Chattahoochee River Act
Bill: H.R.7198 | Sponsor: Rep. Bourdeaux, Carolyn (D-GA)
Policy area: Water Resources Development

Summary:
Chattahoochee River Act
This bill requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to provide design and construction assistance for water-related resource protection and restoration projects that affect the Chattahoochee River Basin. The basin is located in Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.
Specifically, the bill requires USACE to provide assistance to state and local agencies and tribal entities for projects that include (1) sediment and erosion control, (2) ecosystem restoration, (3) protection of essential public works, and (4) the beneficial uses of dredged material.
Further, the bill requires USACE, stakeholders, and state and local agencies to develop a comprehensive Chattahoochee River Basin restoration plan. The plan must give priority to eligible projects that will also improve the quality or quantity of the water or that use natural hydrological features and systems.

To establish a program to provide environmental assistance in the 
           Chattahoochee River Basin, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Chattahoochee River Act''.

SEC. 2. CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Non-federal interest.--The term ``non-Federal 
        interest'' has the meaning given the term in section 221(b) of 
        the Flood Control Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 1962d-5b(b)).
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Army.
    (b) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a program to 
        provide environmental assistance to non-Federal interests in 
        the Chattahoochee River Basin.
            (2) Form.--The assistance under paragraph (1) shall be in 
        the form of design and construction assistance for water-
        related resource protection and restoration projects affecting 
        the Chattahoochee River Basin, based on the comprehensive plan 
        under subsection (c), including projects for--
                    (A) sediment and erosion control;
                    (B) protection of eroding shorelines;
                    (C) ecosystem restoration, including restoration of 
                submerged aquatic vegetation;
                    (D) protection of essential public works;
                    (E) beneficial uses of dredged material; and
                    (F) other related projects that may enhance the 
                living resources of the Chattahoochee River Basin.
    (c) Comprehensive Plan.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in cooperation with State 
        and local governmental officials and affected stakeholders, 
        shall develop a comprehensive Chattahoochee River Basin 
        restoration plan to guide the implementation of projects under 
        subsection (b)(2).
            (2) Coordination.--The restoration plan described in 
        paragraph (1) shall, to the maximum extent practicable, 
        consider and avoid duplication of any ongoing or planned 
        actions of other Federal, State, and local agencies and 
        nongovernmental organizations.
            (3) Prioritization.--The restoration plan described in 
        paragraph (1) shall give priority to projects eligible under 
        subsection (b)(2) that will also improve water quality or 
        quantity or use natural hydrological features and systems.
    (d) Agreement.--
            (1) In general.--Before providing assistance under this 
        section, the Secretary shall enter into an agreement with a 
        non-Federal interest for the design and construction of a 
        project carried out pursuant to the comprehensive Chattahoochee 
        River Basin restoration plan described in subsection (c).
            (2) Requirements.--Each agreement entered into under this 
        subsection shall provide for--
                    (A) the development by the Secretary, in 
                consultation with appropriate Federal, State, and local 
                officials, of a resource protection and restoration 
                plan, including appropriate engineering plans and 
                specifications and an estimate of expected resource 
                benefits; and
                    (B) the establishment of such legal and 
                institutional structures as are necessary to ensure the 
                effective long-term operation and maintenance of the 
                project by the non-Federal interest.
    (e) Cost Sharing.--
            (1) Federal share.--Except as provided in paragraph (2)(B), 
        the Federal share of the total project costs of each agreement 
        entered into under this section shall be 80 percent.
            (2) Non-federal share.--
                    (A) Value of land, easements, rights-of-way, and 
                relocations.--In determining the non-Federal 
                contribution toward carrying out an agreement entered 
                into under this section, the Secretary shall provide 
                credit to a non-Federal interest for the value of land, 
                easements, rights-of-way, and relocations provided by 
                the non-Federal interest, except that the amount of 
                credit provided for a project under this paragraph may 
                not exceed 20 percent of the total project costs.
                    (B) Operation and maintenance costs.--The non-
                Federal share of the costs of operation and maintenance 
                of activities carried out under an agreement under this 
                section shall be 100 percent.
    (f) Cooperation.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall 
cooperate with--
            (1) the heads of appropriate Federal agencies, including--
                    (A) the Administrator of the Environmental 
                Protection Agency;
                    (B) the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the 
                Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                Administration;
                    (C) the Secretary of the Interior, acting through 
                the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife 
                Service; and
                    (D) the heads of such other Federal agencies as the 
                Secretary determines to be appropriate; and
            (2) agencies of a State or political subdivision of a 
        State.
    (g) Protection of Resources.--A project established under this 
section shall be carried out using such measures as are necessary to 
protect environmental, historic, and cultural resources.
    (h) Project Cap.--The total cost of a project carried out under 
this section may not exceed $15,000,000.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $90,000,000.
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