tion projects in the region that achieve the pur-
poses of this Act. 
(2) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 
the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service. 
(3) ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.—The term ‘‘en-
vironmental justice’’ means the fair treatment and 
meaningful involvement of all people regardless of 
race, color, national origin, or income, with respect 
to the development, implementation, and enforce-
ment of environmental laws, regulations, and poli-
cies. 
(4) FOUNDATION.—The term ‘‘Foundation’’ 
means the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. 
(5) GRANT PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘grant pro-
gram’’ means the voluntary New York-New Jersey 
Watershed Restoration Grant Program established 
under section 5. 
(6) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘program’’ means 
the New York-New Jersey Watershed Restoration 
Program established under section 4. 
(7) RESTORATION
AND
PROTECTION.—The 
term ‘‘restoration and protection’’ means the con-
servation, stewardship, and enhancement of habitat 
for fish and wildlife and water quality to preserve 
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and improve ecosystems and ecological processes on 
which they depend and for use and enjoyment by the 
public. 
(8) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Di-
rector. 
(9) SERVICE.—The term ‘‘Service’’ means the 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service. 
(10) WATERSHED.—The term ‘‘Watershed’’ 
means the New York-New Jersey Watershed, which 
is comprised of all land area whose surface water 
drains into New York-New Jersey Harbor, the 
waters contained within that land area, and the es-
tuaries associated with those watersheds. 
SEC. 4. PROGRAM ESTABLISHMENT. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
establish a nonregulatory program to be known as the 
‘‘New York-New Jersey Watershed Restoration Program’’. 
(b) DUTIES.—In carrying out the program, the Sec-
retary shall— 
(1) draw on existing and new approved plans 
for the Watershed, or portions of the Watershed, 
and work in consultation with applicable manage-
ment entities, including representatives of the New 
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York-New Jersey Harbor and Estuary Program 
(HEP), Hudson River Estuary Program, Mohawk 
River Basin Program, Sustainable Raritan River 
Initiative, the Federal Government, and other State 
and local governments, and regional and nonprofit 
organizations, as appropriate, to identify, prioritize, 
and implement restoration and protection activities 
within the Watershed; and 
(2) adopt a Watershed-wide strategy that— 
(A) supports the implementation of a 
shared set of science-based restoration and pro-
tection activities developed in accordance with 
paragraph (1); 
(B) targets cost-effective projects with 
measurable results; 
(C) maximizes conservation outcomes; 
(D) recognizes the needs of communities 
lacking in environmental justice; and 
(E) establishes the voluntary grant and 
technical assistance programs authorized in this 
Act. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—In establishing the program, 
the Secretary shall consult, as appropriate, with— 
(1) the heads of Federal agencies, including— 
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(A) the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency; 
(B) the Administrator of the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration; 
(C) the Chief of the Natural Resources 
Conservation Service; and 
(D) the Director of the National Park 
Service; 
(2) the Governors of New York and New Jer-
sey; 
(3) the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estu-
ary Program; and 
(4) other public agencies and organizations with 
authority for the planning and implementation of 
conservation strategies in the Watershed. 
(d) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the program in-
clude— 
(1) coordinating restoration and protection ac-
tivities among Federal, State, local, and regional en-
tities and conservation partners throughout the Wa-
tershed; 
(2) carrying out coordinated restoration and 
protection activities, and providing for technical as-
sistance throughout the Watershed— 
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(A) to sustain and enhance fish and wild-
life habitat restoration and protection activities; 
(B) to improve and maintain water quality 
to support fish, wildlife, and their habitat, as 
well as to improve opportunities for public ac-
cess and recreation in the Watershed consistent 
with the ecological needs of fish and wildlife 
habitat; 
(C) to advance the use of natural and na-
ture-based features, living shoreline, and other 
green infrastructure techniques to maximize the 
resilience of communities, natural systems, and 
habitats under changing sea levels, storm risks, 
and watershed conditions; 
(D) to engage the public, particularly com-
munities lacking in environmental justice, 
through outreach, education, and community 
involvement to increase capacity and support 
for coordinated restoration and protection ac-
tivities in the Watershed; 
(E) to increase scientific capacity to sup-
port the planning, monitoring, and research ac-
tivities necessary to carry out coordinated res-
toration and protection activities; 
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(F) to provide for feasibility and planning 
studies for green infrastructure projects that 
achieve habitat restoration and stormwater 
management goals; 
(G) to support land conservation and man-
agement activities necessary to fulfill the Wa-
tershed-wide strategy adopted under subsection 
(b); 
(H) to provide technical assistance to carry 
out restoration and protection activities in the 
Watershed; 
(I) to monitor environmental quality to as-
sess progress toward the goals of this Act; and 
(J) to improve fish and wildlife habitats, 
as well as opportunities for personal recreation, 
along rivers and shore fronts within commu-
nities lacking in environmental justice; and 
(3) other activities necessary for the implemen-
tation of approved plans. 
SEC. 5. NEW YORK-NEW JERSEY WATERSHED RESTORA-
TION GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 
a voluntary grant and technical assistance program, to be 
known as the ‘‘New York-New Jersey Watershed Restora-
tion Grant Program’’, to provide competitive matching 
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grants of varying amounts to State and local governments, 
nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, 
and other eligible entities to carry out restoration and pro-
tection activities for the Watershed. 
(b) CRITERIA.—The Secretary, in consultation with 
the agencies, organizations, and other persons referred to 
in section 4(c), shall develop criteria for the grant program 
to help ensure that activities funded under this section ac-
complish one or more of the purposes of this Act. 
(c) COST SHARING.— 
(1) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of 
the cost of a project funded under the grant pro-
gram shall not exceed 75 percent of the total cost 
of the activity, as determined by the Secretary. 
(2) NON-FEDERAL
SHARE.—The non-Federal 
share of the cost of a project funded under the grant 
program may be provided in cash or in the form of 
an in-kind contribution of services or materials. 
(d) ADMINISTRATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may enter 
into an agreement to manage the grant program 
with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation or 
a similar organization that offers grant management 
services. 
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(2) FUNDING.—If the Secretary enters into an 
agreement under paragraph (1), the organization se-
lected shall— 
(A) for each fiscal year, receive amounts 
made available to carry out this section in an 
advance payment of the entire amounts on Oc-
tober 1 of that fiscal year, or as soon as prac-
ticable thereafter; 
(B) invest and reinvest those amounts for 
the benefit of the grant program; and 
(C) otherwise administer the grant pro-
gram to support partnerships between the pub-
lic and private sectors in accordance with this 
Act. 
(3) REQUIREMENTS.—If the Secretary enters 
into an agreement with the Foundation under para-
graph (1), any amounts received by the Foundation 
under this section shall be subject to the National 
Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16 
U.S.C. 3701 et seq.), excluding section 10(a) of that 
Act (16 U.S.C. 3709(a)). 
SEC. 6. ANNUAL REPORTS. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Congress a report on the implementation 
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of this Act, including a description of each project that 
has received funding under this Act in the preceding fiscal 
year. 
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated to the Secretary to carry out this Act $50,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2026. 
(b) USE FOR GRANT PROGRAM.—Of any amount 
made available under this section for each fiscal year, the 
Secretary shall use at least 75 percent to carry out the 
grant program under section 5 and to provide, or provide 
for, technical assistance under such program. 
Æ 
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