I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION H. R. 10432 
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to establish an Ohio 
River Basin Restoration Program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 16, 2024 
Mr. MCGARVEY (for himself, Mrs. HOUCHIN, Mr. LANDSMAN, and Mr. 
DELUZIO) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to estab-
lish an Ohio River Basin Restoration Program, 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 ‘‘Ohio River Basin Res-
toration Program Act’’. 
SEC. 2. OHIO RIVER BASIN RESTORATION PROGRAM. 
Title I of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act 
(33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
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‘‘SEC. 127. OHIO RIVER. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) AGENCY.—The term ‘Agency’ means the 
Environmental Protection Agency. 
‘‘(2) OHIO
RIVER
BASIN.—The term ‘Ohio 
River Basin’ means the portions of each Ohio River 
State that contain the watershed of the Ohio River. 
‘‘(3) OHIO
RIVER
BASIN
RESTORATION
PRO-
GRAM.—The term ‘Ohio River Basin Restoration 
Program’ means the Ohio River Basin Restoration 
Program established by this section. 
‘‘(4) OHIO
RIVER
STATE.—The term ‘Ohio 
River State’ means Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, 
Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois, New York, Virginia, 
Maryland, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Ten-
nessee, or Mississippi. 
‘‘(5) PROGRAM
OFFICE.—The term ‘Program 
Office’ means the Ohio River National Program Of-
fice established under this section. 
‘‘(6) PROGRAM DIRECTOR.—The term ‘Program 
Director’ means the Director of the Program Office. 
‘‘(7) TRIBAL GOVERNMENT.—The term ‘Tribal 
Government’ means the recognized governing body 
of any Indian tribe individually identified (including 
parenthetically) in the list published under section 
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104 of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List 
Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131). 
‘‘(b) OHIO RIVER NATIONAL PROGRAM OFFICE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall es-
tablish an Ohio River National Program Office with-
in the Agency to carry out the Ohio River Basin 
Restoration Program. 
‘‘(2) PROGRAM DIRECTOR.—The Program Of-
fice shall be headed by a Program Director, ap-
pointed by the Administrator, who, by reason of 
management experience and technical expertise re-
lating to the Ohio River, is highly qualified to direct 
the development of programs and plans on a variety 
of issues related to restoration of the Ohio River 
Basin. 
‘‘(3) 
FUNCTIONS.—The 
Program 
Director 
shall— 
‘‘(A) coordinate actions of the Agency that 
seek to protect and restore the Ohio River 
Basin; 
‘‘(B) develop, implement, and update the 
Ohio River Basin Restoration Program and ac-
tion plan required by this section, in coordina-
tion with relevant Federal agencies and non- 
Federal entities; 
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‘‘(C) document information and updates 
related to the development and implementation 
of the Ohio River Basin Restoration Program 
and action plan required by this section, and 
make such information and updates available to 
the public, including on a public website; 
‘‘(D) facilitate, in cooperation with the Bu-
reau of Indian Affairs, engagement and con-
sultation with Tribal Governments and Tribal 
organizations to ensure Tribal needs and prior-
ities are solicited early and throughout the de-
velopment of the actionable goals and action 
plan required by this section; and 
‘‘(E) submit to Congress, and make avail-
able on a public website, the action plan and 
updates required by this section, and an annual 
report describing— 
‘‘(i) progress made in implementing 
the Ohio River Basin Restoration Pro-
gram; 
‘‘(ii) coordination of the Ohio River 
Basin Restoration Program with other 
Federal, State, Tribal, and local programs; 
‘‘(iii) any funds transferred to rel-
evant Federal agencies under this section; 
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‘‘(iv) any grants awarded under this 
section; 
‘‘(v) specific projects and activities 
carried out pursuant to this section; and 
‘‘(vi) agreements with relevant Fed-
eral agencies and non-Federal entities. 
‘‘(4) AGREEMENTS.—In carrying out paragraph 
(3), the Program Director may enter into agree-
ments, as applicable, with relevant Federal agencies 
and non-Federal entities. 
‘‘(c) OHIO RIVER BASIN RESTORATION PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established 
within the Agency the Ohio River Basin Restoration 
Program to advance systemic, large-scale restoration 
of the Ohio River Basin. 
‘‘(2) ACTIVITIES.—Any project or activity car-
ried out pursuant to the Ohio River Basin Restora-
tion Program shall be designed to address at least 
1 of the following: 
‘‘(A) Improvement of water quality in the 
Ohio River Basin and drinking water in the 
Ohio River States through— 
‘‘(i) reductions in the amount of pol-
luted runoff, excess agricultural nutrients, 
and sediment reaching the Ohio River; and 
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‘‘(ii) improvements in water source 
protections. 
‘‘(B) Improvement of community resilience 
through restoration of natural systems in the 
Ohio River Basin to minimize and ameliorate 
flood and storm risks. 
‘‘(C) Protection and restoration of fish and 
wildlife habitat in the Ohio River Basin. 
‘‘(D) Prevention and control of the spread 
of aquatic invasive species in the Ohio River 
Basin. 
‘‘(E) Remediation of toxic substances and 
mine-related pollution. 
‘‘(F) Improvement of opportunities for 
public access and recreation in the Ohio River 
Basin consistent with the ecological needs of 
fish and wildlife habitat. 
‘‘(G) Improvement of water management 
to enhance outcomes for fish and wildlife and 
reduce flood risks. 
‘‘(H) Collection, monitoring, and evalua-
tion of data needed to plan, implement, and as-
sess the effectiveness of projects or activities 
carried out under this section. 
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‘‘(I) Improvement of public outreach, edu-
cation, and citizen involvement in the develop-
ment and implementation of projects and activi-
ties carried out under this section. 
‘‘(3) APPROACHES.—Projects and activities car-
ried out under this section shall prioritize use of nat-
ural, nature-based, and non-structural solutions to 
the maximum extent practicable, including— 
‘‘(A) protecting or restoring naturally oc-
curring hydrologic, geomorphic, and ecological 
functions and processes; and 
‘‘(B) removing or modifying structures 
such as culverts, levees, and dams to restore ec-
ological functions and processes. 
‘‘(4) PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Funds made available 
to carry out the Ohio River Basin Restoration 
Program may be used to implement projects 
and activities described in paragraph (2) that 
are carried out by a relevant Federal agency or 
by a non-Federal entity. 
‘‘(B) GRANT
AUTHORITY.—The Program 
Director, or the head of any other Federal 
agency receiving funds to carry out the Ohio 
River Basin Restoration Program, may make a 
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