Bureau of Reclamation Transparency Act

Bill: 114-s-593
Sponsor: Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]
Introduced: 2015-02-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Appropriations
Congressional oversight
Dams and canals
Department of the Interior
Government information and archives
Infrastructure development
Water resources funding
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-26
text: 

Bureau of Reclamation Transparency Act

 
 Directs the Department of the Interior to submit to Congress, make publicly available, and biennially update an Asset Management Report that describes the Bureau of Reclamation's efforts to maintain in a reliable manner all reserved works (buildings, structures, facilities, or equipment owned by the Bureau for which operations and maintenance are performed by Bureau employees or through a contract with the Bureau) at Reclamation facilities (infrastructure assets that are owned by the Bureau at each Reclamation project owned by the Bureau) and to standardize and streamline data reporting and processes across regions and areas for the purpose of maintaining such works.
 
Requires such Report to include: (1) a detailed assessment of major repair and rehabilitation needs for all such works; and (2) an itemized list of major repair and rehabilitation needs of individual Reclamation facilities at each Reclamation project, including a budget level cost estimate of appropriations needed to complete each item and an assignment of a categorical rating for each item consistent with existing uniform categorization systems to inform the annual budget process and agency requirements.
 
Directs Interior to: (1) coordinate with the non-federal entities responsible for the operation and maintenance of transferred works (Reclamation facilities at which operations and maintenance are carried out by a non-federal entity under a formal agreement with the Bureau) in developing reporting requirements for Asset Management Reports regarding the condition of, and planned maintenance for, transferred works; and (2) develop and implement a categorical rating system for transferred works.
 
Reduces the maximum amount of the federal share of the cost of the Central Valley Water Recycling Project otherwise available as of the date of enactment of this Act by $2 million.

action_date: 2015-09-09
text: 

Bureau of Reclamation Transparency Act

 
 (Sec. 4) Directs the Department of the Interior to submit to Congress, make publicly available, and biennially update an Asset Management Report that describes the Bureau of Reclamation's efforts to maintain in a reliable manner all reserved works (buildings, structures, facilities, or equipment owned by the Bureau for which operations and maintenance are performed by Bureau employees or through a contract with the Bureau) at Reclamation facilities (infrastructure assets that are owned by the Bureau at each Reclamation project owned by the Bureau) and to standardize and streamline data reporting and processes across regions and areas for the purpose of maintaining such works.
 
Requires such Report to include: (1) a detailed assessment of major repair and rehabilitation needs for all such works; and (2) an itemized list of major repair and rehabilitation needs of individual Reclamation facilities at each Reclamation project, including a budget level cost estimate of appropriations needed to complete each item and an assignment of a categorical rating for each item consistent with existing uniform categorization systems to inform the annual budget process and agency requirements.
 
(Sec. 5) Directs Interior to: (1) coordinate with the non-federal entities responsible for the operation and maintenance of transferred works (Reclamation facilities at which operations and maintenance are carried out by a non-federal entity under a formal agreement with the Bureau) in developing reporting requirements for Asset Management Reports regarding major repair and rehabilitation needs for transferred works; and (2) develop and implement a categorical rating system for transferred works.
 
(Sec. 6) Reduces the maximum amount of the federal share of the cost of the Central Valley Water Recycling Project otherwise available as of the date of enactment of this Act by $2 million.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-09-09
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 208.
action_date: 2015-09-09
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski with amendments. With written report No. 114-128.
action_date: 2015-09-09
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski with amendments. With written report No. 114-128.
action_date: 2015-07-30
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
action_date: 2015-06-18
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Senate Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 114-399.
action_date: 2015-02-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-02-26
text: Introduced in Senate