I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1621 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to coordinate Federal and State 
permitting processes related to the construction of new surface water 
storage projects on lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of 
the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture and to designate the Bureau 
of Reclamation as the lead agency for permit processing, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 7, 2019 
Mr. MCCLINTOCK (for himself, Mr. GOSAR, Mr. TIPTON, Mr. LAMALFA, Mr. 
SCHWEIKERT, Mr. HUNTER, Mr. BIGGS, Mrs. LESKO, Ms. CHENEY, and 
Mr. COOK) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to coordinate 
Federal and State permitting processes related to the 
construction of new surface water storage projects on 
lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Inte-
rior and the Secretary of Agriculture and to designate 
the Bureau of Reclamation as the lead agency for permit 
processing, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Water Supply Permit-
ting Coordination Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) BUREAU.—The term ‘‘Bureau’’ means the 
Bureau of Reclamation. 
(2) COOPERATING AGENCIES.—The term ‘‘co-
operating agency’’ means a Federal agency with ju-
risdiction over a review, analysis, opinion, statement, 
permit, license, or other approval or decision re-
quired for a qualifying project under applicable Fed-
eral laws and regulations, or a State agency subject 
to section 3(c). 
(3) QUALIFYING PROJECTS.—The term ‘‘quali-
fying projects’’ means new surface water storage 
projects in the States covered under the Act of June 
17, 1902 (32 Stat. 388, chapter 1093), and Acts 
supplemental to and amendatory of that Act (43 
U.S.C. 371 et seq.) constructed on lands adminis-
tered by the Department of the Interior or the De-
partment of Agriculture, exclusive of any easement, 
right-of-way, lease, or any private holding, unless the 
project applicant elects not to participate in the 
process authorized by this Act. Such term shall also 
include State-led projects (as defined in section 
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4007(a)(2) of the WIIN Act) for new surface water 
storage projects in the States covered under the Act 
of June 17, 1902 (32 Stat. 388, chapter 1093), and 
Acts supplemental to and amendatory of that Act 
(43 U.S.C. 371 et seq.) constructed on lands admin-
istered by the Department of the Interior or the De-
partment of Agriculture, exclusive of any easement, 
right-of-way, lease, or any private holding, unless the 
project applicant elects not to participate in the 
process authorized by this Act. 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF LEAD AGENCY AND COOPER-
ATING AGENCIES. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF LEAD AGENCY.—The Bu-
reau is established as the lead agency for purposes of co-
ordinating all reviews, analyses, opinions, statements, per-
mits, licenses, or other approvals or decisions required 
under Federal law to construct qualifying projects. 
(b) IDENTIFICATION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF CO-
OPERATING AGENCIES.—The Commissioner of the Bureau 
shall— 
(1) identify, as early as practicable upon receipt 
of an application for a qualifying project, any Fed-
eral agency that may have jurisdiction over a review, 
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analysis, opinion, statement, permit, license, ap-
proval, or decision required for a qualifying project 
under applicable Federal laws and regulations; and 
(2) notify any such agency, within a reasonable 
timeframe, that the agency has been designated as 
a cooperating agency in regards to the qualifying 
project unless that agency responds to the Bureau in 
writing, within a timeframe set forth by the Bureau, 
notifying the Bureau that the agency— 
(A) has no jurisdiction or authority with 
respect to the qualifying project; 
(B) has no expertise or information rel-
evant to the qualifying project or any review, 
analysis, opinion, statement, permit, license, or 
other approval or decision associated therewith; 
or 
(C) does not intend to submit comments 
on the qualifying project or conduct any review 
of such a project or make any decision with re-
spect to such project in a manner other than in 
cooperation with the Bureau. 
(c) STATE AUTHORITY.—A State in which a quali-
fying project is being considered may choose, consistent 
with State law— 
(1) to participate as a cooperating agency; and 
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