II 

Calendar No. 513 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 1800 

[Report No. 113–226] 

To require the Secretary of the Interior to submit to Congress a report 

on the efforts of the Bureau of Reclamation to manage its infrastructure 

assets. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 11, 2013 

Mr. BARRASSO (for himself and Mr. SCHATZ) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

JULY 31, 2014 

Reported by Ms. LANDRIEU, with an amendment 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of the Interior to submit to Congress a report on the efforts of the Bureau of Reclamation to manage its infrastructure assets. 

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


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Bureau of Reclamation 

3 Transparency Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 Congress finds that— 

6 (1) the water resources infrastructure of the 

7 Bureau of Reclamation provides important benefits 

8 related to irrigated agriculture, hydropower, and 

9 recreation in the 17 Reclamation States; 

10 (2) as of 2013, the combined replacement value 

11 of the infrastructure assets of the Bureau of Rec12 lamation was $94,500,000,000; 

13 (3) the majority of the water resources infra14 structure facilities of the Bureau of Reclamation are 

15 at least 60 years old; 

16 (4) the Bureau of Reclamation has previously 

17 undertaken efforts to better manage the assets of 

18 the Bureau of Reclamation, including an annual re19 view of asset maintenance activities of the Bureau of 

20 Reclamation known as the ‘‘Asset Management 

21 Plan’’; and 

22 (5) actionable information on infrastructure 

23 conditions at the project level, including information 

24 on maintenance needs and potential public safety 

25 threats at individual projects due to aging infra26 structure, is needed for Congress to conduct overVerDate Mar 15 2010 18:59 Aug 01, 2014 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6401 E:\BILLS\S1800.RS S1800

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1 sight of Reclamation facilities and meet the needs of 

2 the public. 

3 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

4 In this Act: 

5 (1) ASSET MANAGEMENT REPORT.—The term 

6 ‘‘Asset Management Report’’ means— 

7 (A) the annual plan prepared by the Bu8 reau of Reclamation known as the ‘‘Asset Man9 agement Plan’’; and 

10 (B) any publicly available information re11 lating to the plan described in subparagraph 

12 (A) that summarizes the efforts of the Bureau 

13 of Reclamation to evaluate and manage infra14 structure assets of the Bureau of Reclamation. 

15 (2) MAJOR REPAIR AND REHABILITATION

16 NEED.—The term ‘‘major repair and rehabilitation 

17 need’’ means a significant maintenance need at a 

18 Reclamation facility, including maintenance related 

19 to the safety of dams, extraordinary operations at 

20 and maintenance of dams, deferred maintenance, 

21 and all other significant repairs and extraordinary 

22 maintenance. 

23 (3) RECLAMATION FACILITY.—The term ‘‘Rec24 lamation facility’’ means each of the infrastructure 


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1 assets that are owned by the Bureau of Reclamation 

2 at a Reclamation project. 

3 (4) RECLAMATION PROJECT.—The term ‘‘Rec4 lamation project’’ means a project that is owned by 

5 the Bureau of Reclamation, including all reserved 

6 works and transferred works owned by the Bureau 

7 of Reclamation. 

8 (5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

9 the Secretary of the Interior. 

10 SEC. 4. ASSET MANAGEMENT REPORT ENHANCEMENTS. 

11 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the 

12 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 

13 to Congress a report that— 

14 (1) describes the efforts of the Bureau of Rec15 lamation— 

16 (A) to manage all Reclamation facilities; 

17 and 

18 (B) to standardize and streamline data re19 porting and processes across regions and areas 

20 for the purpose of managing Reclamation facili21 ties; and 

22 (2) expands on the information otherwise pro23 vided in Asset Management Reports, in accordance 

24 with subsection (b). 


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1 (b) INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE NEEDS AS2 SESSMENT.— 

3 (1) IN GENERAL.—The report submitted under 

4 subsection (a) shall include— 

5 (A) a detailed assessment of major repair 

6 and rehabilitation needs at all Reclamation 

7 projects; and 

8 (B) to the extent practicable, an itemized 

9 list of major repair and rehabilitation needs of 

10 individual Reclamation facilities at each Rec11 lamation project. 

12 (2) INCLUSIONS.—To the extent practicable, 

13 the itemized list of major repair and rehabilitation 

14 needs under paragraph (1)(B) shall include— 

15 (A) a cost estimate of the expenditures 

16 needed to complete each item; and 

17 (B) an assignment of a categorical rating 

18 of 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 for each item, consistent with 

19 paragraph (3). 

20 (3) RATING REQUIREMENTS.— 

21 (A) IN GENERAL.—The system for assign22 ing ratings under paragraph (2)(B) shall be— 

23 (i) consistent with existing uniform 

24 categorization systems for the safety of 

25 dams projects; and 


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1 (ii) subject to any regulations issued 

2 under subparagraph (B). 

3 (B) REGULATIONS.—As soon as prac4 ticable after the date of enactment of this Act, 

5 the Secretary shall issue regulations that de6 scribe the applicability of the rating system ap7 plicable under paragraph (2)(B) to Reclamation 

8 facilities. 

9 (4) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—Except as provided 

10 in paragraph (5), the Secretary shall make publically 

11 available, including on the Internet, the report re12 quired under subsection (a). 

13 (5) CONFIDENTIALITY.—Subject to the discre14 tion of the Secretary, the Secretary may exclude 

15 from the public version of the report made available 

16 under paragraph (4) any information that the Sec17 retary identifies as sensitive or classified, but shall 

18 make available to the Committee on Energy and 

19 Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee 

20 on Natural Resources of the House of Representa21 tives a version of the report containing the sensitive 

22 or classified information. 

23 (c) UPDATES.—Not later than 2 years after the date 

24 on which the report is submitted under subsection (a) and 


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1 biennially thereafter, the Secretary shall update the re2 port, subject to the requirements of subsection (b). 

3 (d) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall consult 

4 with the Secretary of the Army (acting through the Chief 

5 of Engineers) to the extent that the consultation would 

6 assist the Secretary in preparing the report under sub7 section (a) and updates to the report under subsection (c). 

8 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

9 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Bureau of Reclamation 

10 Transparency Act’’. 

11 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

12 Congress finds that— 

13 (1) the water resources infrastructure of the Bu14 reau of Reclamation provides important benefits re15 lated to irrigated agriculture, municipal and indus16 trial water, hydropower, flood control, fish and wild17 life, and recreation in the 17 Reclamation States; 

18 (2) as of 2013, the combined replacement value 

19 of the infrastructure assets of the Bureau of Reclama20 tion was $94,500,000,000; 

21 (3) the majority of the water resources infra22 structure facilities of the Bureau of Reclamation are 

23 at least 60 years old; 

24 (4) the Bureau of Reclamation has previously 

25 undertaken efforts to better manage the assets of the 


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1 Bureau of Reclamation, including an annual review 

2 of asset maintenance activities of the Bureau of Rec3 lamation known as the ‘‘Asset Management Plan’’; 

4 and 

5 (5) actionable information on infrastructure con6 ditions at the asset level, including information on 

7 maintenance needs at individual assets due to aging 

8 infrastructure, is needed for Congress to conduct over9 sight of Reclamation facilities and meet the needs of 

10 the public. 

11 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

12 In this Act: 

13 (1) ASSET.— 

14 (A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘asset’’ means 

15 any of the following assets that are used to 

16 achieve the mission of the Bureau of Reclama17 tion to manage, develop, and protect water and 

18 related resources in an environmentally and eco19 nomically sound manner in the interest of the 

20 people of the United States: 

21 (i) Capitalized facilities, buildings, 

22 structures, project features, power produc23 tion equipment, recreation facilities, or 

24 quarters. 


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1 (ii) Capitalized and noncapitalized 

2 heavy equipment and other installed equip3 ment. 

4 (B) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘asset’’ in5 cludes assets described in subparagraph (A) that 

6 are considered to be mission critical. 

7 (2) ASSET MANAGEMENT REPORT.—The term 

8 ‘‘Asset Management Report’’ means— 

9 (A) the annual plan prepared by the Bu10 reau of Reclamation known as the ‘‘Asset Man11 agement Plan’’; and 

12 (B) any publicly available information re13 lating to the plan described in subparagraph (A) 

14 that summarizes the efforts of the Bureau of Rec15 lamation to evaluate and manage infrastructure 

16 assets of the Bureau of Reclamation. 

17 (3) MAJOR REPAIR AND REHABILITATION

18 NEED.—The term ‘‘major repair and rehabilitation 

19 need’’ means major nonrecurring maintenance at a 

20 Reclamation facility, including maintenance related 

21 to the safety of dams, extraordinary maintenance of 

22 dams, deferred major maintenance activities, and all 

23 other significant repairs and extraordinary mainte24 nance. 


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1 (4) RECLAMATION FACILITY.—The term ‘‘Rec2 lamation facility’’ means each of the infrastructure 

3 assets that are owned by the Bureau of Reclamation 

4 at a Reclamation project. 

5 (5) RECLAMATION PROJECT.—The term ‘‘Rec6 lamation project’’ means a project that is owned by 

7 the Bureau of Reclamation, including all reserved 

8 works and transferred works owned by the Bureau of 

9 Reclamation. 

10 (6) RESERVED WORKS.—The term ‘‘reserved 

11 works’’ means buildings, structures, facilities, or 

12 equipment that are owned by the Bureau of Reclama13 tion for which operations and maintenance are per14 formed by employees of the Bureau of Reclamation or 

15 through a contract entered into by the Bureau of Rec16 lamation, regardless of the source of funding for the 

17 operations and maintenance. 

18 (7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

19 the Secretary of the Interior. 

20 (8) TRANSFERRED WORKS.—The term ‘‘trans21 ferred works’’ means a Reclamation facility at which 

22 operations and maintenance of the facility is carried 

23 out by a non-Federal entity under the provisions of 

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1 tract or other legal agreement with the Bureau of Rec2 lamation. 

3 SEC. 4. ASSET MANAGEMENT REPORT ENHANCEMENTS FOR 

4 RESERVED WORKS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the 

6 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 

7 to Congress an Asset Management Report that— 

8 (1) describes the efforts of the Bureau of Rec9 lamation— 

10 (A) to maintain in a reliable manner all 

11 reserved works at Reclamation facilities; and 

12 (B) to standardize and streamline data re13 porting and processes across regions and areas 

14 for the purpose of maintaining reserved works at 

15 Reclamation facilities; and 

16 (2) expands on the information otherwise pro17 vided in an Asset Management Report, in accordance 

18 with subsection (b). 

19 (b) INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE NEEDS ASSESS20 MENT.— 

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Asset Management Re22 port submitted under subsection (a) shall include— 

23 (A) a detailed assessment of major repair 

24 and rehabilitation needs for all reserved works at 

25 all Reclamation projects; and 


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1 (B) to the extent practicable, an itemized 

2 list of major repair and rehabilitation needs of 

3 individual Reclamation facilities at each Rec4 lamation project. 

5 (2) INCLUSIONS.—To the extent practicable, the 

6 itemized list of major repair and rehabilitation needs 

7 under paragraph (1)(B) shall include— 

8 (A) a budget level cost estimate of the ap9 propriations needed to complete each item; and 

10 (B) an assignment of a categorical rating 

11 for each item, consistent with paragraph (3). 

12 (3) RATING REQUIREMENTS.— 

13 (A) IN GENERAL.—The system for assigning 

14 ratings under paragraph (2)(B) shall be— 

15 (i) consistent with existing uniform 

16 categorization systems to inform the annual 

17 budget process and agency requirements; 

18 and 

19 (ii) subject to the guidance and in20 structions issued under subparagraph (B). 

21 (B) GUIDANCE.—As soon as practicable 

22 after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec23 retary shall issue guidance that describes the ap24 plicability of the rating system applicable under 

25 paragraph (2)(B) to Reclamation facilities. 


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1 (4) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—Except as provided 

2 in paragraph (5), the Secretary shall make publically 

3 available, including on the Internet, the Asset Man4 agement Report required under subsection (a). 

5 (5) CONFIDENTIALITY.—Subject to the discretion 

6 of the Secretary, the Secretary may exclude from the 

7 public version of the Asset Management Report made 

8 available under paragraph (4) any information that 

9 the Secretary identifies as sensitive or classified, but 

10 shall make available to the Committee on Energy and 

11 Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee 

12 on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives 

13 a version of the report containing the sensitive or 

14 classified information. 

15 (c) UPDATES.—Not later than 2 years after the date 

16 on which the Asset Management Report is submitted under 

17 subsection (a) and biennially thereafter, the Secretary shall 

18 update the Asset Management Report, subject to the require19 ments of section 5(b)(2). 

20 (d) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall consult with 

21 the Secretary of the Army (acting through the Chief of En22 gineers) to the extent that the consultation would assist the 

23 Secretary in preparing the Asset Management Report under 

24 subsection (a) and updates to the Asset Management Report 

25 under subsection (c). 


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1 SEC. 5. ASSET MANAGEMENT REPORT ENHANCEMENTS FOR 

2 TRANSFERRED WORKS. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall coordinate with 

4 the non-Federal entities responsible for the operation and 

5 maintenance of transferred works in developing reporting 

6 requirements for Asset Management Reports with respect to 

7 the condition of, and planned maintenance for, transferred 

8 works that are similar to the reporting requirements de9 scribed in section 4(b) 

10 (b) GUIDANCE.— 

11 (1) IN GENERAL.—After considering input from 

12 water and power contractors of the Bureau of Rec13 lamation, the Secretary shall develop and implement 

14 a rating system for transferred works that incor15 porates, to the maximum extent practicable, the rat16 ing system for reserved works developed under section 

17 4(b)(3). 

18 (2) UPDATES.—The ratings system developed 

19 under paragraph (1) shall be included in the updated 

20 Asset Management Reports under section 4(c). 


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Calendar No. 513 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 1800 

[Report No. 113–226] 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of the Interior to submit 

sets. of Reclamation to manage its infrastructure asto Congress a report on the efforts of the Bureau 

JULY 31, 2014 

Reported with an amendment 


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