Willamette River United Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative agreements with the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board to administer grants for recreation, historic, archeological, and cultural preservation or conservation projects. Specifies the general types of projects and specific projects for which grants may be made.
Prohibits grant funds from being used: (1) to support regulatory actions or mitigation thereof; or (2) for operations and maintenance costs.
Sets forth grant matching requirements.
Provides that: (1) private property owners located in the Willamette Basin are not required to participate in programs established under this Act; and (2) funds appropriated to carry out this Act may be used to purchase land only from willing sellers.
Requires private landowners voluntarily participating in this Act to permit access to their property to implement, inspect, monitor, or perform repairs or maintenance to funded projects.
Authorizes federal agencies with jurisdiction over U.S. natural resources or parks to: (1) use funds to provide assistance to the grant programs of the Board and OPRD when a private investment has been identified and private funds have been committed to a project and to provide financial assistance to Willamette River restoration, recreation, heritage and tourism efforts if the partner can demonstrate strong support in the community; and (2) enter into an agreement with the Board or OPRD to administer federal assistance.
[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3574 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3574
To continue the work to enhance access to the Willamette River that has
been initiated by the Willamette River Basin communities, State,
regional, local, and Indian tribal governments and non-government
partnerships, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 18, 2007
Ms. Hooley (for herself, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Blumenauer, and Mr. Wu)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To continue the work to enhance access to the Willamette River that has
been initiated by the Willamette River Basin communities, State,
regional, local, and Indian tribal governments and non-government
partnerships, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Willamette River
United Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Purposes.
Sec. 4. Definitions.
Sec. 5. Grant authorization.
Sec. 6. Private property protection and lack of regulatory effect.
Sec. 7. Tribal Rights and Interests.
Sec. 8. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 9. Agency partnership authorization.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The Willamette River basin has been inhabited by humans
for at least 12,000 years, providing natural resources for the
cultural life-ways for the Native American tribes of the
Willamette Valley, Euro-Americans, pioneers, and other
citizens. The area has sustained a cultural history that
predates the Ice Age Floods of Missoula, Montana.
(2) The Willamette River Basin comprises almost 12,000
square miles, is home to almost 70 percent of Oregon's
population, and generates approximately 75 percent of the
economic activity of the State.
(3) By 2050, an additional 1,700,000 people are expected to
inhabit the Willamette River Basin, bringing the total
population to approximately 4,000,000.
(4) The Willamette River is the 13th largest river, based
on stream flow and produces the most runoff for its land area
of any river in the Continental United States. Thirteen major
tributaries feed into the mainstem Willamette.
(5) The river and surrounding tributaries are home to a
wide variety of fish and wildlife. In particular, the river is
part of a migratory route for a variety of anadromous fish and
provides spawning grounds for coho salmon, lamprey, sturgeon,
spring and fall run chinook, and steelhead and cutthrout trout.
(6) The Willamette River is one of 14 rivers designated an
American Heritage River in 1998. The American Heritage Rivers
initiative is an innovative response to help river communities
that seek Federal assistance and other resources to meet tough
challenges, without imposing new regulations on private
property owners and businesses.
(7) State, local, and tribal governments and local private
for-profit and non-profit organizations have provided
significant resources and technical assistance to address
natural resource and environmental protection, economic
revitalization, archaeological resource protection, and
historic and cultural preservation through collaborative
partnerships.
(8) None of the accomplishments realized by the Willamette
River through the American Heritage Rivers initiative could
have occurred without the strong commitment of the Federal
Government agencies to facilitate cooperative conservation
actions that relate to use, enhancement, and enjoyment of
natural resources, protection of the environment, or both, and
that involve collaborative activity among Federal, State,
local, and tribal governments, private for-profit and nonprofit
institutions, other non-governmental entities and individuals.
(9) The natural resource federal agencies provide critical
studies, analysis, technical assistance and expertise such that
the scope of work that can be accomplished by local river
communities is limited when these agencies are not adequately
funded.
(10) Despite continued population growth, ongoing cleanup
efforts have resulted in improvement toward several measures of
watershed health, but more must be done to restore the river's
long-term health.
(11) Nature observation and sightseeing are among the
fastest growing recreation activities in the Willamette Basin,
increasing by 254 percent and 69 percent respectively, in the
last 15 years.
(12) The Willamette River is experiencing renewed
investments of State, regional, and non-government funding to
capitalize on this increasing interest in the river from
visitors and residents.
(13) Such investments include a $227,400,000 bond measure
voters approved in 2006 to protect natural areas and lands near
rivers and streams throughout the Portland metro region,
safeguarding the quality of water while managing the impacts of
growth and maintaining the area's quality of life for future
generations.
SEC. 3. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are:
(1) To continue the work to enhance access to the
Willamette River that has been initiated by the Willamette
River Basin communities, State, regional, local, and Indian
tribal governments and non-government partnerships, and for
other purposes.
(2) To assist the State of Oregon and the communities of
the Willamette River Basin in restoring, preserving,
protecting, promoting, and interpreting these historic,
recreational, and natural resources for the benefit of the
Nation.
(3) To authorize partnerships among Federal agencies,
State, local, and Indian tribal governments, local communities,
conservation organizations, and other non-Federal entities to
carry-out the above-mentioned purposes.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
For the purposes of this Act:
(1) Indian tribal governments.--The term ``Indian tribal
governments'' means the governing body of one or more of the
following federally recognized Indian tribes:
(A) The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde
Community of Oregon.
(B) The Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.
(C) The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian
Reservation.
(D) The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs
Reservation of Oregon.
(E) The Nez Perce Tribe.
(F) The Yakama Indian Nation.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(3) Willamette river.--The term ``Willamette River'' means
the approximately 187 miles from the headwaters at three
separate forks, (Middle, North and Coast Forks in the mountains
south and southeast of Eugene) at the southern end of the
Willamette Valley to the confluence with the Columbia River at
St. Helens (north of Portland).
(4) Willamette river tributaries.--The term ``Willamette
River Tributaries'' includes Calapooia, Clackamas, Coast Fork
Willamette, Long Tom, Luckiamute, McKenzie, Marys, Middle Fork
Willamette, Molalla, Pudding, Santiam, Tualatin, and Yamhill
rivers.
(5) Willamette river basin.--The term ``Willamette River
Basin'' means the area in which all surface water,
approximately 11,000 miles of wetlands, creeks, streams, and
rivers feed the Willamette River mainstem flows from its
headwaters in the Cascades and Coast Range.
(6) Conservation projects.--The term ``conservation
projects'' includes--
(A) projects to restore and protect the natural
hydrologic functions of the Willamette River Basin;
(B) projects to restore and protect habitat for
aquatic, riparian, wetland, and upland flora and fauna;
(C) acquisition from willing sellers of
conservation easements or title to land; and
(D) projects to restore and protect water quality.
SEC. 5. GRANT AUTHORIZATION.
(a) Authorization; Cooperative Agreement.--The Secretary shall
enter into cooperative agreements with the Oregon Parks and Recreation
Department and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board to provide for
those entities to administer the grant program authorized by this
section.
(b) Eligible Projects.--Grants under this section may be made for
recreation, historic, archaeological, and cultural preservation or
conservation projects that--
(1) provide restroom, dock, and trash facilities along the
river;
(2) provide safety education;
(3) provide bicycle, pedestrian, and water trail signs on
Willamette River and signs to commercial districts off the
river;
(4) provide non-motorized craft acquisition for State
agency enforcement and river education;
(5) design, plan, create, or complete bicycle, pedestrian,
and water trails and bridges, recreation areas, parks, and
conservation and wildlife reserves on and along the Willamette
River and its tributaries and enrich their experiences;
(6) enhance recreation, conservation, interpretation, and
tourism to draw people to the Willamette River;
(7) employ improved technologies, innovative partnerships,
wetlands creation, and other creative devices to reduce
pollution;
(8) restore, enhance, and protect water quality and
watershed health and function through restoration and
improvements by watershed councils, conservation districts,
special districts, private land owners, tribal governments,
local governments, and non-profit and non-governmental
organizations, including research activities to better
understand the ecosystem needs to restore fish and wildlife;
(9) provide outreach and education to promote and foster
resource stewardship and to build social capacity to sustain
and support environmental improvements;
(10) acquire, under priorities and eligibility conditions
of the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan or of
the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board's Acquisitions program,
interests in land, including easements, for the purposes of
bike, pedestrian trails, parks, fish and wildlife habitat,
conservation projects, and ecological restoration, including
aquatic ecological restoration along the Willamette River and
its tributaries;
(11) design of park and recreation and conservation
projects, including the mapping, data collection, engineering,
analysis of biology, hydrology and soils, and other technical
evaluation;
(12) outreach to demonstrate the value of coordination and
collaboration among communities pursuing common objectives
along the length of the Willamette River; and
(13) outreach to interested and affected communities to
solicit involvement in and to explain the projects authorized
by this Act.
(c) Specific Eligible Grant Projects.--Examples of grants that may
be considered for these purposes include the following:
(1) South Waterfront Greenway in Portland.
(2) Salem Downtown Parks Connections Conversion.
(3) Willamette River national heritage area study to be
conducted by National Park Service.
(4) Wilsonville Park to Boat Works Park pedestrian-bike
bridge.
(d) Limitations.--Funds made available through grants made under
this Act may not be used--
(1) to support regulatory actions or mitigation thereof; or
(2) for operations and maintenance costs.
(e) Matching Requirements.--Projects funded with grants made under
this Act shall have Federal, State, Tribal, regional, local, or private
funding commitment based on grant authorization matching requirements
of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department or the Oregon Watershed
Enhancement Board. Grants made under this Act for implementation shall
require at least a 35 percent match from grantees. In-kind service may
qualify as fulfillment of the 35 percent matching requirement and
special consideration may be given to communities that can demonstrate
local capacity building. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department or
Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board may issue a rule by which the
requirement under this subsection may be waived in whole or in part for
land acquisition.
(f) Cooperative Agreement.--Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
and Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board shall enter into a cooperative
agreement to eliminate redundancy and enhance coordination to
administer the grant program authorized by this section.
SEC. 6. PRIVATE PROPERTY PROTECTION AND LACK OF REGULATORY EFFECT.
(a) Recognition of Authority to Control Land Use.--Nothing in this
Act modifies any authority of Federal, State, or local governments to
regulate land use.
(b) Voluntary Participation of Private Property Owners Only.--
Nothing in this Act requires the owner of any private property located
in the Willamette Basin to participate in the land conservation,
financial, or technical assistance or any other programs established
under this Act.
(c) Purchase of Land or Interests in Land From Willing Sellers
Only.--Funds appropriated to carry out this Act may be used to purchase
land or interests in land only from willing sellers.
(d) Access to Private Property of Participating Landowners.--
Private property landowners voluntarily participating in this Act shall
permit access (including Federal, State, or local government access) to
their property, at times agreeable to the landowner, to implement,
inspect, monitor, or perform repairs or maintenance to projects funded
under this Act.
(e) Liability.--Nothing in this Act creates any liability, or has
any effect on liability under any other law, of a private property
owner voluntarily participating in this Act with respect to any persons
injured on the private property.
SEC. 7. TRIBAL RIGHTS AND INTERESTS.
Nothing in this Act creates, alters, adjusts, or diminishes any
treaty right or other right or interest of any Indian tribal
government.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There is authorized to the Secretary $10,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2018, to remain available until
expended. Of this amount $100,000 shall be available in each fiscal
year to Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality for reducing
sources of pollution in the Willamette River. Of the remainder, the
Secretary shall distribute 50 percent to the Oregon Parks and
Recreation Department and 50 percent to the Oregon Watershed
Enhancement Board to carry out this Act.
(b) Administrative Costs.--In addition to amounts authorized under
subsection (a), there is authorized to be appropriated such funds as
may be necessary for the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and the
Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board to administer the grant program.
SEC. 9. AGENCY PARTNERSHIP AUTHORIZATION.
Federal agencies with administrative jurisdiction over natural
resources or parks of the United States, such as the National Marine
Fisheries Service, the Department of the Interior, the Forest Service,
United States Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Geologic
Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Environmental
Protection Agency, and the Army Corps of Engineers may--
(1) use funds not otherwise obligated to provide--
(A) technical and financial assistance, engineering
and hydrology studies, and other assistance to the
grant programs of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement
Board and the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
when a private investment has been identified and
private funds committed to that project; and
(B) financial assistance to Willamette River
restoration, recreation, heritage and tourism efforts
if the private or public partner can demonstrate strong
support in the community; and
(2) enter into an agreement with Oregon Watershed
Enhancement Board or Oregon Parks and Recreation Department to
administer the Federal assistance but does not obligate the
State agencies to any unfunded Federal authorization.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line