‘‘SEC. 127. OHIO RIVER BASIN RESTORATION PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) ADVISORY COUNCIL.—The term ‘advisory 
council’ means the advisory council established 
under subsection (b)(5). 
‘‘(2) AGENCY.—The term ‘Agency’ means the 
Environmental Protection Agency. 
‘‘(3) OHIO
RIVER
BASIN.—The term ‘Ohio 
River Basin’ means the portions of each Ohio River 
State that contain the watershed of the Ohio River. 
‘‘(4) OHIO
RIVER
BASIN
RESTORATION
PRO-
GRAM.—The term ‘Ohio River Basin Restoration 
Program’ means the Ohio River Basin Restoration 
Program established by this section. 
‘‘(5) 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, Mississippi, or South Carolina. 
‘‘(6) PROGRAM DIRECTOR.—The term ‘Program 
Director’ means the Director of the Program Office. 
‘‘(7) PROGRAM
OFFICE.—The term ‘Program 
Office’ means the Ohio River National Program Of-
fice established under this section. 
‘‘(8) TRIBAL GOVERNMENT.—The term ‘Tribal 
Government’ means the recognized governing body 
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of any Indian tribe individually identified (including 
parenthetically) in the list published under section 
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-
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tion plan required by this section, in coordina-
tion with the advisory council; 
‘‘(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; and 
‘‘(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. 
‘‘(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. 
‘‘(5) ADVISORY COUNCIL.—In carrying out this 
section, the Program Director shall establish an ad-
visory council consisting of relevant Federal entities 
and non-Federal stakeholders, including representa-
tives from— 
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‘‘(A) each State located in whole or in part 
in the Ohio River Basin; 
‘‘(B) each of the lower, middle, and upper 
basins of the Ohio River; 
‘‘(C) each Tribal Government located in 
the Ohio River Basin; and 
‘‘(D) the Ohio River Valley Water Sanita-
tion Commission. 
‘‘(6) REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS.—The Pro-
gram Director shall submit to Congress, and make 
available on a public website, the action plan and 
updates required by this section, and an annual re-
port describing— 
‘‘(A) progress made in implementing the 
Ohio River Basin Restoration Program; 
‘‘(B) coordination of the Ohio River Basin 
Restoration Program with other Federal, State, 
Tribal, and local programs; 
‘‘(C) any funds transferred to relevant 
Federal agencies under this section; 
‘‘(D) any grants awarded under this sec-
tion; 
‘‘(E) specific projects and activities carried 
out pursuant to this section; and 
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‘‘(F) agreements 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 carry out projects and activities that ad-
vance systemic, large-scale restoration and protec-
tion 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. 
‘‘(B) Increasing community resilience to 
flood and storm risk, including through restora-
tion of natural systems in the Ohio River 
Basin. 
‘‘(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. 
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‘‘(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) Collection, monitoring, and evaluation 
of data needed to plan, implement, and assess 
the effectiveness of projects or activities carried 
out under this section. 
‘‘(H) 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 pursuant to the Ohio River Basin Restora-
tion Program shall prioritize use of natural infra-
structure, 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
AND
ACTIVITY
IMPLEMENTA-
TION.— 
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‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Funds made available 
to carry out the Ohio River Basin Restoration 
Program may be used to plan, design, imple-
ment, or construct projects and activities de-
scribed in paragraph (2) that are carried out by 
a relevant Federal agency or by a non-Federal 
entity in accordance with the action plan devel-
oped under subsection (d). 
‘‘(B) GRANT
AUTHORITY.—The Program 
Director may make a grant to, or otherwise 
enter into an agreement with, any non-Federal 
entity (including any State, interstate, regional, 
local, or Tribal governmental entity, nonprofit 
organization, institution of higher education, or 
individual) that the Program Director deter-
mines is qualified to carry out a project or ac-
tivity described in paragraph (2). 
‘‘(5) PROJECT AND ACTIVITY SELECTION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Program Direc-
tor, in collaboration with the advisory council, 
shall select projects and activities to be imple-
mented pursuant to the Ohio River Basin Res-
toration Program using appropriate principles 
and criteria, including— 
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‘‘(i) the selection of projects and ac-
tivities that are equitably distributed 
throughout the Ohio River Basin; 
‘‘(ii) the ability of a project or activity 
to achieve strategic, measurable, and re-
portable environmental outcomes in accord-
ance with the action plan developed under 
subsection (d); 
‘‘(iii) the recognition that projects and 
activities may provide economic benefits to 
local or regional communities, or to the en-
tire Ohio River Basin; 
‘‘(iv) the feasibility of prompt imple-
mentation, timely achievement of measur-
able results, and resource leveraging; and 
‘‘(v) the opportunity to reduce dupli-
cation and improve measurable environ-
mental outcomes. 
‘‘(B) COMPATIBILITY.—The Program Di-
rector shall ensure that projects and activities 
carried out under this section are compatible 
with— 
‘‘(i) the ability of the Corps of Engi-
neers to maintain navigation and other 
Federal projects in the Ohio River; and 
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‘‘(ii) the structural integrity or effec-
tiveness of Federal, State, local, or Tribal 
disaster risk reduction infrastructure. 
‘‘(d) ACTIONABLE GOALS AND ACTION PLAN.— 
‘‘(1) ACTIONABLE
GOALS.—Not later than 1 
year after the date of enactment of this section, the 
Program Director shall develop actionable goals for 
the Ohio River Basin Restoration Program, which 
shall be measurable and reportable and shall include 
criteria for measuring their success in making 
progress toward restoring the ecological health and 
resilience of the Ohio River Basin. 
‘‘(2) ACTION PLAN.—Not later than 2 years 
after the date of enactment of this section, the Pro-
gram Director shall develop an action plan for ad-
vancing the actionable goals developed under para-
graph (1). 
‘‘(3) CONTENTS.—The Program Director shall 
include in the action plan developed under para-
graph (2)— 
‘‘(A) a description of existing Federal, 
State, Tribal, and regional commissions, and re-
gional plans, programs, and activities affecting 
the Ohio River Basin, that may be used to ad-
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vance the Ohio River Basin Restoration Pro-
gram; 
‘‘(B) recommendations for a comprehensive 
approach, which (where appropriate) leverages 
existing Federal, State, and Tribal programs, 
to— 
‘‘(i) advancing systemic, large-scale 
restoration and protection of the Ohio 
River Basin; and 
‘‘(ii) improvements to water quality 
within the Ohio River and its tributaries; 
‘‘(C) a multi-year plan that identifies spe-
cific objectives with corresponding commitments 
for activities, research, and measures for 
progress; and 
‘‘(D) a plan to maintain and monitor the 
implementation of any specific projects or ac-
tivities identified in the action plan. 
‘‘(4) PROJECT
AND
ACTIVITY
RECOMMENDA-
TIONS.—The action plan may include recommenda-
tions for specific projects or activities that advance 
the action plan objectives, including timelines, antici-
pated costs, and the identification of entities respon-
sible for carrying out such projects or activities. 
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‘‘(5) UPDATES.—Not less often than once every 
5 years, the Program Director shall review and up-
date the actionable goals and action plan developed 
under this subsection. 
‘‘(6) CONSULTATION
WITH
ADVISORY
COUN-
CIL.—In developing and updating the actionable 
goals and action plan under this subsection, the Pro-
gram Director shall consult with the advisory coun-
cil. 
‘‘(7) PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.—The Program Di-
rector shall provide public notice of, and an oppor-
tunity for comment on, the actionable goals and ac-
tion plan developed under this subsection, including 
during each update period under paragraph (5). 
‘‘(e) FUNDING.— 
‘‘(1) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this section $350,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2026 through 2030. 
‘‘(2) TRANSFER OF FUNDS TO FEDERAL ENTI-
TIES.—With funds made available to carry out this 
section for each fiscal year, the Administrator 
may— 
‘‘(A) transfer funds to the head of any rel-
evant Federal agency, with the concurrence of 
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