I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2469 
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to establish within the 
Environmental Protection Agency a Columbia River Basin Restoration 
Program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 20, 2015 
Mr. BLUMENAUER (for himself, Ms. BONAMICI, and Mr. DEFAZIO) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to estab-
lish within the Environmental Protection Agency a Co-
lumbia River Basin Restoration Program. 
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 ‘‘Columbia River Basin 
Restoration Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
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(1) the Columbia River is the largest river in 
the Pacific Northwest by volume; 
(2) the river is 1,243 miles long, with a drain-
age basin that includes 259,000 square miles, ex-
tending to 7 States and British Columbia, Canada, 
and including all or part of— 
(A) multiple national parks; 
(B) components of the National Wilderness 
Preservation System; 
(C) national monuments; 
(D) national scenic areas; 
(E) national recreation areas; 
(F) other areas managed for conservation; 
and 
(G) multiple tribal reservations and over 
45,000,000 acres of tribally comanaged land; 
(3) the Columbia River Basin and associated 
tributaries (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Basin’’) 
provide significant ecological and economic benefits 
to the Pacific Northwest and the entire United 
States; 
(4) traditionally, the Basin includes more than 
6,000,000 acres of irrigated agricultural land and 
produces more hydroelectric power than any other 
North American river; 
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(5) significant commerce takes place on the fed-
erally authorized Columbia Snake River System 
navigation channel, which is 465 miles in length, 
from the mouth of the Columbia River to Lewiston, 
Idaho; 
(6) the Basin— 
(A) historically constituted the largest 
salmon-producing river system in the world, 
with annual returns peaking at as many as 
16,000,000 fish; and 
(B) as of the date of enactment of this 
Act— 
(i) supports economically important 
commercial and recreational fisheries; 
(ii) supports treaty tribal fisheries; 
(iii) is home to numerous species of 
salmonids, including steelhead, bull trout, 
and Kootenai white sturgeon, that are list-
ed as threatened species or endangered 
species under the Endangered Species Act 
of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); and 
(iv) is a cultural and historical re-
source and provides sports and recreation 
opportunities for millions annually; 
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(7) toxics are present throughout the Columbia 
River Basin that are harmful to humans, fish, and 
wildlife; 
(8) studies have shown that Columbia River 
fish contain a wide array of contaminants; 
(9) a fish consumption survey in the Columbia 
River Basin showed that tribal members were eating 
6 to 11 times more fish than the estimated national 
average; 
(10) in 2013, the States of Oregon and Wash-
ington issued a fish advisories warning against con-
sumption of resident fish between Bonneville Dam to 
McNary Dam because of toxic contamination; 
(11) in 1995, the lower river and estuary was 
designated an ‘‘estuary of national significance’’ in 
accordance with section 320 of the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1330), because of 
degradation and contamination in the lower river, 
lack of structure to coordinate programs and poli-
cies, significance of the lower river to survival of spe-
cies throughout the basin, and the importance of the 
lower river to the economic viability of the region; 
and 
(12)(A) in 2006, the Administrator of the Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency named the Columbia 
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River Basin 1 of the 10 large aquatic ecosystems in 
the United States; 
(B) the Columbia River Basin is the only large 
aquatic ecosystem in the United States that does not 
receive dedicated appropriations as a large aquatic 
ecosystem; and 
(C) the other 9 large aquatic ecosystems receive 
appropriations through the Geographic Programs 
program area of the Environmental Protection 
Agency. 
SEC. 3. COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN RESTORATION. 
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: 
‘‘SEC. 123. COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN RESTORATION. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.— 
‘‘(1) ACTION PLAN.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘Action 
Plan’ means the Columbia River Basin Toxics 
Reduction Plan developed by the Environmental 
Protection Agency and the Columbia River 
Toxics Reduction Working Group in 2010. 
‘‘(B) 
INCLUSIONS.—The 
term 
‘Action 
Plan’ includes any amendments to the plan. 
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‘‘(2) COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN.—The term ‘Co-
lumbia River Basin’ means the entire United States 
portion of the Columbia River watershed. 
‘‘(3) ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP.—The term ‘Es-
tuary Partnership’ means the Lower Columbia River 
Estuary Partnership, an entity created by the States 
of Oregon and Washington and the Environmental 
Protection Agency under section 320. 
‘‘(4) ESTUARY PLAN.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘Estuary 
Plan’ means the Estuary Partnership Com-
prehensive Conservation and Management Plan 
adopted by the Environmental Protection Agen-
cy and the Governors of Oregon and Wash-
ington on October 20, 1999, under section 320. 
‘‘(B) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘Estuary 
Plan’ includes any amendments to the plan. 
‘‘(5) LOWER COLUMBIA RIVER ESTUARY.—The 
term ‘Lower Columbia River Estuary’ means the 
mainstem Columbia River from the Bonneville Dam 
to the Pacific Ocean and tidally influenced portions 
of tributaries to the Columbia River in that region. 
‘‘(6) MIDDLE
AND
UPPER
COLUMBIA
RIVER 
BASIN.—The term ‘Middle and Upper Columbia 
River Basin’ means the region consisting of the 
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United States portion of the Columbia River Basin 
above Bonneville Dam. 
‘‘(7) PROGRAM.—The term ‘Program’ means 
the Columbia River Basin Restoration Program es-
tablished under subsection (b)(1)(A). 
‘‘(8) WORKING
GROUP.—The term ‘Working 
Group’ means— 
‘‘(A) the Columbia River Basin Toxics Re-
duction Working Group established under sub-
section (c); and 
‘‘(B) with respect to the Lower Columbia 
River Estuary, the Estuary Partnership. 
‘‘(b) COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN RESTORATION PRO-
GRAM.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Administrator 
shall establish within the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency a Columbia River Basin Restora-
tion Program for the purposes of reducing toxic 
contamination and cleaning up contaminated 
sites throughout the Columbia River Basin. 
‘‘(B) NO EFFECT ON EXISTING AUTHOR-
ITY.—The Program shall not modify any legal 
or regulatory authority or program in effect as 
of the date of enactment of this section, includ-
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ing the roles of Federal agencies in the Colum-
bia River Basin. 
‘‘(C) RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING ACTIVI-
TIES.—The Program shall— 
‘‘(i) build on the work and collabo-
rative structure of the existing Columbia 
River Toxics Reduction Working Group 
representing 
the 
Federal 
Government, 
State, tribal, and local governments, indus-
try, and nongovernmental organizations, 
which was convened in 2005 to develop a 
collaborative toxic contamination reduction 
approach for the Columbia River Basin; 
‘‘(ii) in the Lower Columbia River 
Basin and Estuary, build on the work and 
collaborative structure of the Estuary 
Partnership; 
‘‘(iii) coordinate with other efforts, in-
cluding activities of other Federal agencies 
in the Columbia River Basin, to avoid du-
plicating activities or functions; and 
‘‘(iv) not impede implementation of 
existing agreements or other recovery and 
mitigation programs. 
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‘‘(2) SCOPE OF PROGRAM.—The Program shall 
consist of a collaborative stakeholder-based program 
for reducing toxic contamination throughout the Co-
lumbia River Basin. 
‘‘(3) DUTIES.—The Administrator shall— 
‘‘(A) assess trends in water quality and 
toxic contamination or toxics reduction, includ-
ing trends that affect uses of the water of the 
Columbia River Basin; 
‘‘(B) collect, characterize, and assess data 
on toxics and water quality to identify possible 
causes of environmental problems; 
‘‘(C) provide the Working Group with 
data, analysis, reports, or other information; 
‘‘(D) provide technical assistance to the 
Working Group, and to State governments, 
tribal governments, and local governments par-
ticipating in the Working Group, to assist those 
agencies and entities in— 
‘‘(i) developing updates to the Action 
Plan; 
‘‘(ii) recommending and prioritizing 
projects and actions for the Action Plan; 
and 
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‘‘(iii) reviewing progress and effective-
ness of projects and actions implemented, 
as well as cumulative progress toward the 
goals of this section, and the Action Plan; 
‘‘(E) periodically update the Action Plan 
and the Estuary Plan as required by counsel, 
and ensure that those plans, when considered 
together and in light of relevant plans developed 
by other Federal or State agencies, form a co-
herent toxic contamination reduction strategy 
for the Columbia River Basin; 
‘‘(F) track progress toward meeting the 
identified goals and objectives of the Action 
Plan by coordinating and reporting environ-
mental data related to the Action Plan and the 
Estuary Plan and making the data and reports 
on the data available to the public; and 
‘‘(G) provide grants in accordance with 
subsection (d) for projects that— 
‘‘(i) assist in— 
‘‘(I) eliminating or reducing pol-
lution; 
‘‘(II) cleaning up contaminated 
sites; 
‘‘(III) improving water quality; 
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‘‘(IV) monitoring to evaluate 
trends; 
‘‘(V) reducing runoff; 
‘‘(VI) protecting habitat; or 
‘‘(VII) promoting citizen engage-
ment or knowledge; 
‘‘(ii) address the goals, tasks, or ac-
tion items in the Action Plan or the Estu-
ary Plan; and 
‘‘(iii) are recommended by the Work-
ing Group to implement the Estuary Plan. 
‘‘(c) STAKEHOLDER WORKING GROUP.— 
‘‘(1) 
ESTABLISHMENT.—The 
Administrator 
shall establish a Columbia River Basin Toxics Re-
duction Working Group. 
‘‘(2) MEMBERSHIP.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Membership in the 
Working Group shall be on a voluntary basis 
and any person invited by the Administrator 
under this subsection may decline membership. 
‘‘(B) INVITED
REPRESENTATIVES.—The 
Administrator shall invite, at a minimum, rep-
resentatives of— 
‘‘(i) each State located in whole or in 
part within the Columbia River Basin; 
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‘‘(ii) the Governors of each State lo-
cated in whole or in part with the Colum-
bia River Basin; 
‘‘(iii) each federally recognized Indian 
tribe in the Columbia River Basin; 
‘‘(iv) local governments located in the 
Columbia River Basin; 
‘‘(v) industries operating in the Co-
lumbia River Basin that affect or could af-
fect water quality; 
‘‘(vi) electric, water, and wastewater 
utilities operating in the Columba River 
Basin; 
‘‘(vii) private landowners in the Co-
lumbia River Basin; 
‘‘(viii) soil and water conservation dis-
tricts in the Columbia River Basin; 
‘‘(ix) nongovernmental organizations 
that have a presence in the Columbia River 
Basin; 
‘‘(x) the general public in the Colum-
bia River Basin; and 
‘‘(xi) the Estuary Partnership. 
‘‘(3) 
GEOGRAPHIC
REPRESENTATION.—The 
Working Group shall include representatives from— 
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‘‘(A) each State; and 
‘‘(B) each of the Lower, Middle, and 
Upper Basins of the Columbia River. 
‘‘(4) DUTIES
AND
RESPONSIBILITIES.—The 
Working Group shall— 
‘‘(A) participate in developing updates to 
the Action Plan, including by providing com-
ments on the updates; 
‘‘(B) recommend and prioritize projects 
and actions for the Action Plan; and 
‘‘(C) review the progress and effectiveness 
of projects and actions implemented, as well as 
cumulative progress toward the goals of this 
section, and the Action Plan. 
‘‘(5) LOWER COLUMBIA RIVER ESTUARY.— 
‘‘(A) ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Estuary Part-
nership shall perform the duties and fulfill 
the responsibilities of the Working Group 
described in paragraph (4) as those duties 
and responsibilities relate to the Lower Co-
lumbia River Estuary for such time as the 
Estuary Partnership is the management 
conference for the Lower Columbia River 
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National Estuary Program under section 
320. 
‘‘(ii) DESIGNATION.—If the Estuary 
Partnership ceases to be the management 
conference for the Lower Columbia River 
National Estuary Program under section 
320, the Administrator may designate the 
new management conference to assume the 
duties and responsibilities of the Working 
Group described in paragraph (4) as those 
duties and responsibilities relate to the 
Lower Columbia River Estuary. 
‘‘(B) ESTUARY PLAN.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Estuary Plan 
shall function as the Action Plan for the 
Lower Columbia River Estuary for such 
time as there is an Estuary Plan in place 
pursuant to section 320. 
‘‘(ii) INCORPORATION.—If the Estu-
ary Partnership is removed from the Na-
tional Estuary Program, the duties and re-
sponsibilities for the lower 146 miles of the 
Columbia River pursuant to this Act shall 
be incorporated into the duties of the 
Working Group. 
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‘‘(d) GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall es-
tablish a voluntary, competitive Columbia River 
Basin toxics program to provide grants to State gov-
ernments, tribal governments, regional water pollu-
tion control agencies and entities, local government 
entities, nongovernmental entities, or soil and water 
conservation districts to develop or implement 
projects authorized under this section for the pur-
pose of implementing the Action Plan and the Estu-
ary Plan. 
‘‘(2) FEDERAL SHARE.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), the Federal share of the cost 
of any project or activity carried out using 
funds from a grant provided to any person (in-
cluding a State, tribal, or local government or 
interstate or regional agency) under this sub-
section for a fiscal year— 
‘‘(i) shall not exceed 75 percent of the 
total cost of the project or activity; and 
‘‘(ii) shall be made on condition that 
the non-Federal share of that total cost 
shall 
be 
provided 
from 
non-Federal 
sources. 
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‘‘(B) EXCEPTIONS.—With respect to cost- 
sharing for a grant provided under this sub-
section— 
‘‘(i) a tribal government may use Fed-
eral funds for the non-Federal share; and 
‘‘(ii) the Administrator may increase 
the 
Federal 
share 
under 
such 
cir-
cumstances as the Administrator deter-
mines to be appropriate. 
‘‘(3) ALLOCATION.—In making grants using 
funds appropriated to carry out this section, the Ad-
ministrator shall— 
‘‘(A) provide not less than 25 percent of 
the funds to make grants for projects, pro-
grams, and studies in the Lower Columbia 
River Estuary; 
‘‘(B) provide not less than 25 percent of 
the funds to make grants for projects, pro-
grams, and studies in the Middle and Upper 
Columbia River Basin, which includes the 
Snake River Basin; and 
‘‘(C) retain for Environmental Protection 
Agency not more than 5 percent of the funds 
for purposes of implementing this section. 
‘‘(4) REPORTING.— 
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‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Each grant recipient 
under this subsection shall submit to the Ad-
ministrator reports on progress being made in 
achieving the purposes of this section. 
‘‘(B) REQUIREMENTS.—The Administrator 
shall establish requirements and timelines for 
recipients of grants under this section to report 
on progress made in achieving the purposes of 
this section and the goals of the Action Plan 
and the Estuary Plan. 
‘‘(5) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER FUNDING.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this sec-
tion limits the eligibility of the Estuary Part-
nership to receive funding under section 320(g). 
‘‘(B) LIMITATION.—None of the funds 
made available under this subsection may be 
used for the administration of a management 
conference under section 320. 
‘‘(e) ANNUAL BUDGET PLAN.—The President, as 
part of the annual budget submission of the President to 
Congress under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States 
Code, shall submit information regarding each Federal 
agency involved in protection and restoration of the Co-
lumbia River Basin, including an interagency crosscut 
budget that displays for each Federal agency— 
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‘‘(1) the amounts obligated for the preceding 
fiscal year for protection and restoration projects, 
programs, and studies relating to the Columbia 
River Basin; 
‘‘(2) the estimated budget for the current fiscal 
year for protection and restoration projects, pro-
grams, and studies relating to the Columbia River 
Basin; and 
‘‘(3) the proposed budget for protection and 
restoration projects, programs, and studies relating 
to the Columbia River Basin. 
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
is authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator to 
carry out this section $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2016 through 2021, to remain available until expended.’’. 
Æ 
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