I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8676 
To require the Secretary of the Interior to take certain measures with respect 
to protecting the Salton Sea, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 5, 2022 
Mr. RUIZ (for himself and Mr. VARGAS) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of the Interior to take certain 
measures with respect to protecting the Salton Sea, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Salton Sea Public 
Health and Environmental Protection Act of 2022’’. 
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SEC. 2. FEDERAL SALTON SEA MANAGEMENT ACRES. 
Title XI of the Reclamation Projects Authorization 
and Adjustment Act of 1992 (Public Law 102–575) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 1102. RESTORATION PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) RESTORATION PROGRAM.—The Secretary of the 
Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation, shall 
provide for a program within the Bureau’s Salton Sea 
Program Office to improve water quality, provide for dust 
mitigation, protect the public’s health, and provide for en-
vironmental and habitat restoration at the Salton Sea in 
California. 
‘‘(b) 
FEDERAL
SALTON
SEA
MANAGEMENT 
ACRES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Inte-
rior shall provide for such measures as such Sec-
retary determines appropriate for dust control and 
habitat conservation, consistent with State and local 
requirements, with respect to an acreage within the 
Salton Sea of the same size as the acreage for which 
the State of California provides for dust control and 
habitat conservation under the Salton Sea Manage-
ment Program and the State Water Board Order. 
Such Secretary shall, to the maximum extent pos-
sible when carrying out this requirement, provide 
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such measures for an equivalent number of acres of 
dust control and of habitat conservation. 
‘‘(2) CALCULATION.—The Secretary of the In-
terior may calculate the satisfaction of the Federal 
Salton Sea Management Acres obligation described 
in paragraph (1) in three-year increments to account 
for variability in acres available and appropriate for 
management. 
‘‘(3) COORDINATION WITH THE STATE OF CALI-
FORNIA.— 
‘‘(A) 
MEMORANDUM
OF
UNDER-
STANDING.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Secretary 
of the Interior shall seek to conclude a memo-
randum of understanding with the State of 
California and the Salton Sea Authority to co-
ordinate Federal and State activities relating to 
the construction, operation, and maintenance of 
Federal Salton Sea Management Acres and 
Salton Sea Management Program activities. 
Such memorandum of understanding shall in-
clude a schedule delineating the timeframe for 
the accomplishment of the establishment of 
Salton Sea Management Acres and consider-
ation of the effects of such memorandum of un-
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derstanding on affected disadvantaged commu-
nities. 
‘‘(B) ACCESS.—The Secretary of the Inte-
rior shall make Federal lands within the Salton 
Sea available to the State of California for ac-
tivities under the Salton Sea Management Pro-
gram and the State Water Board Order and 
shall give priority to such activities. 
‘‘(4) STATE
RESPONSIBILITIES.—Nothing in 
this section shall modify the State of California’s re-
sponsibilities or associated timelines under the State 
Water Board Order. 
‘‘(5) SUPPORT FROM THE SECRETARY OF AGRI-
CULTURE.—The Secretary of Agriculture shall, in 
issuing funding or other types of support under such 
authority as is available to such Secretary, prioritize 
support and funding to assist the Secretary of the 
Interior in fulfilling the responsibilities described in 
this subsection. 
‘‘(6) DELEGATION
TO
THE
STATE
OF
CALI-
FORNIA.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the 
Interior may delegate such Secretary’s respon-
sibilities under this subsection to the State of 
California through a cooperative agreement or 
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other contractual agreement only upon the pro-
vision by such Secretary to the State of ade-
quate Federal funding to assure the require-
ments of this section are met, including funding 
for operations and maintenance of Federal 
Salton Sea Management Acres. Such Secretary 
may award grants to the State for completion 
of this responsibility. 
‘‘(B) AGREEMENT PENDING FUNDING NOT 
RESTRICTED.—Subparagraph (A) shall not be 
construed to prohibit the Secretary of the Inte-
rior from entering such an agreement prior to 
the provision of such adequate Federal funding. 
‘‘(7) NOT A SPECIAL AQUATIC SITE.—For the 
purposes of the construction, operation, and mainte-
nance of Federal Salton Sea Management Acres and 
Salton Sea Management Program activities, lakebed 
exposed as the Salton Sea recedes shall not be con-
sidered a Special Aquatic Site for the purposes of 
determining jurisdiction under section 404 of the 
Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344). 
‘‘(8) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The Secretary of 
the Interior shall report to Congress annually identi-
fying— 
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