Columbia River In-Lieu and Treaty Fishing Access Sites Improvement Act

Bill: 114-s-3222
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2016-07-14
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Electric power generation and transmission

Environmental assessment, monitoring, research

Government studies and investigations

Hunting and fishing

Indian lands and resources rights

Oregon

Solid waste and recycling

Water quality

Water use and supply
Latest action: action_date: 2016-09-14
text: Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 114-539.

Summaries:
action_date: 2016-07-14
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Columbia River In-Lieu and Treaty Fishing Access Sites Improvement Act</b></p> <p>This bill authorizes the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to assess sanitation and safety conditions on BIA land set aside to provide Columbia River Treaty tribes access to traditional fishing grounds. No other federal agency may carry out this assessment.</p> The BIA may enter into contracts with tribes or tribal organizations to improve sanitation, safety conditions, and access to electricity, sewer, and water infrastructure on this land.

tv_txt: II 114th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 3222 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 14, 2016 Mr. Merkley (for himself, Mr. Wyden , Mrs. Murray , and Ms. Cantwell ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs A BILL To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to assess sanitation and safety conditions at Bureau of Indian Affairs facilities that were constructed to provide treaty tribes access to traditional fishing grounds and expend funds on construction of facilities and structures to improve those conditions, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Columbia River In-Lieu and Treaty Fishing Access Sites Improvement Act . 2. Sanitation and safety conditions at certain Bureau of Indian Affairs facilities (a) Assessment of conditions The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, in consultation with the affected Columbia River Treaty Tribes, may assess current sanitation and safety conditions on lands owned by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, including all permanent Federal structures and improvements on those lands, that were set aside to provide treaty tribes access to traditional fishing grounds— (1) in accordance with the Act of March 2, 1945 (59 Stat. 10, chapter 19) (commonly known as the River and Harbor Act of 1945 ); or (2) in accordance with title IV of Public Law 100–581 (102 Stat. 2944). (b) Exclusive authorization; contracts The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Indian Affairs— (1) shall be the only Federal agency authorized to carry out the activities described in this section; and (2) may delegate the authority to carry out activities described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (c) through one or more contracts entered into with an Indian tribe or tribal organization under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act ( 25 U.S.C. 450 et seq. ). (c) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior such sums as are necessary, to remain available until expended— (1) for improvements to existing structures and infrastructure to improve sanitation and safety conditions assessed under subsection (a); and (2) to improve access to electricity, sewer, and water infrastructure, where feasible, to reflect needs for sanitary and safe use of facilities referred to in subsection (a).