Cooperative Watershed Management Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3085
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2008-06-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection
Federal aid to water resources development
Indian lands
Infrastructure
Minorities
Water conservation
Water quality
Water supply
Watersheds

Summary:
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: 
Cooperative Watershed Management Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a cooperative watershed management program under which the Secretary shall provide grants to eligible management entities to: (1) form a self-sustaining, cooperative watershed-wide management group; (2) enlarge a management group; or (3) conduct projects in accordance with the goals of a management group.

Requires an eligible management entity to be comprised of each affected stakeholder of the watershed that is the subject of the entity, including: (1) representatives of private interests; (2) any federal agency that has authority regarding the watershed; (3) any state or local agency that has such authority; and (4) any Indian tribe member who owns land within the watershed or land held in trust.

Directs the Secretary, during the first phase, to provide to a recipient a grant of not greater than $100,000 each year for not more than three years. Requires a recipient to use the funds to establish or enlarge a management group, develop a mission statement, and develop project concepts.

 Directs the Secretary, for each year of the first phase, to determine whether the recipient has made sufficient progress during the year to justify additional funding. Sets conditions to receive funds for each phase. Prohibits a management group from using grant funds for any group initiative unless it reaches a consensus decision. Sets federal cost share requirements. 

action_date: 2008-09-16
text: 
Cooperative Watershed Management Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a Cooperative Watershed Management Program, under which the Secretary shall provide grants to form or enlarge a watershed group or to conduct water management projects in accordance with the goals of such a group. 

Defines a &quot;watershed group&quot; as a self-sustaining, cooperative watershed-wide group that: (1) is comprised of representatives of the affected stakeholders of the relevant watershed; (2) is a grassroots, nonregulatory entity that addresses water availability and quality issues within the relevant watershed; (3) is capable of promoting the sustainable use of the water resources of the relevant watershed and improving the functioning condition of rivers and streams through water conservation, improved water quality, ecological resiliency, and the reduction of water conflicts; and (4) makes decisions on a consensus basis. Requires a watershed group to include: (1) representatives of hydroelectric production, livestock grazing, timber production, land development, recreation or tourism, irrigated agricultural production, the environment, potable water purveyors and industrial water users, and private property owners within the watershed; (2) any federal, state, or local agency agency that has authority regarding the watershed; and (3) any Indian tribe member who owns land within the watershed or land held in trust.

Authorizes the Secretary, in distributing grant funds, to give priority to watershed groups that represent maximum diversity of interest or serve subbasin-sized watersheds with an eight-digit hydrologic unit code. Sets forth usage and progress requirements for, procedures for awarding, and federal shares of the costs of first-, second-, and third-phase grants.

Requires: (1) annual reports by watershed groups to the Secretary on progress; and (2) reports every five years by the Secretary to specified congressional committees on Program benefits and effectiveness. 

Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2020.



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-16
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 999.
action_date: 2008-09-16
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-09-16
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-09-11
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2008-07-16
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 110-603.
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5206-5208)
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5206)
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Introduced in Senate