year for employees that is funded in whole or in part with funds accepted under this section.

“(2) Submission.—Not later than 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall—

“(A) submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives the annual report described in paragraph (1); and

“(B) make each report received under subparagraph (A) available on a single publicly accessible Internet site.”

SEC. 1007. Expediting Approval of Modifications and Alterations of Projects by Non-Federal Interests.

(a)

Section 14 Application Defined.— In this section, the term “section 14 application” means an application submitted by an applicant to the Secretary requesting permission for the temporary occupation or use of a public work, or the alteration or permanent occupation or use of a public work, under section 14 of the Act of March 3, 1899 (commonly known as the “Rivers and Harbors Appropriation Act of 1899”) (33 U.S.C. 408).

(b)

Review.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, after providing notice and an opportunity for comment, shall establish a process for the review of section 14 applications in a timely and consistent manner.

(c)

Benchmark Goals.—

(1)

Establishment of benchmark goals.— In carrying out subsection (b), the Secretary shall—

(A)

establish benchmark goals for determining the amount of time it should take the Secretary to determine whether a section 14 application is complete;

(B)

establish benchmark goals for determining the amount of time it should take the Secretary to approve or disapprove a section 14 application; and

(C)

to the extent practicable, use such benchmark goals to make a decision on section 14 applications in a timely and consistent manner.

(2)

Benchmark goals.—

(A)

Benchmark goals for determining whether section 14 applications are complete.— To the extent practicable, the benchmark goals established under paragraph (1) shall provide that—

(i)

the Secretary reach a decision on whether a section 14 application is complete not later than 15 days after the date of receipt of the application; and

(ii)

if the Secretary determines that a section 14 application is not complete, the Secretary promptly notify the applicant of the specific information that is missing or the analysis that is needed to complete the application.

(B)

Benchmark goals for reviewing completed applications.— To the extent practicable, the benchmark goals established under paragraph (1) shall provide that—

(i)

the Secretary generally approve or disapprove a completed section 14 application not later than 45 days after the date of receipt of the completed application; and

(ii)

in a case in which the Secretary determines that additional time is needed to review a completed section 14 application due to the type, size, cost, complexity, or impacts of the actions proposed in the application, the Secretary generally approve or disapprove the application not later than 180 days after the date of receipt of the completed application.

(3)

Notice.— In any case in which the Secretary determines that it will take the Secretary more than 45 days to review a completed section 14 application, the Secretary shall—

(A)

provide written notification to the applicant; and

(B)

include in the written notice a best estimate of the Secretary as to the amount of time required for completion of the review.

(d)

Failure To Achieve Benchmark Goals.— In any case in which the Secretary fails make a decision on a section 14 application in accordance with the process established under this section, the Secretary shall provide written notice to the applicant, including a detailed description of—

(1)

why the Secretary failed to make a decision in accordance with such process;

(2)

the additional actions required before the Secretary will issue a decision; and

(3)

the amount of time the Secretary will require to issue a decision.

(e)

Notification.—

(1)

Submission to congress.— The Secretary shall provide a copy of any written notice provided under subsection (d) to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.

(2)

Public availability.— The Secretary shall maintain a publicly available database, including on the Internet, on—

(A)

all section 14 applications received by the Secretary; and

(B)

the current status of such applications.

SEC. 1008. Expediting Hydropower at Corps of Engineers Facilities.

(a)

Policy.— Congress declares that it is the policy of the United States that—

(1)

the development of non-Federal hydroelectric power at Corps of Engineers civil works projects, including locks and dams, shall be given priority;

(2)

Corps of Engineers approval of non-Federal hydroelectric power at Corps of Engineers civil works projects, including permitting required under section 14 of the Act of March 3, 1899 (33 U.S.C. 408), shall be completed by the Corps of Engineers in a timely and consistent manner; and

(3)

approval of hydropower at Corps of Engineers civil works projects shall in no way diminish the other priorities and missions of the Corps of Engineers, including authorized project purposes and habitat and environmental protection.

(b)

Report.— Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act and biennially thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and make publicly available a report that, at a minimum, shall include—

(1)

a description of initiatives carried out by the Secretary to encourage the development of hydroelectric power by non-Federal entities at Corps of Engineers civil works projects;

(2)

a list of all new hydroelectric power activities by non-Federal entities approved at Corps of Engineers civil works projects in that fiscal year, including the length of time the Secretary needed to approve those activities;

(3)

a description of the status of each pending application from non-Federal entities for approval to develop hydroelectric power at Corps of Engineers civil works projects;

(4)

a description of any benefits or impacts to the environment, recreation, or other uses associated with Corps of Engineers civil works projects at which non-Federal entities have developed hydroelectric power in the previous fiscal year; and

(5)

the total annual amount of payments or other services provided to the Corps of Engineers, the Treasury, and any other Federal agency as a result of approved non-Federal hydropower projects at Corps of Engineers civil works projects.

SEC. 1009. Enhanced Use of Electronic Commerce in Federal Procurement.

(a)

Report.— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and make publicly available a report describing the actions of the Secretary in carrying out section 2301 of title 41, United States Code, regarding the use of electronic commerce in Federal procurement.

(b)

Contents.— The report submitted under subsection (a) shall include, with respect to the 2 fiscal years most recently ended before the fiscal year in which the report is submitted—

(1)

an identification of the number, type, and dollar value of procurement solicitations with respect to which the public was permitted to respond to the solicitation electronically, which shall differentiate between solicitations that allowed full or partial electronic submission;

(2)

an analysis of the information provided under paragraph (1) and actions that could be taken by the Secretary to refine and improve the use of electronic submission for procurement solicitation responses;

(3)

an analysis of the potential benefits of and obstacles to full implementation of electronic submission for procurement solicitation responses, including with respect to cost savings, error reduction, paperwork reduction, increased bidder participation, and competition, and expanded use of electronic bid data collection for cost-effective contract management and timely reporting; and

(4)

an analysis of the options and technologies available to facilitate expanded implementation of electronic submission for procurement solicitation responses and the suitability of each option and technology for contracts of various types and sizes.

SEC. 1010. Determination of Project Completion.

(a)

In General.— The Secretary shall notify the applicable non-Federal interest when construction of a water resources project or a functional portion of the project is completed so the non-Federal interest may commence responsibilities, as applicable, for operating and maintaining the project.

(b)

Non-Federal Interest Appeal of Determination.—

(1)

In general.— Not later than 7 days after receiving a notification under subsection (a), the non-Federal interest may appeal the completion determination of the Secretary in writing with a detailed explanation of the basis for questioning the completeness of the project or functional portion of the project.

(2)

Independent review.—

(A)

In general.— On notification that a non-Federal interest has submitted an appeal under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall contract with 1 or more independent, non-Federal experts to evaluate whether the applicable water resources project or functional portion of the project is complete.

(B)

Timeline.— An independent review carried out under subparagraph (A) shall be completed not later than 180 days after the date on which the Secretary receives an appeal from a non-Federal interest under paragraph (1).

SEC. 1011. Prioritization.

(a)

Prioritization of Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction Efforts.—

(1)

Priority.— For authorized projects and ongoing feasibility studies with a primary purpose of hurricane and storm damage risk reduction, the Secretary shall give funding priority to projects and ongoing studies that—

(A)

address an imminent threat to life and property;

(B)

prevent storm surge from inundating populated areas;

(C)

prevent the loss of coastal wetlands that help reduce the impact of storm surge;

(D)

protect emergency hurricane evacuation routes or shelters;

(E)

prevent adverse impacts to publicly owned or funded infrastructure and assets;

(F)

minimize disaster relief costs to the Federal Government; and

(G)

address hurricane and storm damage risk reduction in an area for which the President declared a major disaster in accordance with section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170).

(2)

Expedited consideration of currently authorized projects.— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall—

(A)

submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a list of all—

(i)

ongoing hurricane and storm damage reduction feasibility studies that have signed feasibility cost-share agreements and have received Federal funds since 2009; and

(ii)

authorized hurricane and storm damage reduction projects that—

(I)

have been authorized for more than 20 years but are less than 75 percent complete; or

(II)

are undergoing a post-authorization change report, general reevaluation report, or limited reevaluation report;

(B)

identify those projects on the list required under subparagraph (A) that meet the criteria described in paragraph (1); and

(C)

provide a plan for expeditiously completing the projects identified under subparagraph (B), subject to available funding.

(b)

Prioritization of Ecosystem Restoration Efforts.— For authorized projects with a primary purpose of ecosystem restoration, the Secretary shall give funding priority to projects—

(1)

that—

(A)

address an identified threat to public health, safety, or welfare;

(B)

preserve or restore ecosystems of national significance; or

(C)

preserve or restore habitats of importance for federally protected species, including migratory birds; and

(2)

for which the restoration activities will contribute to other ongoing or planned Federal, State, or local restoration initiatives.

SEC. 1012. Transparency in Accounting and Administrative Expenses.

(a)

In General.— On the request of a non-Federal interest, the Secretary shall provide to the non-Federal interest a detailed accounting of the Federal expenses associated with a water resources project.

(b)

Study.—

(1)

In general.— The Secretary shall contract with the National Academy of Public Administration to carry out a study on the efficiency of the Corps Engineers current staff salaries and administrative expense procedures as compared to using a separate administrative expense account.

(2)

Contents.— The study under paragraph (1) shall include any recommendations of the National Academy of Public Administration for improvements to the budgeting and administrative processes that will increase the efficiency of the Corps of Engineers project delivery.

SEC. 1013. Evaluation of Project Partnership Agreements.

(a)

In General.— The Secretary shall contract with the National Academy of Public Administration to carry out a comprehensive review of the process for preparing, negotiating, and approving Project Partnership Agreements and the Project Partnership Agreement template, which shall include—

(1)

an evaluation of the process for preparing, negotiating, and approving Project Partnership Agreements, as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act, including suggested modifications to the process provided by non-Federal interests; and

(2)

recommendations based on the evaluation under paragraph (1) to improve the Project Partnership Agreement template and the process for preparing, negotiating, and approving Project Partnership Agreements.

(b)

Submission to Congress.—

(1)

In general.— The Secretary shall submit the findings of the National Academy of Public Administration to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.

(2)

Report.— Not later than 180 days after the date on which the findings are received under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a detailed response, including any recommendations the Secretary plans to implement, on the process for preparing, negotiating, and approving Project Partnership Agreements and the Project Partnership Agreement template.

SEC. 1014. Study and Construction of Water Resources Development Projects by Non-Federal Interests.

(a)

Studies.— Section 203 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2231) is amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 203. STUDY OF WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS BY NON-FEDERAL INTERESTS.

“(a) Submission to Secretary.—

“(1) In general.—A non-Federal interest may undertake a feasibility study of a proposed water resources development project and submit the study to the Secretary.

“(2) Guidelines.—To assist non-Federal interests, the Secretary, as soon as practicable, shall issue guidelines for feasibility studies of water resources development projects to provide sufficient information for the formulation of the studies.

“(b) Review by Secretary.—The Secretary shall review each feasibility study received under subsection (a)(1) for the purpose of determining whether or not the study, and the process under which the study was developed, each comply with Federal laws and regulations applicable to feasibility studies of water resources development projects.

“(c) Submission to Congress.—Not later than 180 days after the date of receipt of a feasibility study of a project under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report that describes—

“(1) the results of the Secretary’s review of the study under subsection (b), including a determination of whether the project is feasible;

“(2) any recommendations the Secretary may have concerning the plan or design of the project; and

“(3) any conditions the Secretary may require for construction of the project.

“(d) Credit.—If a project for which a feasibility study has been submitted under subsection (a)(1) is authorized by a Federal law enacted after the date of the submission to Congress under subsection (c), the Secretary shall credit toward the non-Federal share of the cost of construction of the project an amount equal to the portion of the cost of developing the study that would have been the responsibility of the United States if the study had been developed by the Secretary.”

(b)

Construction.—

(1)

In general.— Section 204 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2232) is amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 204. CONSTRUCTION OF WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS BY NON-FEDERAL INTERESTS.

“(a) Water Resources Development Project Defined.—In this section, the term ‘water resources development project’ means a project recommendation that results from—

“(1) a feasibility report, as such term is defined in section 7001(f) of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014;

“(2) a completed feasibility study developed under section 203; or

“(3) a final feasibility study for water resources development and conservation and other purposes that is specifically authorized by Congress to be carried out by the Secretary.

“(b) Authority.—

“(1) In general.—A non-Federal interest may carry out a water resources development project, or separable element thereof—

“(A) in accordance with a plan approved by the Secretary for the project or separable element; and

“(B) subject to any conditions that the Secretary may require, including any conditions specified under section 203(c)(3).

“(2) Conditions.—Before carrying out a water resources development project, or separable element thereof, under this section, a non-Federal interest shall—

“(A) obtain any permit or approval required in connection with the project or separable element under Federal or State law; and

“(B) ensure that a final environmental impact statement or environmental assessment, as appropriate, for the project or separable element has been filed.

“(c) Studies and Engineering.—When requested by an appropriate non-Federal interest, the Secretary may undertake all necessary studies and engineering for any construction to be undertaken under subsection (b), and provide technical assistance in obtaining all necessary permits for the construction, if the non-Federal interest contracts with the Secretary to furnish the United States funds for the studies, engineering, or technical assistance in the period during which the studies and engineering are being conducted.

“(d) Credit or Reimbursement.—

“(1) General rule.—Subject to paragraph (3), a project or separable element of a project carried out by a non-Federal interest under this section shall be eligible for credit or reimbursement for the Federal share of work carried out on a project or separable element of a project if—

“(A) before initiation of construction of the project or separable element—

“(i) the Secretary approves the plans for construction of the project or separable element of the project by the non-Federal interest;

“(ii) the Secretary determines, before approval of the plans, that the project or separable element of the project is feasible; and

“(iii) the non-Federal interest enters into a written agreement with the Secretary under section 221 of the Flood Control Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 1962d–5b), including an agreement to pay the non-Federal share, if any, of the cost of operation and maintenance of the project; and

“(B) the Secretary determines that all Federal laws and regulations applicable to the construction of a water resources development project, and any conditions identified under subsection (b)(1)(B), were complied with by the non-Federal interest during construction of the project or separable element of the project.

“(2) Application of credit.—The Secretary may apply credit toward—

“(A) the non-Federal share of authorized separable elements of the same project; or

“(B) subject to the requirements of this section and section 1020 of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014, at the request of the non-Federal interest, the non-Federal share of a different water resources development project.

“(3) Requirements.—The Secretary may only apply credit or provide reimbursement under paragraph (1) if—

“(A) Congress has authorized construction of the project or separable element of the project; and

“(B) the Secretary certifies that the project has been constructed in accordance with—

“(i) all applicable permits or approvals; and

“(ii) this section.

“(4) Monitoring.—The Secretary shall regularly monitor and audit any water resources development project, or separable element of a water resources development project, constructed by a non-Federal interest under this section to ensure that—

“(A) the construction is carried out in compliance with the requirements of this section; and

“(B) the costs of the construction are reasonable.

“(e) Notification of Committees.—If a non-Federal interest notifies the Secretary that the non-Federal interest intends to carry out a project, or separable element thereof, under this section, the Secretary shall provide written notice to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives concerning the intent of the non-Federal interest.

“(f) Operation and Maintenance.—Whenever a non-Federal interest carries out improvements to a federally authorized harbor or inland harbor, the Secretary shall be responsible for operation and maintenance in accordance with section 101(b) if—

“(1) before construction of the improvements—

“(A) the Secretary determines that the improvements are feasible and consistent with the purposes of this title; and

“(B) the Secretary and the non-Federal interest execute a written agreement relating to operation and maintenance of the improvements;

“(2) the Secretary certifies that the project or separable element of the project is constructed in accordance with applicable permits and appropriate engineering and design standards; and

“(3) the Secretary does not find that the project or separable element is no longer feasible.”

(c)

Repeals.— The following provisions are repealed:

(1)

Section 404 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2232 note; 104 Stat. 4646) and the item relating to that section in the table of contents contained in section 1(b) of that Act.

(2)

Section 206 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1992 (33 U.S.C. 426i–1) and the item relating to that section in the table of contents contained in section 1(b) of that Act.

(3)

Section 211 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 (33 U.S.C. 701b–13) and the item relating to that section in the table of contents contained in section 1(b) of that Act.

(d)

Savings Provision.— Nothing in this section may be construed to affect an agreement in effect on the date of enactment of this Act, or an agreement that is finalized between the Corps of Engineers and a non-Federal interest on or before December 31, 2014, under any of the following sections (as such sections were in effect on the day before such date of enactment):

(1)

Section 204 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2232).

(2)

Section 206 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1992 (33 U.S.C. 426i–1).

(3)

Section 211 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 (33 U.S.C. 701b–13).

SEC. 1015. Contributions by Non-Federal Interests.

(a)

In General.— Section 5 of the Act of June 22, 1936 (33 U.S.C. 701h), is amended—

(1)

by inserting “ and other non-Federal interests” after “ States and political subdivisions thereof” each place it appears;

(2)

by inserting “ , including a project for navigation on the inland waterways,” after “ study or project”;

(3)

by striking “ Provided, That when” and inserting “ Provided, That the Secretary is authorized to receive and expend funds from a State or a political subdivision thereof, and other non-Federal interests or private entities, to operate a hurricane barrier project to support recreational activities at or in the vicinity of the project, at no cost to the Federal Government, if the Secretary determines that operation for such purpose is not inconsistent with the operation and maintenance of the project for the authorized purposes of the project: Provided further, That when”; and

(4)

by striking the period at the end and inserting the following: “ : Provided further, That the term ‘non-Federal interest’ has the meaning given that term in section 221 of the Flood Control Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 1962d–5b).”.

(b)

Notification for Contributed Funds.— Prior to accepting funds contributed under section 5 of the Act of June 22, 1936 (33 U.S.C. 701h), the Secretary shall provide written notice of the funds to the Committee on Environment and Public Works and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.

(c)

Technical Amendment.— Section 111(b) of the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012 (125 Stat. 858) is repealed.

SEC. 1016. Operation and Maintenance of Certain Projects.

The Secretary may assume responsibility for operation and maintenance in accordance with section 101(b) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2211(b)) (as amended by section 2102(b)) for improvements to a federally authorized harbor or inland harbor that are carried out by a non-Federal interest prior to December 31, 2014, if the Secretary determines that the requirements under paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 204(f) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2232(f)) are met.

SEC. 1017. Acceptance of Contributed Funds to Increase Lock Operations.

(a)

In General.— The Secretary, after providing public notice, shall establish a pilot program for the acceptance and expenditure of funds contributed by non-Federal interests to increase the hours of operation of locks at water resources development projects.

(b)

Applicability.— The establishment of the pilot program under this section shall not affect the periodic review and adjustment of hours of operation of locks based on increases in commercial traffic carried out by the Secretary.

(c)

Public Comment.— Not later than 180 days before a proposed modification to the operation of a lock at a water resources development project will be carried out, the Secretary shall—

(1)

publish the proposed modification in the Federal Register; and

(2)

accept public comment on the proposed modification.

(d)

Reports.—

(1)

In general.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and make publicly available a report that evaluates the cost-savings resulting from reduced lock hours and any economic impacts of modifying lock operations.

(2)

Review of pilot program.— Not later than September 30, 2017, and each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report that describes the effectiveness of the pilot program under this section.

(e)

Annual Review.— The Secretary shall carry out an annual review of the commercial use of locks and make any necessary adjustments to lock operations based on that review.

(f)

Termination.— The authority to accept funds under this section shall terminate 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 1018. Credit for In-Kind Contributions.

(a)

In General.— Section 221(a)(4) of the Flood Control Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 1962d–5b(a)(4)) is amended—

(1)

in subparagraph (A), in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting “ or a project under an environmental infrastructure assistance program” after “ law”;

(2)

in subparagraph (C) by striking “ In any case” and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting the following:

“(i) Construction.—

“(I) In general.—In any case in which the non-Federal interest is to receive credit under subparagraph (A) for the cost of construction carried out by the non-Federal interest before execution of a partnership agreement and that construction has not been carried out as of November 8, 2007, the Secretary and the non-Federal interest shall enter into an agreement under which the non-Federal interest shall carry out such work and shall do so prior to the non-Federal interest initiating construction or issuing a written notice to proceed for the construction.

“(II) Eligibility.—Construction that is carried out after the execution of an agreement to carry out work described in subclause (I) and any design activities that are required for that construction, even if the design activity is carried out prior to the execution of the agreement to carry out work, shall be eligible for credit.

“(ii) Planning.—

“(I) In general.—In any case in which the non-Federal interest is to receive credit under subparagraph (A) for the cost of planning carried out by the non-Federal interest before execution of a feasibility cost-sharing agreement, the Secretary and the non-Federal interest shall enter into an agreement under which the non-Federal interest shall carry out such work and shall do so prior to the non-Federal interest initiating that planning.

“(II) Eligibility.—Planning that is carried out by the non-Federal interest after the execution of an agreement to carry out work described in subclause (I) shall be eligible for credit.”

(3)

in subparagraph (D)(iii) by striking “ sections 101 and 103” and inserting “ sections 101(a)(2) and 103(a)(1)(A) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2211(a)(2); 33 U.S.C. 2213(a)(1)(A))”;

(4)

by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (H);

(5)

by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following:

“(E) Analysis of costs and benefits.—In the evaluation of the costs and benefits of a project, the Secretary shall not consider construction carried out by a non-Federal interest under this subsection as part of the future without project condition.

“(F) Transfer of credit between separable elements of a project.—Credit for in-kind contributions provided by a non-Federal interest that are in excess of the non-Federal cost share for an authorized separable element of a project may be applied toward the non-Federal cost share for a different authorized separable element of the same project.

“(G) Application of credit.—

“(i) In general.—To the extent that credit for in-kind contributions, as limited by subparagraph (D), and credit for required land, easements, rights-of-way, dredged material disposal areas, and relocations provided by the non-Federal interest exceed the non-Federal share of the cost of construction of a project other than a navigation project, the Secretary, subject to the availability of funds, shall enter into a reimbursement agreement with the non-Federal interest, which shall be in addition to a partnership agreement under subparagraph (A), to reimburse the difference to the non-Federal interest.

“(ii) Priority.—If appropriated funds are insufficient to cover the full cost of all requested reimbursement agreements under clause (i), the Secretary shall enter into reimbursement agreements in the order in which requests for such agreements are received.”

; and

(6)

in subparagraph (H) (as redesignated by paragraph (4))—

(A)

in clause (i) by inserting “ , and to water resources projects authorized prior to the date of enactment of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (Public Law 99–662), if correction of design deficiencies is necessary” before the period at the end; and

(B)

by striking clause (ii) and inserting the following:

“(ii) Authorization as addition to other authorizations.—The authority of the Secretary to provide credit for in-kind contributions pursuant to this paragraph shall be in addition to any other authorization to provide credit for in-kind contributions and shall not be construed as a limitation on such other authorization. The Secretary shall apply the provisions of this paragraph, in lieu of provisions under other crediting authority, only if so requested by the non-Federal interest.”

(b)

Applicability.— Section 2003(e) of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 1962d–5b note) is amended—

(1)

by inserting “ , or construction of design deficiency corrections on the project,” after “ construction on the project”; and

(2)

by inserting “ , or under which construction of the project has not been completed and the work to be performed by the non-Federal interests has not been carried out and is creditable only toward any remaining non-Federal cost share,” after “ has not been initiated”.

(c)

Effective Date.— The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) take effect on November 8, 2007.

(d)

Guidelines.—

(1)

In general.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall update any guidance or regulations for carrying out section 221(a)(4) of the Flood Control Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 1962d–5b(a)(4)) (as amended by subsection (a)) that are in existence on the date of enactment of this Act or issue new guidelines, as determined to be appropriate by the Secretary.

(2)

Inclusions.— Any guidance, regulations, or guidelines updated or issued under paragraph (1) shall include, at a minimum—

(A)

the milestone for executing an in-kind memorandum of understanding for construction by a non-Federal interest;

(B)

criteria and procedures for evaluating a request to execute an in-kind memorandum of understanding for construction by a non-Federal interest that is earlier than the milestone under subparagraph (A) for that execution; and

(C)

criteria and procedures for determining whether work carried out by a non-Federal interest is integral to a project.

(3)

Public and stakeholder participation.— Before issuing any new or revised guidance, regulations, or guidelines or any subsequent updates to those documents, the Secretary shall—

(A)

consult with affected non-Federal interests;

(B)

publish the proposed guidelines developed under this subsection in the Federal Register; and

(C)

provide the public with an opportunity to comment on the proposed guidelines.

(e)

Other Credit.— Nothing in section 221(a)(4) of the Flood Control Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 1962d–5b(a)(4)) (as amended by subsection (a)) affects any eligibility for credit under section 104 of the Water Resources Development of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2214) that was approved by the Secretary prior to the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 1019. Clarification of In-Kind Credit Authority.

(a)

Non-Federal Cost Share.— Section 7007 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (121 Stat. 1277) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a), by inserting “ , on, or after” after “ before”;

(2)

by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:

“(d) Treatment of Credit Between Projects.—The value of any land, easements, rights-of-way, relocations, and dredged material disposal areas and the costs of planning, design, and construction work provided by the non-Federal interest that exceed the non-Federal cost share for a study or project under this title may be applied toward the non-Federal cost share for any other study or project carried out under this title.”

; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

“(g) Definition of Study or Project.—In this section, the term ‘study or project’ includes any eligible activity that is—

“(1) carried out pursuant to the coastal Louisiana ecosystem science and technology program authorized under section 7006(a); and

“(2) in accordance with the restoration plan.”

(b)

Implementation.— Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in coordination with any relevant agencies of the State of Louisiana, shall establish a process by which to carry out the amendment made by subsection (a)(2).

(c)

Effective Date.— The amendments made by subsection (a) take effect on November 8, 2007.

SEC. 1020. Transfer of Excess Credit.

(a)

In General.— Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary may apply credit for in-kind contributions provided by a non-Federal interest that are in excess of the required non-Federal cost share for a water resources development study or project toward the required non-Federal cost share for a different water resources development study or project.

(b)

Restrictions.—

(1)

In general.— Except for subsection (a)(4)(D)(i) of that section, the requirements of section 221 of the Flood Control Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 1962d–5b) (as amended by section 1018(a)) shall apply to any credit under this section.

(2)

Conditions.— Credit in excess of the non-Federal share for a study or project may be approved under this section only if—

(A)

the non-Federal interest submits a comprehensive plan to the Secretary that identifies—

(i)

the studies and projects for which the non-Federal interest intends to provide in-kind contributions for credit that are in excess of the non-Federal cost share for the study or project; and

(ii)

the authorized studies and projects to which that excess credit would be applied;

(B)

the Secretary approves the comprehensive plan; and

(C)

the total amount of credit does not exceed the total non-Federal share for the studies and projects in the approved comprehensive plan.

(c)

Additional Criteria.— In evaluating a request to apply credit in excess of the non-Federal share for a study or project toward a different study or project, the Secretary shall consider whether applying that credit will—

(1)

help to expedite the completion of a project or group of projects;

(2)

reduce costs to the Federal Government; and

(3)

aid the completion of a project that provides significant flood risk reduction or environmental benefits.

(d)

Termination of Authority.— The authority provided in this section shall terminate 10 years after the date of enactment of this Act.

(e)

Report.—

(1)

Deadlines.—

(A)

In general.— Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and once every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and make publicly available an interim report on the use of the authority under this section.

(B)

Final report.— Not later than 10 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and make publicly available a final report on the use of the authority under this section.

(2)

Inclusions.— The reports described in paragraph (1) shall include—

(A)

a description of the use of the authority under this section during the reporting period;

(B)

an assessment of the impact of the authority under this section on the time required to complete projects; and

(C)

an assessment of the impact of the authority under this section on other water resources projects.

SEC. 1021. Crediting Authority for Federally Authorized Navigation Projects.

A non-Federal interest may carry out operation and maintenance activities for an authorized navigation project, subject to the condition that the non-Federal interest complies with all Federal laws and regulations applicable to such operation and maintenance activities, and may receive credit for the costs incurred by the non-Federal interest in carrying out such activities towards the share of construction costs of that non-Federal interest for another element of the same project or another authorized navigation project, except that in no instance may such credit exceed 20 percent of the total costs associated with construction of the general navigation features of the project for which such credit may be applied pursuant to this section.

SEC. 1022. Credit in Lieu of Reimbursement.

(a)

Requests for Credits.— With respect to an authorized flood damage reduction project, or separable element thereof, that has been constructed by a non-Federal interest under section 211 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 (33 U.S.C. 701b–13) before the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary may provide to the non-Federal interest, at the request of the non-Federal interest, a credit in an amount equal to the estimated Federal share of the cost of the project or separable element, in lieu of providing to the non-Federal interest a reimbursement in that amount.

(b)

Application of Credits.— At the request of the non-Federal interest, the Secretary may apply such credit to the share of the cost of the non-Federal interest of carrying out other flood damage reduction projects or studies.

SEC. 1023. Additional Contributions by Non-Federal Interests.

Section 902 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2280) is amended—

(1)

by striking “ In order to insure” and inserting “ (a) In General.—In order to insure”; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following:

“(b) Contributions by Non-Federal Interests.—Notwithstanding subsection (a), in accordance with section 5 of the Act of June 22, 1936 (33 U.S.C. 701h), the Secretary may accept funds from a non-Federal interest for any authorized water resources development project that has exceeded its maximum cost under subsection (a), and use such funds to carry out such project, if the use of such funds does not increase the Federal share of the cost of such project.”

SEC. 1024. Authority to Accept and Use Materials and Services.

(a)

In General.— Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary is authorized to accept and use materials and services contributed by a non-Federal public entity, a nonprofit entity, or a private entity for the purpose of repairing, restoring, or replacing a water resources development project that has been damaged or destroyed as a result of an emergency if the Secretary determines that the acceptance and use of such materials and services is in the public interest.

(b)

Limitation.— Any entity that contributes materials or services under subsection (a) shall not be eligible for credit or reimbursement for the value of such materials or services.

(c)

Report.— Not later than 60 days after initiating an activity under this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report that includes—

(1)

a description of the activities undertaken, including the costs associated with the activities; and

(2)

a comprehensive description of how the activities are necessary for maintaining a safe and reliable water resources project.

SEC. 1025. Water Resources Projects on Federal Land.

(a)

In General.— Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary may carry out an authorized water resources development project on Federal land that is under the administrative jurisdiction of another Federal agency where the cost of the acquisition of such Federal land has been paid for by the non-Federal interest for the project.

(b)

MOU Required.— The Secretary may carry out a project pursuant to subsection (a) only after the non-Federal interest has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Federal agency that includes such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be necessary.

(c)

Applicability.— Nothing in this section alters any non-Federal cost-sharing requirements for the project.

SEC. 1026. Clarification of Impacts to Other Federal Facilities.

In any case where the modification or construction of a water resources development project carried out by the Secretary adversely impacts other Federal facilities, the Secretary may accept from other Federal agencies such funds as may be necessary to address the adverse impact, including by removing, relocating, or reconstructing those facilities.

SEC. 1027. Clarification of Munition Disposal Authorities.

(a)

In General.— The Secretary may implement any response action the Secretary determines to be necessary at a site where—

(1)

the Secretary has carried out a project under civil works authority of the Secretary that includes placing sand on a beach; and

(2)

as a result of the project described in paragraph (1), military munitions that were originally released as a result of Department of Defense activities are deposited on the beach, posing a threat to human health or the environment.

(b)

Response Action Funding.— A response action described in subsection (a) shall be funded from amounts made available to the agency within the Department of Defense responsible for the original release of the munitions.

SEC. 1028. Clarification of Mitigation Authority.

(a)

In General.— The Secretary may carry out measures to improve fish species habitat within the boundaries and downstream of a water resources project constructed by the Secretary that includes a fish hatchery if the Secretary—

(1)

has been explicitly authorized to compensate for fish losses associated with the project; and

(2)

determines that the measures are—

(A)

feasible;

(B)

consistent with authorized project purposes and the fish hatchery; and

(C)

in the public interest.

(b)

Cost Sharing.—

(1)

In general.— Subject to paragraph (2), the non-Federal interest shall contribute 35 percent of the total cost of carrying out activities under this section, including the costs relating to the provision or acquisition of required land, easements, rights-of-way, dredged material disposal areas, and relocations.

(2)

Operation and maintenance.— The non-Federal interest shall contribute 100 percent of the costs of operation, maintenance, replacement, repair, and rehabilitation of the measures carried out under this section.

SEC. 1029. Clarification of Interagency Support Authorities.

Section 234 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 (33 U.S.C. 2323a) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a), by striking “ other Federal agencies,” and inserting “ Federal departments or agencies, nongovernmental organizations,”;

(2)

in subsection (b), by inserting “ or foreign governments” after “ organizations”;

(3)

in subsection (c), by inserting “ and restoration” after “ protection”; and

(4)

in subsection (d)—

(A)

in the first sentence, by striking “ There is” and inserting “ (1) In general.—There is”; and

(B)

in the second sentence—

(i)

by striking “ The Secretary” and inserting “ (2) Acceptance of funds.—The Secretary”; and

(ii)

by striking “ other Federal agencies,” and inserting “ Federal departments or agencies, nongovernmental organizations,”.

SEC. 1030. Continuing Authority.

(a)

Continuing Authority Programs.—

(1)

Definition of continuing authority program project.— In this subsection, the term “continuing authority program” means 1 of the following authorities:

(A)

Section 205 of the Flood Control Act of 1948 (33 U.S.C. 701s).

(B)

Section 111 of the River and Harbor Act of 1968 (33 U.S.C. 426i).

(C)

Section 206 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 (33 U.S.C. 2330).

(D)

Section 1135 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2309a).

(E)

Section 107 of the River and Harbor Act of 1960 (33 U.S.C. 577).

(F)

Section 3 of the Act of August 13, 1946 (33 U.S.C. 426g).

(G)

Section 14 of the Flood Control Act of 1946 (33 U.S.C. 701r).

(H)

Section 103 of the River and Harbor Act of 1962 (Public Law 87–874; 76 Stat. 1178).

(I)

Section 204(e) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1992 (33 U.S.C. 2326(e)).

(J)

Section 208 of the Flood Control Act of 1958 (33 U.S.C. 701b–8a).

(K)

Section 104(a) of the River and Harbor Act of 1958 (33 U.S.C. 610(a)).

(2)

Prioritization.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register and on a publicly available website, the criteria the Secretary uses for prioritizing annual funding for continuing authority program projects.

(3)

Annual report.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act and each year thereafter, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register and on a publicly available website, a report on the status of each continuing authority program, which, at a minimum, shall include—

(A)

the name and a short description of each active continuing authority program project;

(B)

the cost estimate to complete each active project; and

(C)

the funding available in that fiscal year for each continuing authority program.

(4)

Congressional notification.— On publication in the Federal Register under paragraphs (2) and (3), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a copy of all information published under those paragraphs.

(b)

Small River and Harbor Improvement Projects.— Section 107 of the River and Harbor Act of 1960 (33 U.S.C. 577) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a), by striking “ $35,000,000” and inserting “ $50,000,000”; and

(2)

in subsection (b), by striking “ $7,000,000” and inserting “ $10,000,000”.

(c)

Shore Damage Prevention or Mitigation.— Section 111(c) of the River and Harbor Act of 1968 (33 U.S.C. 426i(c)) is amended by striking “ $5,000,000” and inserting “ $10,000,000”.

(d)

Regional Sediment Management.—

(1)

In general.— Section 204 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1992 (33 U.S.C. 2326) is amended—

(A)

in subsection (c)(1)(C), by striking “ $5,000,000” and inserting “ $10,000,000”; and

(B)

in subsection (g), by striking “ $30,000,000” and inserting “ $50,000,000”.

(2)

Applicability.— Section 2037 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (121 Stat. 1094) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(c) Applicability.—The amendment made by subsection (a) shall not apply to any project authorized under this Act if a report of the Chief of Engineers for the project was completed prior to the date of enactment of this Act.”

(e)

Small Flood Control Projects.— Section 205 of the Flood Control Act of 1948 (33 U.S.C. 701s) is amended in the third sentence by striking “ $7,000,000” and inserting “ $10,000,000”.

(f)

Project Modifications for Improvement of Environment.— Section 1135(d) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2309a(d)) is amended—

(1)

in the second sentence, by striking “ Not more than 80 percent of the non-Federal share may be” and inserting “ The non-Federal share may be provided”; and

(2)

in the third sentence, by striking “ $5,000,000” and inserting “ $10,000,000”.

(g)

Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration.— Section 206(d) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 (33 U.S.C. 2330(d)) is amended by striking “ $5,000,000” and inserting “ $10,000,000”.

(h)

Floodplain Management Services.— Section 206(d) of the Flood Control Act of 1960 (33 U.S.C. 709a(d)) is amended by striking “ $15,000,000” and inserting “ $50,000,000”.

(i)

Emergency Streambank and Shoreline Protection.— Section 14 of the Flood Control Act of 1946 (33 U.S.C. 701r) is amended—

(1)

by striking “ $15,000,000” and inserting “ $20,000,000”; and

(2)

by striking “ $1,500,000” and inserting “ $5,000,000”.

SEC. 1031. Tribal Partnership Program.

(a)

In General.— Section 203 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2000 (33 U.S.C. 2269) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (d)(1)(B)—

(A)

by striking “ The ability” and inserting the following:

“(i) In general.—The ability”

; and

(B)

by adding at the end the following:

“(ii) Determination.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this clause, the Secretary shall issue guidance on the procedures described in clause (i).”

; and

(2)

by striking subsection (e) and inserting the following:

“(e) Restrictions.—The Secretary is authorized to carry out activities under this section for fiscal years 2015 through 2024.”

(b)

Cooperative Agreements With Indian Tribes.— The Secretary may enter into a cooperative agreement with an Indian tribe (or a designated representative of an Indian tribe) to carry out authorized activities of the Corps of Engineers to protect fish, wildlife, water quality, and cultural resources.

SEC. 1032. Territories of the United States.

Section 1156 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2310) is amended—

(1)

by striking “ The Secretary shall waive” and inserting “ (a) In General.—The Secretary shall waive”;

(2)

in subsection (a) (as so designated), by inserting “ Puerto Rico,” before “ and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands”; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

“(b) Inflation Adjustment.—The Secretary shall adjust the dollar amount specified in subsection (a) for inflation for the period beginning on November 17, 1986, and ending on the date of enactment of this subsection.”

SEC. 1033. Corrosion Prevention.

(a)

In General.— To the greatest extent practicable, the Secretary shall encourage and incorporate corrosion prevention activities at water resources development projects.

(b)

Activities.— In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary, to the greatest extent practicable, shall ensure that contractors performing work for water resources development projects—

(1)

use best practices to carry out corrosion prevention activities in the field;

(2)

use industry-recognized standards and corrosion mitigation and prevention methods when—

(A)

determining protective coatings;

(B)

selecting materials; and

(C)

determining methods of cathodic protection, design, and engineering for corrosion prevention;

(3)

use certified coating application specialists and cathodic protection technicians and engineers;

(4)

use best practices in environmental protection to prevent environmental degradation and to ensure careful handling of all hazardous materials;

(5)

demonstrate a history of employing industry-certified inspectors to ensure adherence to best practices and standards; and

(6)

demonstrate a history of compliance with applicable requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

(c)

Corrosion Prevention Activities Defined.— In this section, the term “corrosion prevention activities” means—

(1)

the application and inspection of protective coatings for complex work involving steel and cementitious structures, including structures that will be exposed in immersion;

(2)

the installation, testing, and inspection of cathodic protection systems; and

(3)

any other activities related to corrosion prevention the Secretary determines appropriate.

SEC. 1034. Advanced Modeling Technologies.

(a)

In General.— To the greatest extent practicable, the Secretary shall encourage and incorporate advanced modeling technologies, including 3-dimensional digital modeling, that can expedite project delivery or improve the evaluation of water resources development projects that receive Federal funding by—

(1)

accelerating and improving the environmental review process;

(2)

increasing effective public participation;

(3)

enhancing the detail and accuracy of project designs;

(4)

increasing safety;

(5)

accelerating construction and reducing construction costs; or

(6)

otherwise achieving the purposes described in paragraphs (1) through (5).

(b)

Activities.— In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary, to the greatest extent practicable, shall—

(1)

compile information related to advanced modeling technologies, including industry best practices with respect to the use of the technologies;

(2)

disseminate to non-Federal interests the information described in paragraph (1); and

(3)

promote the use of advanced modeling technologies.

SEC. 1035. Recreational Access.

(a)

Definition of Floating Cabin.— In this section, the term “floating cabin” means a vessel (as defined in section 3 of title 1, United States Code) that has overnight accommodations.

(b)

Recreational Access.— The Secretary shall allow the use of a floating cabin on waters under the jurisdiction of the Secretary in the Cumberland River basin if—

(1)

the floating cabin—

(A)

is in compliance with regulations for recreational vessels issued under chapter 43 of title 46, United States Code, and section 312 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1322);

(B)

is located at a marina leased by the Corps of Engineers; and

(C)

is maintained by the owner to required health and safety standards; and

(2)

the Secretary has authorized the use of recreational vessels on such waters.

SEC. 1036. Non-Federal Plans to Provide Additional Flood Risk Reduction.

(a)

In General.— If requested by a non-Federal interest, the Secretary shall carry out a locally preferred plan that provides a higher level of protection than a flood risk management project authorized under this Act if the Secretary determines that—

(1)

the plan is technically feasible and environmentally acceptable; and

(2)

the benefits of the plan exceed the costs of the plan.

(b)

Non-Federal Cost Share.— If the Secretary carries out a locally preferred plan under subsection (a), the Federal share of the cost of the project shall be not greater than the share as provided by law for elements of the national economic development plan.

SEC. 1037. Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction.

(a)

In General.— Section 156 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 1962d–5f) is amended—

(1)

by striking “ The Secretary” and inserting the following:

“(a) In General.—The Secretary”

; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following:

“(b) Review.—Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Secretary shall, at the request of the non-Federal interest, carry out a study to determine the feasibility of extending the period of nourishment described in subsection (a) for a period not to exceed 15 additional years beyond the maximum period described in subsection (a).

“(c) Plan for Reducing Risk to People and Property.—

“(1) In general.—As part of the review described in subsection (b), the non-Federal interest shall submit to the Secretary a plan for reducing risk to people and property during the life of the project.

“(2) Inclusion of plan in recommendation to congress.—The Secretary shall include the plan described in subsection (a) in the recommendations to Congress described in subsection (d).

“(d) Report to Congress.—Upon completion of the review described in subsection (b), the Secretary shall—

“(1) submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives any recommendations of the Secretary related to the review; and

“(2) include in the subsequent annual report to Congress required under section 7001 of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014, any recommendations that require specific congressional authorization.

“(e) Special Rule.—Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, for any existing authorized water resources development project for which the maximum period for nourishment described in subsection (a) will expire within the 5 year-period beginning on the date of enactment of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014, that project shall remain eligible for nourishment for an additional 3 years after the expiration of such period.”

(b)

Review of Authorized Periodic Nourishment Authority.—

(1)

In general.— Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall initiate a review of all authorized water resources development projects for which the Secretary is authorized to provide periodic nourishment under section 156 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 1962d–5f).

(2)

Scope of review.— In carrying out the review under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall assess the Federal costs associated with that nourishment authority and the projected benefits of each project.

(3)

Report to congress.— Upon completion of the review under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall issue to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and make publicly available a report on the results of that review, including any proposed changes the Secretary may recommend to the nourishment authority.

SEC. 1038. Reduction of Federal Costs for Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction Projects.

Section 204 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1992 (33 U.S.C. 2326) (as amended by section 1030(d)(1)) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

in paragraph (1), by inserting “ or used in” after “ obtained through”;

(B)

in paragraph (3)(C), by inserting “ for the purposes of improving environmental conditions in marsh and littoral systems, stabilizing stream channels, enhancing shorelines, and supporting State and local risk management adaptation strategies” before the period at the end; and

(C)

by adding at the end the following:

“(4) Reducing costs.—To reduce or avoid Federal costs, the Secretary shall consider the beneficial use of dredged material in a manner that contributes to the maintenance of sediment resources in the nearby coastal system.”

(2)

in subsection (d)—

(A)

by striking the subsection designation and heading and inserting the following:

“(d) Selection of Dredged Material Disposal Method for Purposes Related to Environmental Restoration or Storm Damage and Flood Reduction.—”

; and

(B)

in paragraph (1), by striking “ in relation to” and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting

“(A) the environmental benefits, including the benefits to the aquatic environment to be derived from the creation of wetlands and control of shoreline erosion; or

“(B) the flood and storm damage and flood reduction benefits, including shoreline protection, protection against loss of life, and damage to improved property.”

; and

(3)

in subsection (e), by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:

“(1) cooperate with any State or group of States in the preparation of a comprehensive State or regional sediment management plan within the boundaries of the State or among States;”

SEC. 1039. Invasive Species.

(a)

Aquatic Species Review.—

(1)

Review of authorities.— The Secretary, in consultation with the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority, and other applicable heads of Federal agencies, shall—

(A)

carry out a review of existing Federal authorities relating to responding to invasive species, including aquatic weeds, aquatic snails, and other aquatic invasive species, that have an impact on water resources; and

(B)

based on the review under subparagraph (A), make any recommendations to Congress and applicable State agencies for improving Federal and State laws to more effectively respond to the threats posed by those invasive species.

(2)

Federal investment.—

(A)

Assessment.— The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct an assessment of the Federal costs of, and spending on, aquatic invasive species.

(B)

Contents.— The assessment conducted under subparagraph (A) shall include—

(i)

identification of current Federal spending on, and projected future Federal costs of, operation and maintenance related to mitigating the impacts of aquatic invasive species on federally owned or operated facilities;

(ii)

identification of current Federal spending on aquatic invasive species prevention;

(iii)

analysis of whether spending identified in clause (ii) is adequate for the maintenance and protection of services provided by federally owned or operated facilities, based on the current spending and projected future costs identified in clause (i); and

(iv)

review of any other aspect of aquatic invasive species prevention or mitigation determined appropriate by the Comptroller General.

(C)

Findings.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a report containing the findings of the assessment conducted under subparagraph (A).

(b)

Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention.—

(1)

Multiagency effort to slow the spread of asian carp in the upper mississippi and ohio river basins and tributaries.—

(A)

In general.— The Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, in coordination with the Secretary, the Director of the National Park Service, and the Director of the United States Geological Survey, shall lead a multiagency effort to slow the spread of Asian carp in the Upper Mississippi and Ohio River basins and tributaries by providing technical assistance, coordination, best practices, and support to State and local governments in carrying out activities designed to slow, and eventually eliminate, the threat posed by Asian carp.

(B)

Best practices.— To the maximum extent practicable, the multiagency effort shall apply lessons learned and best practices such as those described in the document prepared by the Asian Carp Working Group entitled “Management and Control Plan for Bighead, Black, Grass, and Silver Carps in the United States” and dated November 2007, and the document prepared by the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee entitled “FY 2012 Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework” and dated February 2012.

(2)

Report to congress.—

(A)

In general.— Not later than December 31 of each year, the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, in coordination with the Secretary, shall submit to the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Natural Resources, and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and make publicly available a report describing the coordinated strategies established and progress made toward the goals of controlling and eliminating Asian carp in the Upper Mississippi and Ohio River basins and tributaries.

(B)

Contents.— Each report submitted under subparagraph (A) shall include—

(i)

any observed changes in the range of Asian carp in the Upper Mississippi and Ohio River basins and tributaries during the 2-year period preceding submission of the report;

(ii)

a summary of Federal agency efforts, including cooperative efforts with non-Federal partners, to control the spread of Asian carp in the Upper Mississippi and Ohio River basins and tributaries;

(iii)

any research that the Director determines could improve the ability to control the spread of Asian carp;

(iv)

any quantitative measures that the Director intends to use to document progress in controlling the spread of Asian carp; and

(v)

a cross-cut accounting of Federal and non-Federal expenditures to control the spread of Asian carp.

(c)

Prevention, Great Lakes and Mississippi River Basin.—

(1)

In general.— The Secretary is authorized to implement measures recommended in the efficacy study authorized under section 3061 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (121 Stat. 1121) or in interim reports, with any modifications or any emergency measures that the Secretary determines to be appropriate to prevent aquatic nuisance species from dispersing into the Great Lakes by way of any hydrologic connection between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River Basin.

(2)

Notifications.— The Secretary shall notify the Committees on Environment and Public Works and Appropriations of the Senate and the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and Appropriations of the House of Representatives any emergency actions taken pursuant to this subsection.

(d)

Prevention and Management.— Section 104 of the River and Harbor Act of 1958 (33 U.S.C. 610) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

in the first sentence, by striking “ There is” and inserting the following:

“(1) In general.—There is”

(B)

in the second sentence, by striking “ Local” and inserting the following:

“(2) Local interests.—Local”

(C)

in the third sentence, by striking “ Costs” and inserting the following:

“(3) Federal costs.—Costs”

; and

(D)

in paragraph (1) (as designated by subparagraph (A))—

(i)

by striking “ control and progressive,” and inserting “ prevention, control, and progressive”; and

(ii)

by inserting “ and aquatic invasive species” after “ noxious aquatic plant growths”;

(2)

in subsection (b), in the first sentence, by striking “ $15,000,000 annually” and inserting “ $40,000,000, of which $20,000,000 shall be made available to implement subsection (d), annually”; and

(3)

by inserting after subsection (c) the following:

“(d) Watercraft Inspection Stations.—

“(1) In general.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary may establish watercraft inspection stations in the Columbia River Basin to be located in the States of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington at locations, as determined by the Secretary, with the highest likelihood of preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species at reservoirs operated and maintained by the Secretary.

“(2) Cost share.—The non-Federal share of the cost of constructing, operating, and maintaining watercraft inspection stations described in paragraph (1) (including personnel costs) shall be—

“(A) 50 percent; and

“(B) provided by the State or local governmental entity in which such inspection station is located.

“(3) Coordination.—In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall consult and coordinate with—

“(A) the States described in paragraph (1);

“(B) Indian tribes; and

“(C) other Federal agencies, including—

“(i) the Department of Agriculture;

“(ii) the Department of Energy;

“(iii) the Department of Homeland Security;

“(iv) the Department of Commerce; and

“(v) the Department of the Interior.

“(e) Monitoring and Contingency Planning.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary may—

“(1) carry out risk assessments of water resources facilities;

“(2) monitor for aquatic invasive species;

“(3) establish watershed-wide plans for expedited response to an infestation of aquatic invasive species; and

“(4) monitor water quality, including sediment cores and fish tissue samples.”

SEC. 1040. Fish and Wildlife Mitigation.

(a)

In General.— Section 906 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2283) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (d)—

(A)

in paragraph (1)—

(i)

in the first sentence—

(I)

by inserting “ for damages to ecological resources, including terrestrial and aquatic resources, and” after “ mitigate”;

(II)

by inserting “ ecological resources and” after “ impact on”; and

(III)

by inserting “ without the implementation of mitigation measures” before the period; and

(ii)

by inserting before the last sentence the following: “ If the Secretary determines that mitigation to in-kind conditions is not possible, the Secretary shall identify in the report the basis for that determination and the mitigation measures that will be implemented to meet the requirements of this section and the goals of section 307(a)(1) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2317(a)(1)).”;

(B)

in paragraph (2)—

(i)

in the heading, by striking “ Design” and inserting “ Selection and design”;

(ii)

by inserting “ select and” after “ shall”; and

(iii)

by inserting “ using a watershed approach” after “ projects”; and

(C)

in paragraph (3)—

(i)

in subparagraph (A), by inserting “ , at a minimum,” after “ complies with”; and

(ii)

in subparagraph (B)—

(I)

by striking clause (iii);

(II)

by redesignating clauses (iv) and (v) as clauses (v) and (vi), respectively; and

(III)

by inserting after clause (ii) the following:

“(iii) for projects where mitigation will be carried out by the Secretary—

“(I) a description of the land and interest in land to be acquired for the mitigation plan;

“(II) the basis for a determination that the land and interests are available for acquisition; and

“(III) a determination that the proposed interest sought does not exceed the minimum interest in land necessary to meet the mitigation requirements for the project;

“(iv) for projects where mitigation will be carried out through a third party mitigation arrangement in accordance with subsection (i)—

“(I) a description of the third party mitigation instrument to be used; and

“(II) the basis for a determination that the mitigation instrument can meet the mitigation requirements for the project;”

; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following:

“(h) Programmatic Mitigation Plans.—

“(1) In general.—The Secretary may develop programmatic mitigation plans to address the potential impacts to ecological resources, fish, and wildlife associated with existing or future Federal water resources development projects.

“(2) Use of mitigation plans.—The Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, use programmatic mitigation plans developed in accordance with this subsection to guide the development of a mitigation plan under subsection (d).

“(3) Non-federal plans.—The Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable and subject to all conditions of this subsection, use programmatic environmental plans developed by a State, a body politic of the State, which derives its powers from a State constitution, a government entity created by State legislation, or a local government, that meet the requirements of this subsection to address the potential environmental impacts of existing or future water resources development projects.

“(4) Scope.—A programmatic mitigation plan developed by the Secretary or an entity described in paragraph (3) to address potential impacts of existing or future water resources development projects shall, to the maximum extent practicable—

“(A) be developed on a regional, ecosystem, watershed, or statewide scale;

“(B) include specific goals for aquatic resource and fish and wildlife habitat restoration, establishment, enhancement, or preservation;

“(C) identify priority areas for aquatic resource and fish and wildlife habitat protection or restoration;

“(D) encompass multiple environmental resources within a defined geographical area or focus on a specific resource, such as aquatic resources or wildlife habitat; and

“(E) address impacts from all projects in a defined geographical area or focus on a specific type of project.

“(5) Consultation.—The scope of the plan shall be determined by the Secretary or an entity described in paragraph (3), as appropriate, in consultation with the agency with jurisdiction over the resources being addressed in the environmental mitigation plan.

“(6) Contents.—A programmatic environmental mitigation plan may include—

“(A) an assessment of the condition of environmental resources in the geographical area covered by the plan, including an assessment of recent trends and any potential threats to those resources;

“(B) an assessment of potential opportunities to improve the overall quality of environmental resources in the geographical area covered by the plan through strategic mitigation for impacts of water resources development projects;

“(C) standard measures for mitigating certain types of impacts;

“(D) parameters for determining appropriate mitigation for certain types of impacts, such as mitigation ratios or criteria for determining appropriate mitigation sites;

“(E) adaptive management procedures, such as protocols that involve monitoring predicted impacts over time and adjusting mitigation measures in response to information gathered through the monitoring;

“(F) acknowledgment of specific statutory or regulatory requirements that must be satisfied when determining appropriate mitigation for certain types of resources; and

“(G) any offsetting benefits of self-mitigating projects, such as ecosystem or resource restoration and protection.

“(7) Process.—Before adopting a programmatic environmental mitigation plan for use under this subsection, the Secretary shall—

“(A) for a plan developed by the Secretary—

“(i) make a draft of the plan available for review and comment by applicable environmental resource agencies and the public; and

“(ii) consider any comments received from those agencies and the public on the draft plan; and

“(B) for a plan developed under paragraph (3), determine, not later than 180 days after receiving the plan, whether the plan meets the requirements of paragraphs (4) through (6) and was made available for public comment.

“(8) Integration with other plans.—A programmatic environmental mitigation plan may be integrated with other plans, including watershed plans, ecosystem plans, species recovery plans, growth management plans, and land use plans.

“(9) Consideration in project development and permitting.—If a programmatic environmental mitigation plan has been developed under this subsection, any Federal agency responsible for environmental reviews, permits, or approvals for a water resources development project may use the recommendations in that programmatic environmental mitigation plan when carrying out the responsibilities of the agency under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

“(10) Preservation of existing authorities.—Nothing in this subsection limits the use of programmatic approaches to reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

“(11) Mitigation for existing projects.—Nothing in this subsection requires the Secretary to undertake additional mitigation for existing projects for which mitigation has already been initiated.

“(i) Third-party Mitigation Arrangements.—

“(1) Eligible activities.—In accordance with all applicable Federal laws (including regulations), mitigation efforts carried out under this section may include—

“(A) participation in mitigation banking or other third-party mitigation arrangements, such as—

“(i) the purchase of credits from commercial or State, regional, or local agency-sponsored mitigation banks; and

“(ii) the purchase of credits from in-lieu fee mitigation programs; and

“(B) contributions to statewide and regional efforts to conserve, restore, enhance, and create natural habitats and wetlands if the Secretary determines that the contributions will ensure that the mitigation requirements of this section and the goals of section 307(a)(1) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2317(a)(1)) will be met.

“(2) Inclusion of other activities.—The banks, programs, and efforts described in paragraph (1) include any banks, programs, and efforts developed in accordance with applicable law (including regulations).

“(3) Terms and conditions.—In carrying out natural habitat and wetlands mitigation efforts under this section, contributions to the mitigation effort may—

“(A) take place concurrent with, or in advance of, the commitment of funding to a project; and

“(B) occur in advance of project construction only if the efforts are consistent with all applicable requirements of Federal law (including regulations) and water resources development planning processes.

“(4) Preference.—At the request of the non-Federal project sponsor, preference may be given, to the maximum extent practicable, to mitigating an environmental impact through the use of a mitigation bank, in-lieu fee, or other third-party mitigation arrangement, if the use of credits from the mitigation bank or in-lieu fee, or the other third-party mitigation arrangement for the project has been approved by the applicable Federal agency.”

(b)

Application.— The amendments made by subsection (a) shall not apply to a project for which a mitigation plan has been completed as of the date of enactment of this Act.

(c)

Technical Assistance.—

(1)

In general.— The Secretary may provide technical assistance to States and local governments to establish third-party mitigation instruments, including mitigation banks and in-lieu fee programs, that will help to target mitigation payments to high-priority ecosystem restoration actions.

(2)

Requirements.— In providing technical assistance under this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to States and local governments that have developed State, regional, or watershed-based plans identifying priority restoration actions.

(3)

Mitigation instruments.— The Secretary shall seek to ensure any technical assistance provided under this subsection will support the establishment of mitigation instruments that will result in restoration of high-priority areas identified in the plans under paragraph (2).

SEC. 1041. Mitigation Status Report.

Section 2036(b) of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (33 U.S.C. 2283a) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and

(2)

by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:

“(3) Information included.—In reporting the status of all projects included in the report, the Secretary shall—

“(A) use a uniform methodology for determining the status of all projects included in the report;

“(B) use a methodology that describes both a qualitative and quantitative status for all projects in the report; and

“(C) provide specific dates for participation in the consultations required under section 906(d)(4)(B) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2283(d)(4)(B)).”

SEC. 1042. Reports to Congress.

(a)

In General.— Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall complete and submit to Congress by the applicable date required the reports that address public safety and enhanced local participation in project delivery described in subsection (b).

(b)

Reports.— The reports referred to in subsection (a) are the reports required under—

(1)

subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 1043(a)(5);

(2)

section 1046(a)(2)(B);

(3)

section 210(e)(3) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2238(e)(3)) (as amended by section 2102(a)); and

(4)

section 7001.

(c)

Failure To Provide a Completed Report.—

(1)

In general.— Subject to subsection (d), if the Secretary fails to provide a report listed under subsection (b) by the date that is 180 days after the applicable date required for that report, $5,000 shall be reprogrammed from the General Expenses account of the civil works program of the Army Corps of Engineers into the account of the division of the Army Corps of Engineers with responsibility for completing that report.

(2)

Subsequent reprogramming.— Subject to subsection (d), for each additional week after the date described in paragraph (1) in which a report described in that paragraph remains uncompleted and unsubmitted to Congress, $5,000 shall be reprogrammed from the General Expenses account of the civil works program of the Army Corps of Engineers into the account of the division of the Secretary of the Army with responsibility for completing that report.

(d)

Limitations.—

(1)

In general.— For each report, the total amounts reprogrammed under subsection (c) shall not exceed, in any fiscal year, $50,000.

(2)

Aggregate limitation.— The total amount reprogrammed under subsection (c) in a fiscal year shall not exceed $200,000.

(e)

No Fault of the Secretary.— Amounts shall not be reprogrammed under subsection (c) if the Secretary certifies in a letter to the applicable committees of Congress that—

(1)

a major modification has been made to the content of the report that requires additional analysis for the Secretary to make a final decision on the report;

(2)

amounts have not been appropriated to the agency under this Act or any other Act to carry out the report; or

(3)

additional information is required from an entity other than the Corps of Engineers and is not available in a timely manner to complete the report by the deadline.

(f)

Limitation.— The Secretary shall not reprogram funds to the General Expenses account of the civil works program of the Corps of Engineers for the loss of the funds.

SEC. 1043. Non-Federal Implementation Pilot Program.

(a)

Non-Federal Implementation of Feasibility Studies.—

(1)

In general.— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish and implement a pilot program to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and project delivery efficiency of allowing non-Federal interests to carry out feasibility studies for flood risk management, hurricane and storm damage reduction, aquatic ecosystem restoration, and coastal harbor and channel and inland navigation.

(2)

Purposes.— The purposes of the pilot program are—

(A)

to identify project delivery and cost-saving alternatives to the existing feasibility study process;

(B)

to evaluate the technical, financial, and organizational efficiencies of a non-Federal interest carrying out a feasibility study of 1 or more projects; and

(C)

to evaluate alternatives for the decentralization of the project planning, management, and operational decisionmaking process of the Corps of Engineers.

(3)

Administration.—

(A)

In general.— On the request of a non-Federal interest, the Secretary may enter into an agreement with the non-Federal interest for the non-Federal interest to provide full project management control of a feasibility study for a project for—

(i)

flood risk management;

(ii)

hurricane and storm damage reduction, including levees, floodwalls, flood control channels, and water control structures;

(iii)

coastal harbor and channel and inland navigation; and

(iv)

aquatic ecosystem restoration.

(B)

Use of non-federal funds.—

(i)

In general.— A non-Federal interest that has entered into an agreement with the Secretary pursuant to subparagraph (A) may use non-Federal funds to carry out the feasibility study.

(ii)

Credit.— The Secretary shall credit towards the non-Federal share of the cost of construction of a project for which a feasibility study is carried out under this subsection an amount equal to the portion of the cost of developing the study that would have been the responsibility of the Secretary, if the study were carried out by the Secretary, subject to the conditions that—

(I)

non-Federal funds were used to carry out the activities that would have been the responsibility of the Secretary;

(II)

the Secretary determines that the feasibility study complies with all applicable Federal laws and regulations; and

(III)

the project is authorized by any provision of Federal law enacted after the date on which an agreement is entered into under subparagraph (A).

(C)

Transfer of funds.—

(i)

In general.— After the date on which an agreement is executed pursuant to subparagraph (A), the Secretary may transfer to the non-Federal interest to carry out the feasibility study—

(I)

if applicable, the balance of any unobligated amounts appropriated for the study, except that the Secretary shall retain sufficient amounts for the Corps of Engineers to carry out any responsibilities of the Corps of Engineers relating to the project and pilot program; and

(II)

additional amounts, as determined by the Secretary, from amounts made available under paragraph (8), except that the total amount transferred to the non-Federal interest shall not exceed the updated estimate of the Federal share of the cost of the feasibility study.

(ii)

Administration.— The Secretary shall include such provisions as the Secretary determines to be necessary in an agreement under subparagraph (A) to ensure that a non-Federal interest receiving Federal funds under this paragraph—

(I)

has the necessary qualifications to administer those funds; and

(II)

will comply with all applicable Federal laws (including regulations) relating to the use of those funds.

(D)

Notification.— The Secretary shall notify the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives on the initiation of each feasibility study under the pilot program.

(E)

Auditing.— The Secretary shall regularly monitor and audit each feasibility study carried out by a non-Federal interest under this section to ensure that the use of any funds transferred under subparagraph (C) are used in compliance with the agreement signed under subparagraph (A).

(F)

Technical assistance.— On the request of a non-Federal interest, the Secretary may provide technical assistance to the non-Federal interest relating to any aspect of the feasibility study, if the non-Federal interest contracts with the Secretary for the technical assistance and compensates the Secretary for the technical assistance.

(G)

Detailed project schedule.— Not later than 180 days after entering into an agreement under subparagraph (A), each non-Federal interest, to the maximum extent practicable, shall submit to the Secretary a detailed project schedule, based on full funding capability, that lists all deadlines for milestones relating to the feasibility study.

(4)

Cost share.— Nothing in this subsection affects the cost-sharing requirement applicable on the day before the date of enactment of this Act to a feasibility study carried out under this subsection.

(5)

Report.—

(A)

In general.— Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and make publicly available a report detailing the results of the pilot program carried out under this section, including—

(i)

a description of the progress of the non-Federal interests in meeting milestones in detailed project schedules developed pursuant to paragraph (3)(G); and

(ii)

any recommendations of the Secretary concerning whether the program or any component of the program should be implemented on a national basis.

(B)

Update.— Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives an update of the report described in subparagraph (A).

(C)

Failure to meet deadline.— If the Secretary fails to submit a report by the required deadline under this paragraph, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a detailed explanation of why the deadline was missed and a projected date for submission of the report.

(6)

Administration.— All laws and regulations that would apply to the Secretary if the Secretary were carrying out the feasibility study shall apply to a non-Federal interest carrying out a feasibility study under this subsection.

(7)

Termination of authority.— The authority to commence a feasibility study under this subsection terminates on the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act.

(8)

Authorization of appropriations.— In addition to any amounts appropriated for a specific project, there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the pilot program under this subsection, including the costs of administration of the Secretary, $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2015 through 2019.

(b)

Non-Federal Project Implementation Pilot Program.—

(1)

In general.— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish and implement a pilot program to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and project delivery efficiency of allowing non-Federal interests to carry out flood risk management, hurricane and storm damage reduction, coastal harbor and channel inland navigation, and aquatic ecosystem restoration projects.

(2)

Purposes.— The purposes of the pilot program are—

(A)

to identify project delivery and cost-saving alternatives that reduce the backlog of authorized Corps of Engineers projects;

(B)

to evaluate the technical, financial, and organizational efficiencies of a non-Federal interest carrying out the design, execution, management, and construction of 1 or more projects; and

(C)

to evaluate alternatives for the decentralization of the project management, design, and construction for authorized Corps of Engineers water resources projects.

(3)

Administration.—

(A)

In general.— In carrying out the pilot program, the Secretary shall—

(i)

identify a total of not more than 15 projects for flood risk management, hurricane and storm damage reduction (including levees, floodwalls, flood control channels, and water control structures), coastal harbor and channels, inland navigation, and aquatic ecosystem restoration that have been authorized for construction prior to the date of enactment of this Act, including—

(I)

not more than 12 projects that—

(aa)

(AA)

have received Federal funds prior to the date of enactment of this Act; or

(BB)

for more than 2 consecutive fiscal years, have an unobligated funding balance for that project in the Corps of Engineers construction account; and

(bb)

to the maximum extent practicable, are located in each of the divisions of the Corps of Engineers; and

(II)

not more than 3 projects that have not received Federal funds in the period beginning on the date on which the project was authorized and ending on the date of enactment of this Act;

(ii)

notify the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives on the identification of each project under the pilot program;

(iii)

in collaboration with the non-Federal interest, develop a detailed project management plan for each identified project that outlines the scope, budget, design, and construction resource requirements necessary for the non-Federal interest to execute the project, or a separable element of the project;

(iv)

on the request of the non-Federal interest, enter into a project partnership agreement with the non-Federal interest for the non-Federal interest to provide full project management control for construction of the project, or a separable element of the project, in accordance with plans approved by the Secretary;

(v)

following execution of the project partnership agreement, transfer to the non-Federal interest to carry out construction of the project, or a separable element of the project—

(I)

if applicable, the balance of the unobligated amounts appropriated for the project, except that the Secretary shall retain sufficient amounts for the Corps of Engineers to carry out any responsibilities of the Corps of Engineers relating to the project and pilot program; and

(II)

additional amounts, as determined by the Secretary, from amounts made available under paragraph (8), except that the total amount transferred to the non-Federal interest shall not exceed the updated estimate of the Federal share of the cost of construction, including any required design; and

(vi)

regularly monitor and audit each project being constructed by a non-Federal interest under this section to ensure that the construction activities are carried out in compliance with the plans approved by the Secretary and that the construction costs are reasonable.

(B)

Detailed project schedule.— Not later than 180 days after entering into an agreement under subparagraph (A)(iv), each non-Federal interest, to the maximum extent practicable, shall submit to the Secretary a detailed project schedule, based on estimated funding levels, that lists all deadlines for each milestone in the construction of the project.

(C)

Technical assistance.— On the request of a non-Federal interest, the Secretary may provide technical assistance to the non-Federal interest, if the non-Federal interest contracts with and compensates the Secretary for the technical assistance relating to—

(i)

any study, engineering activity, and design activity for construction carried out by the non-Federal interest under this subsection; and

(ii)

expeditiously obtaining any permits necessary for the project.

(4)

Cost share.— Nothing in this subsection affects the cost-sharing requirement applicable on the day before the date of enactment of this Act to a project carried out under this subsection.

(5)

Report.—

(A)

In general.— Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and make publicly available a report detailing the results of the pilot program carried out under this subsection, including—

(i)

a description of the progress of non-Federal interests in meeting milestones in detailed project schedules developed pursuant to paragraph (2)(B); and

(ii)

any recommendations of the Secretary concerning whether the program or any component of the program should be implemented on a national basis.

(B)

Update.— Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives an update of the report described in subparagraph (A).

(C)

Failure to meet deadline.— If the Secretary fails to submit a report by the required deadline under this paragraph, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a detailed explanation of why the deadline was missed and a projected date for submission of the report.

(6)

Administration.— All laws and regulations that would apply to the Secretary if the Secretary were carrying out the project shall apply to a non-Federal interest carrying out a project under this subsection.

(7)

Termination of authority.— The authority to commence a project under this subsection terminates on the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act.

(8)

Authorization of appropriations.— In addition to any amounts appropriated for a specific project, there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the pilot program under this subsection, including the costs of administration of the Secretary, $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2015 through 2019.

SEC. 1044. Independent Peer Review.

(a)

Mandatory Project Studies Subject to Peer Review.— Section 2034(a)(3)(A)(i) of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (33 U.S.C. 2343(a)(3)(A)(i)) is amended by striking “ $45,000,000” and inserting “ $200,000,000”.

(b)

Timing of Peer Review.— Section 2034(b) of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (33 U.S.C. 2343(b)) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and

(2)

by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:

“(3) Reasons for timing.—If the Chief of Engineers does not initiate a peer review for a project study at a time described in paragraph (2), the Chief shall—

“(A) not later than 7 days after the date on which the Chief of Engineers determines not to initiate a peer review—

“(i) notify the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives of that decision; and

“(ii) make publicly available, including on the Internet, the reasons for not conducting the review; and

“(B) include the reasons for not conducting the review in the decision document for the project study.”

(c)

Establishment of Panels.— Section 2034(c) of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (33 U.S.C. 2343(c)) is amended by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:

“(4) Congressional and public notification.—Following the identification of a project study for peer review under this section, but prior to initiation of the review by the panel of experts, the Chief of Engineers shall, not later than 7 days after the date on which the Chief of Engineers determines to conduct a review—

“(A) notify the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives of the review conducted under this section; and

“(B) make publicly available, including on the Internet, information on—

“(i) the dates scheduled for beginning and ending the review;

“(ii) the entity that has the contract for the review; and

“(iii) the names and qualifications of the panel of experts.”

(d)

Recommendations of Panel.— Section 2034(f) of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (33 U.S.C. 2343(f)) is amended by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:

“(2) Public availability and submission to congress.—After receiving a report on a project study from a panel of experts under this section, the Chief of Engineers shall make available to the public, including on the Internet, and submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives—

“(A) a copy of the report not later than 7 days after the date on which the report is delivered to the Chief of Engineers; and

“(B) a copy of any written response of the Chief of Engineers on recommendations contained in the report not later than 3 days after the date on which the response is delivered to the Chief of Engineers.

“(3) Inclusion in project study.—A report on a project study from a panel of experts under this section and the written response of the Chief of Engineers shall be included in the final decision document for the project study.”

(e)

Applicability.— Section 2034(h)(2) of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (33 U.S.C. 2343(h)(2)) is amended by striking “ 7 years” and inserting “ 12 years”.

SEC. 1045. Report on Surface Elevations at Drought Affected Lakes.

(a)

In General.— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in coordination with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (referred to in this section as “FERC”), shall initiate an assessment of the effects of drought conditions on lakes managed by the Secretary that are affected by FERC-licensed reservoirs, which shall include an assessment of—

(1)

lake levels and rule curves in areas of previous, current, and prolonged drought; and

(2)

the effect the long-term FERC licenses have on the ability of the Secretary to manage lakes for hydropower generation, navigation, flood protection, water supply, fish and wildlife, and recreation.

(b)

Report.— The Secretary, in coordination with the FERC, shall submit to Congress and make publicly available a report on the assessment carried out under subsection (a).

SEC. 1046. Reservoir Operations and Water Supply.

(a)

Dam Optimization.—

(1)

Definition of project.— In this subsection, the term “project” means a water resources development project that is operated and maintained by the Secretary.

(2)

Reports.—

(A)

Assessment of water supply in arid regions.—

(i)

In general.— The Secretary shall conduct an assessment of the management practices, priorities, and authorized purposes at Corps of Engineers reservoirs in arid regions to determine the effects of such practices, priorities, and purposes on water supply during periods of drought.

(ii)

Inclusions.— The assessment under clause (i) shall identify actions that can be carried out within the scope of existing authorities of the Secretary to increase project flexibility for the purpose of mitigating drought impacts.

(iii)

Report.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and make publicly available a report on the results of the assessment.

(B)

Updated report.—

(i)

In general.— Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall update and make publicly available the report entitled “Authorized and Operating Purposes of Corps of Engineers Reservoirs” and dated July 1992, which was produced pursuant to section 311 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1990 (104 Stat. 4639).

(ii)

Inclusions.— The updated report described in clause (i) shall—

(I)

include—

(aa)

the date on which the most recent review of project operations was conducted and any recommendations of the Secretary relating to that review the Secretary determines to be significant;

(bb)

the activities carried out pursuant to each such review to improve the efficiency of operations and maintenance and to improve project benefits consistent with authorized purposes;

(cc)

the degree to which reviews of project operations and subsequent activities pursuant to completed reviews complied with the policies and requirements of applicable law and regulations; and

(dd)

a plan for reviewing the operations of individual projects, including a detailed schedule for future reviews of project operations, that—

(AA)

complies with the polices and requirements of applicable law and regulations;

(BB)

gives priority to reviews and activities carried out pursuant to such plan where the Secretary determines that there is support for carrying out those reviews and activities; and

(CC)

ensures that reviews and activities are carried out pursuant to such plan;

(II)

be coordinated with appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies and those public and private entities that the Secretary determines may be affected by those reviews or activities;

(III)

not supersede or modify any written agreement between the Federal Government and a non-Federal interest that is in effect on the date of enactment of this Act;

(IV)

not supersede or authorize any amendment to a multistate water control plan, including the Missouri River Master Water Control Manual (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act);

(V)

not affect any water right in existence on the date of enactment of this Act;

(VI)

not preempt or affect any State water law or interstate compact governing water;

(VII)

not affect any authority of a State, as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act, to manage water resources within that State; and

(VIII)

comply with section 301 of the Water Supply Act of 1958 (43 U.S.C. 390b).

(3)

General accountability office report to congress.— The Comptroller General shall—

(A)

conduct an audit to determine—

(i)

whether reviews of project operations carried out by the Secretary prior to the date of enactment of this Act complied with the policies and requirements of applicable law and regulations; and

(ii)

whether the plan developed by the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (2)(B)(ii)(I)(dd) complies with this subsection and with the policies and requirements of applicable law and regulation; and

(B)

not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, submit to Congress a report that—

(i)

summarizes the results of the audit required by subparagraph (A);

(ii)

includes an assessment of whether existing practices for managing and reviewing project operations could result in greater efficiencies that would enable the Corps of Engineers to better prepare for, contain, and respond to flood, storm, and drought conditions; and

(iii)

includes recommendations for improving the review of project operations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of such operations and to better achieve authorized purposes while enhancing overall project benefits.

(4)

Interagency and cooperative agreements.— The Secretary may enter into interagency agreements with other Federal agencies and cooperative agreements with non-Federal entities to carry out this subsection and reviews of project operations or activities resulting from those reviews.

(5)

Funding.—

(A)

In general.— The Secretary may use to carry out this subsection, including any reviews of project operations identified in the plan developed under paragraph (2)(B)(ii)(I)(dd), amounts made available to the Secretary.

(B)

Funding from other sources.— The Secretary may accept and expend amounts from non-Federal entities and other Federal agencies to carry out this subsection and reviews of project operations or activities resulting from those reviews.

(6)

Effect of subsection.—

(A)

In general.— Nothing in this subsection changes the authorized purpose of any Corps of Engineers dam or reservoir.

(B)

Administration.— The Secretary may carry out any recommendations and activities under this subsection pursuant to existing law.

(b)

Improving Planning and Administration of Water Supply Storage.—

(1)

In general.— For each water supply feature of a reservoir managed by the Secretary, the Secretary shall notify the applicable non-Federal interests before each fiscal year of the anticipated operation and maintenance activities for that fiscal year and each of the subsequent 4 fiscal years (including the cost of those activities) for which the non-Federal interests are required to contribute amounts.

(2)

Clarification.— The information provided to a non-Federal interest under paragraph (1) shall—

(A)

be an estimate which the non-Federal interest may use for planning purposes; and

(B)

not be construed as or relied upon by the non-Federal interest as the actual amounts that the non-Federal interest will be required to contribute.

(c)

Surplus Water Storage.—

(1)

In general.— The Secretary shall not charge a fee for surplus water under a contract entered into pursuant to section 6 of the Act of December 22, 1944 (commonly known as the “Flood Control Act of 1944”) (33 U.S.C. 708) if the contract is for surplus water stored in the Upper Missouri Mainstem Reservoirs.

(2)

Offset.—

(A)

In general.— Subject to subparagraph (B), of any amounts made available to the Secretary to carry out activities under the heading “operation and maintenance” under the heading “Corps of Engineers–Civil” that remain unobligated as of the date of enactment of this Act, $5,000,000 is rescinded.

(B)

Restriction.— No amounts that have been designated by Congress as being for emergency requirements pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2)(A)(i)) shall be rescinded under subparagraph (A).

(3)

Limitation.— The limitation provided under paragraph (1) shall expire on the date that is 10 years after the date of enactment of this Act.

(4)

Applicability.— Nothing in this subsection—

(A)

affects the authority of the Secretary under section 2695 of title 10, United States Code, to accept funds or to cover the administrative expenses relating to certain real property transactions; or

(B)

affects the application of section 6 of the Act of December 22, 1944 (commonly known as the “Flood Control Act of 1944”) (33 U.S.C. 708) to surplus water stored outside of the Upper Missouri Mainstem Reservoirs.

(d)

Future Water Supply.— Section 301 of the Water Supply Act of 1958 (43 U.S.C. 390b) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections (d) and (e), respectively; and

(2)

by inserting after subsection (b) the following:

“(c) Release of Future Water Storage.—

“(1) Establishment of 10-year plans for the utilization of future storage.—

“(A) In general.—For the period beginning 180 days after the date of enactment of this paragraph and ending on January 1, 2016, the Secretary may accept from a State or local interest a plan for the utilization of allocated water storage for future use under this Act.

“(B) Contents.—A plan submitted under subparagraph (A) shall include—

“(i) a 10-year timetable for the conversion of future use storage to present use; and

“(ii) a schedule of actions that the State or local interest agrees to carry out over a 10-year period, in cooperation with the Secretary, to seek new and alternative users of future water storage that is contracted to the State or local interest on the date of enactment of this paragraph.

“(2) Future water storage.—For water resource development projects managed by the Secretary, a State or local interest that the Secretary determines has complied with paragraph (1) may request from the Secretary a release to the United States of any right of the State or local interest to future water storage under this Act that was allocated for future use water supply prior to November 17, 1986.

“(3) Administration.—

“(A) In general.—Not later than 180 days after receiving a request under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall provide to the applicable State or local interest a written decision on whether the Secretary recommends releasing future water storage rights.

“(B) Recommendation.—If the Secretary recommends releasing future water storage rights, the Secretary shall include that recommendation in the annual plan submitted under section 7001 of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014.

“(4) Savings clause.—Nothing in this subsection authorizes the Secretary to release a State or local interest from a contractual obligation unless specifically authorized by Congress.”

SEC. 1047. Special Use Permits.

(a)

Special Use Permits.—

(1)

In general.— The Secretary may issue special permits for uses such as group activities, recreation events, motorized recreation vehicles, and such other specialized recreation uses as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be in the best interest of the Federal Government.

(2)

Fees.—

(A)

In general.— In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary may—

(i)

establish and collect fees associated with the issuance of the permits described in paragraph (1); or

(ii)

accept in-kind services in lieu of those fees.

(B)

Outdoor recreation equipment.— The Secretary may establish and collect fees for the provision of outdoor recreation equipment and services for activities described in paragraph (1) at public recreation areas located at lakes and reservoirs operated by the Corps of Engineers.

(C)

Use of fees.— Any fees generated pursuant to this subsection shall be—

(i)

retained at the site collected; and

(ii)

available for use, without further appropriation, solely for administering the special permits under this subsection and carrying out related operation and maintenance activities at the site at which the fees are collected.

(b)

Cooperative Management.—

(1)

Program.—

(A)

In general.— Subject to subparagraph (B), the Secretary may enter into an agreement with a State or local government to provide for the cooperative management of a public recreation area if—

(i)

the public recreation area is located—

(I)

at a lake or reservoir operated by the Corps of Engineers; and

(II)

adjacent to or near a State or local park or recreation area; and

(ii)

the Secretary determines that cooperative management between the Corps of Engineers and a State or local government agency of a portion of the Corps of Engineers recreation area or State or local park or recreation area will allow for more effective and efficient management of those areas.

(B)

Restriction.— The Secretary may not transfer administration responsibilities for any public recreation area operated by the Corps of Engineers.

(2)

Acquisition of goods and services.— The Secretary may acquire from or provide to a State or local government with which the Secretary has entered into a cooperative agreement under paragraph (1) goods and services to be used by the Secretary and the State or local government in the cooperative management of the areas covered by the agreement.

(3)

Administration.— The Secretary may enter into 1 or more cooperative management agreements or such other arrangements as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, including leases or licenses, with non-Federal interests to share the costs of operation, maintenance, and management of recreation facilities and natural resources at recreation areas that are jointly managed and funded under this subsection.

(c)

Use of Funds.—

(1)

In general.— If the Secretary determines that it is in the public interest for purposes of enhancing recreation opportunities at Corps of Engineers water resources development projects, the Secretary may use funds made available to the Secretary to support activities carried out by State, local, and tribal governments and such other public or private nonprofit entities as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.

(2)

Cooperative agreements.— Any use of funds pursuant to this subsection shall be carried out through the execution of a cooperative agreement, which shall contain such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be necessary in the public interest.

(d)

Services of Volunteers.— Chapter IV of title I of Public Law 98–63 (33 U.S.C. 569c) is amended in the first sentence by inserting “ , including expenses relating to uniforms, transportation, lodging, and the subsistence of those volunteers,” after “ incidental expenses”.

(e)

Training and Educational Activities.— Section 213(a) of the Water Resources Development Act of 2000 (33 U.S.C. 2339) is amended by striking “ at” and inserting “ about”.

SEC. 1048. America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Program.

The Secretary may participate in the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass program in the same manner as the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Forest Service, and the Bureau of Reclamation, including the provision of free annual passes to active duty military personnel and dependents.

SEC. 1049. Applicability of Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Rule.

(a)

Definitions.— In this section:

(1)

Administrator.— The term “Administrator” means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

(2)

Farm.— The term “farm” has the meaning given the term in section 112.2 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations).

(3)

Gallon.— The term “gallon” means a United States gallon.

(4)

Oil.— The term “oil” has the meaning given the term in section 112.2 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations).

(5)

Oil discharge.— The term “oil discharge” has the meaning given the term “discharge” in section 112.2 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations).

(6)

Reportable oil discharge history.—

(A)

In general.— Subject to subparagraph (B), the term “reportable oil discharge history” means a single oil discharge, as described in section 112.1(b) of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (including successor regulations), that exceeds 1,000 gallons or 2 oil discharges, as described in section 112.1(b) of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (including successor regulations), that each exceed 42 gallons within any 12-month period—

(i)

in the 3 years prior to the certification date of the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure plan (as described in section 112.3 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (including successor regulations); or

(ii)

since becoming subject to part 112 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, if the facility has been in operation for less than 3 years.

(B)

Exclusions.— The term “reportable oil discharge history” does not include an oil discharge, as described in section 112.1(b) of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (including successor regulations), that is the result of a natural disaster, an act of war, or terrorism.

(7)

Spill prevention, control, and countermeasure rule.— The term “Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure rule” means the regulation, including amendments, promulgated by the Administrator under part 112 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations).

(b)

Certification.— In implementing the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure rule with respect to any farm, the Administrator shall—

(1)

require certification by a professional engineer for a farm with—

(A)

an individual tank with an aboveground storage capacity greater than 10,000 gallons;

(B)

an aggregate aboveground storage capacity greater than or equal to 20,000 gallons; or

(C)

a reportable oil discharge history; or

(2)

allow certification by the owner or operator of the farm (via self-certification) for a farm with—

(A)

an aggregate aboveground storage capacity less than 20,000 gallons and greater than the lesser of—

(i)

6,000 gallons; and

(ii)

the adjustment quantity established under subsection (d)(2); and

(B)

no reportable oil discharge history; and

(3)

not require compliance with the rule by any farm—

(A)

with an aggregate aboveground storage capacity greater than 2,500 gallons and less than the lesser of—

(i)

6,000 gallons; and

(ii)

the adjustment quantity established under subsection (d)(2); and

(B)

no reportable oil discharge history; and

(4)

not require compliance with the rule by any farm with an aggregate aboveground storage capacity of less than 2,500 gallons.

(c)

Calculation of Aggregate Aboveground Storage Capacity.— For purposes of subsection (b), the aggregate aboveground storage capacity of a farm excludes—

(1)

all containers on separate parcels that have a capacity that is 1,000 gallons or less; and

(2)

all containers holding animal feed ingredients approved for use in livestock feed by the Commissioner of Food and Drugs.

(d)

Study.—

(1)

In general.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall conduct a study to determine the appropriate exemption under paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (b), which shall be not more than 6,000 gallons and not less than 2,500 gallons, based on a significant risk of discharge to water.

(2)

Adjustment.— Not later than 18 months after the date on which the study described in paragraph (1) is complete, the Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall promulgate a rule to adjust the exemption levels described in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (b) in accordance with the study.

SEC. 1050. Namings.

(a)

Donald G. Waldon Lock and Dam.— It is the sense of Congress that, at an appropriate time and in accordance with the rules of the Senate and the House of Representatives, to recognize the contributions of Donald G. Waldon, whose selfless determination and tireless work, while serving as administrator of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway for 21 years, contributed greatly to the realization and success of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Compact, that the lock and dam located at mile 357.5 on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway should be known and designated as the “Donald G. Waldon Lock and Dam”.

(b)

Redesignation of Lower Mississippi River Museum and Riverfront Interpretive Site.—

(1)

In general.— Section 103(c)(1) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1992 (106 Stat. 4811) is amended by striking “ Lower Mississippi River Museum and Riverfront Interpretive Site” and inserting “ Jesse Brent Lower Mississippi River Museum and Riverfront Interpretive Site”.

(2)

References.— Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the museum and interpretive site referred to in paragraph (1) shall be deemed to be a reference to the “Jesse Brent Lower Mississippi River Museum and Riverfront Interpretive Site”.

(c)

Jerry F. Costello Lock and Dam.—

(1)

Redesignation.— The lock and dam located in Modoc, Illinois, authorized by the Act of July 3, 1930 (46 Stat. 927), and commonly known as the Kaskaskia Lock and Dam, is redesignated as the “Jerry F. Costello Lock and Dam”.

(2)

References.— Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the lock and dam referred to in section 1 shall be deemed to be a reference to the “Jerry F. Costello Lock and Dam”.

SEC. 1051. Interstate Water Agreements and Compacts.

(a)

Water Supply.— Section 301 of the Water Supply Act of 1958 (43 U.S.C. 390b) (as amended by section 1046(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(f) The Committees of jurisdiction are very concerned about the operation of projects in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River System and the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River System, and further, the Committees of jurisdiction recognize that this ongoing water resources dispute raises serious concerns related to the authority of the Secretary of the Army to allocate substantial storage at projects to provide local water supply pursuant to the Water Supply Act of 1958 absent congressional approval. Interstate water disputes of this nature are more properly addressed through interstate water agreements that take into consideration the concerns of all affected States including impacts to other authorized uses of the projects, water supply for communities and major cities in the region, water quality, freshwater flows to communities, rivers, lakes, estuaries, and bays located downstream of projects, agricultural uses, economic development, and other appropriate concerns. To that end, the Committees of jurisdiction strongly urge the Governors of the affected States to reach agreement on an interstate water compact as soon as possible, and we pledge our commitment to work with the affected States to ensure prompt consideration and approval of any such agreement. Absent such action, the Committees of jurisdiction should consider appropriate legislation to address these matters including any necessary clarifications to the Water Supply Act of 1958 or other law. This subsection does not alter existing rights or obligations under law.”

(b)

Sense of Congress Regarding Interstate Water Agreements and Compacts.—

(1)

Findings.— Congress finds the following:

(A)

States and local interests have primary responsibility for developing water supplies for domestic, municipal, industrial, and other purposes.

(B)

The Federal Government cooperates with States and local interests in developing water supplies through the construction, maintenance, and operation of Federal water resources development projects.

(C)

Interstate water disputes are most properly addressed through interstate water agreements or compacts that take into consideration the concerns of all affected States.

(2)

Sense of congress.— It is the sense of Congress that—

(A)

Congress and the Secretary should urge States to reach agreement on interstate water agreements and compacts;

(B)

at the request of the Governor of a State, the Secretary should facilitate and assist in the development of an interstate water agreement or compact;

(C)

Congress should provide prompt consideration of interstate water agreements and compacts; and

(D)

the Secretary should adopt policies and implement procedures for the operation of reservoirs of the Corps of Engineers that are consistent with interstate water agreements and compacts.

SEC. 1052. Sense of Congress Regarding Water Resources Development Bills.

It is the sense of Congress that, because the missions of the Corps of Engineers are unique and benefit all individuals in the United States and because water resources development projects are critical to maintaining economic prosperity, national security, and environmental protection, Congress should consider a water resources development bill not less than once every Congress.

Title I — Program Reforms and Streamlining

TITLE I Program Reforms and Streamlining