II 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 3147 

To modify Department of Agriculture programs to improve flood protection 

and infrastructure resiliency, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 26, 2023 

Mr. RICKETTS (for himself and Mrs. GILLIBRAND) introduced the following 

bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, 

Nutrition, and Forestry 

A BILL 

To modify Department of Agriculture programs to improve 

flood protection and infrastructure resiliency, and for 

other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Flood Protection and 

5 Infrastructure Resilience Act of 2023’’. 

6 SEC. 2. EMERGENCY WATERSHED PROGRAM. 

7 Section 403 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 

8 (16 U.S.C. 2203) is amended by adding at the end the 

9 following: 


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1 ‘‘(c) LEVEL OF RESTORATION.—In carrying out this 

2 section, the Secretary may undertake measures that in3 crease the level of protection above that which would be 

4 necessary to address the immediate impairment of the wa5 tershed if the Secretary determines that such restoration 

6 is in the best interest of— 

7 ‘‘(1) the long-term health of the watershed; and 

8 ‘‘(2) the protection of the watershed from repet9 itive impairments.’’. 

10 SEC. 3. REHABILITATION OF STRUCTURAL MEASURES 

11 NEAR, AT, OR PAST THEIR EVALUATED LIFE 

12 EXPECTANCY. 

13 Section 14(b) of the Watershed Protection and Flood 

14 Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1012(b)) is amended by strik15 ing paragraph (2) and inserting the following: 

16 ‘‘(2) AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE; LIMITATIONS.— 

17 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The amount of Fed18 eral funds that may be made available under 

19 this subsection to a local organization for con20 struction of a particular rehabilitation project 

21 shall be equal to 65 percent of the total reha22 bilitation costs, but not to exceed 100 percent 

23 of actual construction costs incurred in the re24 habilitation. 


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1 ‘‘(B) LIMITED RESOURCE AREAS.—Not2 withstanding subparagraph (A), the Secretary 

3 may contribute up to 90 percent of the total re4 habilitation costs to a local organization for 

5 construction of a particular rehabilitation 

6 project that serves a limited resource area, as 

7 determined by the Secretary, but not to exceed 

8 100 percent of actual construction costs in9 curred in the rehabilitation. 

10 ‘‘(C) COSTS OF RESOURCE RIGHTS AND

11 PERMITS.—The local organization shall be re12 sponsible for the costs of water, mineral, and 

13 other resource rights and all Federal, State, 

14 and local permits.’’. 

15 SEC. 4. REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PRO16 GRAM PURPOSES. 

17 Section 1271(b) of the Food Security Act of 1985 

18 (16 U.S.C. 3871(b)) is amended by striking paragraph (2) 

19 and inserting the following: 

20 ‘‘(2) To address natural resource concerns on 

21 eligible land on a regional or watershed scale, includ22 ing— 

23 ‘‘(A) the conservation, protection, restora24 tion, and sustainable use of soil; 


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1 ‘‘(B) the conservation and protection of 

2 water, including sources of drinking water and 

3 groundwater; 

4 ‘‘(C) the prevention and mitigation of the 

5 effects of flooding and drought, and the im6 provement or expansion of flood resiliency; and 

7 ‘‘(D) the conservation of wildlife, agricul8 tural land, and related natural resources.’’. 

Æ 


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