Instructions: In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
Input: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Rio Puerco Watershed Act of 1994''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds that--
(1) over time, extensive ecological changes have occurred
in the Rio Puerco watershed, including--
(A) erosion of agricultural and range lands;
(B) impairment of waters due to heavy
sedimentation;
(C) reduced productivity of renewable resources;
(D) loss of biological diversity;
(E) loss of functioning riparian areas; and
(F) loss of available surface water;
(2) damage to the watershed has seriously affected the
economic and cultural well-being of its inhabitants,
including--
(A) loss of existing communities that were based on
the land and were self-sustaining; and
(B) adverse effects on the traditions, customs, and
cultures of the affected communities;
(3) a healthy and sustainable ecosystem is essential to the
long-term economic and cultural viability of the region;
(4) the impairment of the Rio Puerco watershed has damaged
the ecological and economic well-being of the area below the
junction of the Rio Puerco with the Rio Grande including--
(A) disruption of ecological processes;
(B) water quality impairment;
(C) significant reduction in the water storage
capacity and life expectancy of the Elephant Butte Dam
and Reservoir system due to sedimentation;
(D) chronic problems of irrigation system channel
maintenance; and
(E) increased risk of flooding caused by sediment
accumulation;
(5) the Rio Puerco is a major tributary of the Rio Grande
and the coordinated implementation of ecosystem-based best
management practices for the Rio Puerco system could benefit
the larger Rio Grande system;
(6) the Rio Puerco watershed has been stressed from the
loss of native vegetation, introduction of exotic species, and
alteration of riparian habitat which have disrupted the
original dynamics of the river and disrupted natural ecological
processes;
(7) the Rio Puerco watershed is a mosaic of private,
Federal, tribal trust, and State land ownership with diverse,
sometimes differing management objectives;
(8) development, implementation, and monitoring of an
effective watershed management program for the Rio Puerco
watershed requires cooperation among--
(A) the Bureau of Land Management;
(B) the Rio Puerco Watershed Committee;
(C) the National Forest Service;
(D) the Pueblos of Acoma, Isleta, Jemez, and
Laguna;
(E) the Eastern and Canoncito Bands of the Navajo
nation;
(F) the Jicarilla Apache Tribe;
(G) the Bureau of Reclamation;
(H) the Geological Survey;
(I) the Bureau of Indian Affairs;
(J) the Fish and Wildlife Service;
(K) the Soil and Conservation Service;
(L) the Army Corps of Engineers;
(M) the National Park Service;
(N) the State of New Mexico;
(O) private landowners;
(P) local and regional governmental entities;
(Q) other interested citizens; and
(R) affected local soil and water conservation
districts;
(9) the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the
Director of the Bureau of Land Management, in consultation with
the entities listed in paragraph (7), and in cooperation with
the Rio Puerco Watershed Committee, is best suited to
coordinate management efforts in the Rio Puerco watershed; and
(10) accelerating the pace of improvement in Rio Puerco
watershed on a coordinated, cooperative basis will benefit
persons living in the watershed as well as downstream users on
the Rio Grande.

SEC. 3. MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the
Bureau of Land Management and in consultation with the Rio Puerco
Management Committee established pursuant to section 4, shall--
(1) establish a clearinghouse for research and information
on management within the Rio Puerco watershed, as described in
the attached map, including--
(A) current and historical natural resource
conditions;
(B) data concerning the extent and causes of
watershed impairment; and
(C) implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of
best management practices initiated within the
watershed; and
(2) provide support to the Rio Puerco Management Committee
to identify objectives, coordinate implementation of best
management practices, and monitor results.
(b) Rio Puerco Management Plan.--Not later than 2 years after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the
Rio Puerco Management Committee, shall prepare a plan for the
restoration of the Rio Puerco watershed. The plan shall--
(1) identify reasonable and appropriate goals and
objectives for landowners and managers in the Rio Puerco
watershed;
(2) describe potential alternative actions to meet the
goals and objectives, including proven best management
practices and costs associated with implementing the actions;
(3) recommend voluntary implementation of appropriate best
management practices on both public and private lands;
(4) provide for cooperative development of management
guidelines for maintaining and improving the ecological,
cultural, and economic conditions on both public and private
lands;
(5) provide for the development of public participation and
community outreach programs that would include proposals for--
(A) cooperative efforts with private landowners to
encourage implementation of best management practices
within the watershed; and
(B) involving private citizens in restoring the
watershed;
(6) provide for the development of proposals for voluntary
cooperative programs among the Rio Puerco Management Committee
membership to implement best management practices in a
coordinated, consistent, and cost-effective manner;
(7) provide for the encouragement and support
implementation of best management practices on private lands;
and
(8) provide for the development of proposals for a
monitoring system that--
(A) builds upon existing data available from
private, Federal, and State sources;
(B) provides for the coordinated collection,
evaluation, and interpretation of additional data as
needed or collected; and
(C) will provide information to--
(i) assess existing resource and
socioeconomic conditions;
(ii) identify priority implementation
actions; and
(iii) assess the effectiveness of actions
taken.
(c) Additional Assistance.--If the Secretary of the Interior
determines that employment of additional personnel is necessary to
carry out this Act, the Secretary shall, where feasible, employ
individuals who reside in the vicinity of the Rio Puerco watershed
restoration area.

SEC. 4. RIO PUERCO MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.

(a) Establishment.--There is established the Rio Puerco Management
Committee (referred to in this section as the ''Committee'').
(b) Membership.--The Committee shall be convened by a
representative of the Bureau of Land Management, and shall include
representatives from--
(1) the Rio Puerco Watershed Committee;
(2) affected tribes and pueblos;
(3) the National Forest Service of the Department of
Agriculture;
(4) the Bureau of Reclamation;
(5) the Geological Survey;
(6) the Bureau of Indian Affairs;
(7) the Fish and Wildlife Service;
(8) the Army Corps of Engineers;
(9) the Soil and Conservation Service of the Department of
Agriculture;
(10) the State of New Mexico, including the New Mexico
Environment Department and the State Engineer;
(11) affected local Soil and Water Conservation Districts;
(12) the Elephant Butte Irrigation District;
(13) private landowners; and
(14) other interested citizens.
(c) Duties.--The Rio Puerco Management Committee shall--
(1) advise the Secretary of the Interior, acting through
the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, on the
development and implementation of the Rio Puerco Management
Program described in section 3; and
(2) serve as a forum for information about activities that
may affect or further the development and implementation of the
best management practices described in section 3.

SEC. 5. REPORT.

Two years after the date of enactment of this Act, and biennially
thereafter, the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Rio
Puerco Management Committee, shall transmit to the Committee on Energy
and Natural Resources of the Senate and to the Committee on Natural
Resources of the House of Representatives a report containing--
(1) a summary of accomplishments as outlined in section 3;
and
(2) proposals for joint implementation efforts, including
funding recommendations.

SEC. 6. LOWER RIO GRANDE HABITAT STUDY.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the
Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service shall, in cooperation with
the States of New Mexico and Texas, conduct a study of the Rio Grande
from Caballo Lake to the Gulf of Mexico. The study shall include--
(1) a survey of the current habitat conditions of the river
and its riparian environment;
(2) identification of the changes in vegetation and habitat
over the past 400 years and the affect of the changes on the
river and riparian area; and
(3) an assessment of the feasibility, benefits, and
problems associated with activities to prevent further habitat
loss and restoration of habitat through reintroduction or
establishment of appropriate native plant species.
(b) Transmittal.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which
funds are made available to carry out this Act, the Secretary shall
transmit the study authorized by this section to the Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and to the Committee on
Natural Resources of the House of Representatives.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary
to carry out this Act, and to implement the plan prepared pursuant to
section 3(b).
Output:
Rio Puerco Watershed Act of 1994 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) establish a clearinghouse for research and information on the management of the Rio Puerco Watershed; and (2) provide support to the Rio Puerco Management Committee to identify objectives, coordinate implementation of best management practices, and monitor results concerning the watershed's management. Directs the Secretary to prepare a plan for the restoration of such watershed.
Establishes the Rio Puerco Management Committee to: (1) advise the Secretary on the development and implementation of the management program; and (2) serve as a forum of information concerning the watershed and implementation of best management practices.
Directs the Secretary to: (1) report to specified congressional committees on the implementation of this Act; and (2) study and report to such committees on the Rio Grande from Caballo Lake to the Gulf of Mexico.
Authorizes appropriations.