I 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5264 

To direct the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Administrator 

of the Environmental Protection Agency, provide grants to States to 

facilitate the acquisition of land, water, and interests therein, made 

to substantially improve, preserve, or maintain water quality for an 

area in perpetuity, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 13, 2018 

Mr. MCEACHIN (for himself, Mr. HUFFMAN, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. 

MCNERNEY, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Ms. JAYAPAL, Ms. 

BARRAGA ́N, Ms. NORTON, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, and Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with 

the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, provide grants to States to facilitate the acquisition 

of land, water, and interests therein, made to substantially improve, preserve, or maintain water quality for 

an area in perpetuity, 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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Clean Water Partner3 ship Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. CLEAN WATER LAND ACQUISITION GRANTS. 

5 (a) AUTHORITY.—To the extent that funds are made 

6 available in advance for this Act, the Secretary shall make 

7 grants, in accordance with the requirements and criteria 

8 described in subsection (b), to States to assist the States 

9 in acquiring land, water, or interests therein (including 

10 conservation easements) if the Secretary determines such 

11 acquisition will substantially improve, preserve, or main12 tain water quality for an area in perpetuity. 

13 (b) REQUIREMENTS AND CRITERIA.—Not later than 

14 one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, after 

15 providing notice and not less than 90 days for public com16 ment, the Secretary shall issue a final rule providing re17 quirements and criteria for making grants under this Act. 

18 Such requirements and criteria shall include, at a min19 imum, the following: 

20 (1) Criteria that the Secretary shall use to de21 termine whether an acquisition proposed to be facili22 tated with a grant under this Act will substantially 

23 improve, preserve, or maintain water quality for an 

24 area in perpetuity. 

25 (2) A requirement that documentation of an ac26 quisition facilitated with a grant under this Act conVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:17 Mar 20, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5264.IH H5264

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1 tain deed restrictions, reversionary clauses, or other 

2 means satisfactory to the Secretary to ensure that 

3 the acquisition shall be used in perpetuity to sub4 stantially improve, preserve, or maintain water qual5 ity for an area. 

6 (3) A requirement that a State that receives a 

7 grant under this Act— 

8 (A) provide matching funds for the acquisi9 tion proposed to be facilitated with a grant 

10 under this Act in the form of cash or an in-kind 

11 contribution in an amount equal to but not less 

12 than 100 percent of the amount of the grant; 

13 and 

14 (B) demonstrate to the Secretary, in ad15 vance of receiving the grant, the ability of the 

16 State to provide the match required under sub17 paragraph (A). 

18 (4) Clarification that the cost to a State of in19 centives given by the State in exchange for an acqui20 sition facilitated with a grant under this Act may 

21 be— 

22 (A) offset with amounts from the grant; 

23 (B) considered as an in-kind contribution 

24 of the State under paragraph (3); or 

25 (C) a combination of (A) and (B). 


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1 (5) A requirement that a State requesting a 

2 grant under this Act submit to the Secretary a grant 

3 application at such time, in such form, and con4 taining such information as the Secretary requires. 

5 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

6 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 

7 out this Act, $750,000,000 for each fiscal year. 

8 (d) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this Act: 

9 (1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis10 trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ11 mental Protection Agency. 

12 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

13 the Secretary of the Interior, acting in consultation 

14 with the Administrator. 

15 (3) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means any gov16 ernmental entity of the several States, the District 

17 of Columbia, or a territory or possession of the 

18 United States. 

Æ 


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