Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of the Interior (Secretaries), in response to the declaration of a state of drought emergency in California, to provide the maximum quantity of water supplies possible to Central Valley Project (CVP) and Klamath Project agricultural, municipal and industrial, and refuge service and repayment contractors, State Water Project contractors, and any other locality or municipality in California.
Sets forth actions to be taken to increase water supply, including: (1) authorizing actions to provide for real time operations of the Delta Cross Channel Gates to provide water supply and quality standards and ecosystem benefits for the duration of the drought, (2) implementing the San Joaquin River inflow-to-export ratio established by the National Marine Fisheries Service, (3) maintaining all rescheduled water supplies held in the San Luis Reservoir and Millerton Reservoir for all water users, (4) making WaterSMART grant funding administered by the Bureau of Reclamation available for eligible projects on a priority and expedited basis, and (5) issuing proposed rules to update stormwater regulations for urban and suburban runoff sources and guidance on use of rainwater capture.
Makes emergency appropriations in FY2014 for water supply projects and assistance under the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991.
Requires the National Resources Conservation Service to provide water supply planning assistance in preparation for and in response to dry, critically dry, and below normal water year types to any state water agency requesting such assistance.
Directs the Secretary of Commerce to treat the California emergency drought declaration as a request for a determination under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act that there is a commercial fisheries failure and catastrophic regional fishery disaster for fisheries that originate in California.
Requires federal agency heads to consult with the Council on Environmental Quality to develop alternative arrangements to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).
Directs the EPA Administrator to prioritize projects under state water pollution control revolving funds to provide water to areas at risk of having an inadequate supply of water for public health and safety purposes.
Fixing Operations of Reservoirs to Encompass Climatic and Atmospheric Science Trends for Emergency Droughts Act or the FORECASTED Act - Requires the Secretary of the Army, not later than one year after a request of a non-federal sponsor of a reservoir, to review the operation of such reservoir, including the water control manual and rule curves, using improved weather forecasts and run-off forecasting methods, including the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction System of the National Weather Service and the Hydrometeorology Testbed program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Requires the Secretary to determine if a change in operations will improve core functions of the Army Corps of Engineers, including: (1) reducing risks to human life, public safety, and property; (2) reducing the need for future disaster relief; (3) improving local water storage capability and reliability in coordination with the non-federal sponsor and other water users; (4) restoring, protecting, or mitigating the impacts of a water resources development project on the environment; or (5) improving fish species habitat or population within the boundaries and downstream of a water resources project.
Requires the Secretary, upon the declaration of a state drought emergency, to use no more than 90 days in complying with all provisions of this Act and to make use of the emergency provisions of the Council on Environmental Quality guidelines to expedite the delivery of water supplies to address emergency drought conditions.
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer to the Secretary of Agriculture emergency supplemental appropriations to provide: (1) drought assistance to agricultural producers and for mitigation activities related to drought and wildfire hazards, (2) emergency community water assistance grants to address impacts of drought, and (3) grants to assist low-income migrant and seasonal farm workers affected by drought and for forest restoration.
Requires: (1) the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy to determine the amount of water diverted for marijuana cultivation in each of the high intensity drug trafficking areas within the state of California, and (2) the EPA Administrator to assign additional criminal investigators to such trafficking areas.
Declares that nothing in this Act: (1) preempts any state law, including area of origin and other water rights protections; or (2) diminishes the water, fishing, or other rights of Indian tribes or the obligations of the United States to assert and protect such rights.
Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to expand federal emergency assistance to provide for disaster unemployment, emergency nutrition, and crisis counseling assistance.
Amends the Klamath Basin Water Supply Enhancement Act of 2000 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to take actions to reduce water consumption or demand or to restore ecosystems in the Klamath Basin watershed, including tribal fishery resources held in trust.
Directs the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, not later than January 1, 2016, in consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, to prepare a California salmon drought plan.
Amends the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cost-shared financial assistance agreements with non-federal entities in Reclamation States and Hawaii for the planning, design, and construction of permanent water storage and conveyance facilities used solely to regulate and maximize water supplies..
Directs the President to update the National Response Plan and the National Disaster Recovery Framework to include a plan for catastrophic drought.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4239 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4239
To provide drought assistance to the State of California and other
affected western States.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 13, 2014
Mr. Huffman (for himself, Mr. George Miller of California, Mr.
Garamendi, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Thompson of California, Mrs. Napolitano,
Mr. McNerney, Ms. Matsui, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Farr, Ms. Speier, Mr. Bera of
California, Mr. Vargas, Mr. Lowenthal, Mr. Peters of California, Mr.
Swalwell of California, and Mr. Cartwright) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in
addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, the
Budget, Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, and the Judiciary, 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 provide drought assistance to the State of California and other
affected western States.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) As established in the Proclamation of a State of
Emergency issued by the Governor of the State of California on
January 17, 2014, California is experiencing record dry
conditions. Extremely dry conditions have persisted since 2012,
2014 is projected to become the driest year on record, and such
dry conditions are likely to persist beyond this year and more
regularly into the future.
(2) The water supplies of the State of California are at
record-low levels, as indicated by a statewide average snowpack
of 12 percent of the normal average for winter as of February
1, 2014.
(3) The 2014 drought constitutes a serious emergency posing
immediate and severe risks to human life and safety and to the
environment throughout northern, central, and southern
California.
(4) Federal law and implementing regulations directly
authorize expedited decisionmaking procedures and environmental
and public review procedures to enable timely and appropriate
implementation of actions to respond to this type and severity
of emergency.
(5) The emergency requires an immediate and credible
response that respects State, local, and tribal law. That the
policies that respond to the drought should not pit region
against region, or stakeholders against one another.
(6) It is the policy of the United States to respect
California's coequal goals, established by the Delta Reform Act
of 2009, of providing a more reliable water supply for
California and protecting, restoring, and enhancing the Delta
ecosystem. These coequal goals shall be achieved in a manner
that protects and enhances the unique cultural, recreational,
natural resource, and agricultural values of the Delta as an
evolving place.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Central valley project.--The term ``Central Valley
Project'' has the meaning given the term in section 3403 of the
Central Valley Project Improvement Act (106 Stat. 4707).
(2) Klamath project.--The term ``Klamath Project'' means
the Bureau of Reclamation project in the States of California
and Oregon--
(A) as authorized under the Act of June 17, 1902
(32 Stat. 388, chapter 1093); and
(B) as described in--
(i) title II of the Oregon Resource
Conservation Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-208;
110 Stat. 3009-532); and
(ii) the Klamath Basin Water Supply
Enhancement Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-498;
114 Stat. 2221).
(3) Reclamation project.--The term ``Reclamation Project''
means a project constructed pursuant to the authorities of the
reclamation laws and whose facilities are wholly or partially
located in the State.
(4) Secretaries.--The term ``Secretaries'' means--
(A) the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency;
(B) the Secretary of Commerce; and
(C) the Secretary of the Interior.
(5) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of
California, and any other State where the Governor declares a
State of drought emergency in calendar year 2014.
(6) State water project.--The term ``State Water Project''
means the water project described by California Water Code
section 11550 et seq., and operated by the California
Department of Water Resources.
SEC. 3. EMERGENCY PROJECTS.
(a) In General.--In response to the declaration of a state of
drought emergency by the Governor of the State, the Secretaries shall
provide the maximum quantity of water supplies possible to Central
Valley Project and Klamath Project agricultural, municipal and
industrial, and refuge service and repayment contractors, State Water
Project contractors, and any other locality or municipality in the
State consistent with existing law, including among other things
applicable laws and regulations, water quality standards, biological
opinions, and court orders.
(b) Mandate.--In carrying out subsection (a), the applicable agency
heads described in that subsection shall, consistent with existing law,
including among other things applicable laws and regulations, water
quality standards, biological opinions, and court orders--
(1) authorize and implement actions to provide for real
time operations of the Delta Cross Channel Gates, with
operations determined by the California State Water Resources
Control Board, National Marine Fisheries Service, and
California Department of Fish and Wildlife to provide water
supply, water quality, and ecosystem benefits for the duration
of the State's drought emergency declaration;
(2) collect data associated with the operation of the Delta
Cross Channel Gates described in paragraph (1) and its impact
on species listed as threatened or endangered under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), water
quality, and water supply;
(3) implement turbidity monitoring and control strategies
that may allow for increased water deliveries while avoiding
potential jeopardy to adult delta smelt (Hypomesus
transpacificus) due to entrainment at Central Valley Project
and State Water Project pumping plants;
(4) implement the San Joaquin River inflow to export ratio
called for in the biological opinion issued by the National
Marine Fisheries Service on June 4, 2009, including the drought
provisions of that biological opinion. If inflows from the San
Joaquin River as measured at Vernalis fall below the level that
would permit exports to meet public health and safety needs,
exports may exceed the ratio, consistent with the biological
opinion;
(5) allow North of Delta water service contractors with
unused 2013 Central Valley Project contract supplies to take
delivery of those unused supplies through April 15, 2014, if--
(A) the contractor requests the extension; and
(B) the requesting contractor certifies that,
without the extension, the contractor would have
insufficient supplies to adequately meet water delivery
obligations;
(6) maintain all rescheduled water supplies held in the San
Luis Reservoir and Millerton Reservoir for all water users for
delivery in the immediately following contract water year
unless precluded by reservoir storage capacity limitations;
(7) to the maximum extent possible based on the
availability of water and without causing land subsidence--
(A) meet the contract water supply needs of Central
Valley Project refuges through the improvement or
installation of wells to use ground water resources of
suitable water quality, which activities may be
accomplished by using funding made available under
section 4 of this Act or the Water Assistance Program
of the WaterSMART program of the Department of the
Interior;
(B) make a quantity of Central Valley Project
surface water obtained from the measures implemented
under subparagraph (A) available to Central Valley
Project contractors; and
(C) to assist in meeting incremental Level 4 needs
of CVP refuges, purchase water from willing sellers
using funding made available under section 4 of this
Act or the Water Assistance Program or the WaterSMART
program of the Department of the Interior;
(8) make WaterSMART grant funding administered by the
Bureau of Reclamation available for eligible projects within
the State on a priority and expedited basis--
(A) to provide emergency drinking and municipal
water supplies to localities in a quantity necessary to
meet public health and safety needs;
(B) to reduce water demand on irrigated lands;
(C) to minimize economic losses resulting from
drought conditions; and
(D) to provide innovative water conservation tools
and technology for agriculture and urban water use that
can have immediate water supply benefits;
(9) require the Commissioner of Reclamation, in conjunction
with the chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service,
to identify projects in the State that do not need Federal or
State permitting which can maximize water use efficiencies,
prioritized by the cost effectiveness of the efficiencies
gained, to inform the funding provided under subsection
(3)(b)(10);
(10) for reserve works only, authorize any annual operation
and maintenance deficits owed to the Federal Government and
incurred due to delivery of contract water supplies to a
Central Valley Project or Klamath Project agricultural or
municipal water service contractor during each fiscal year the
State emergency drought declaration is in force, to be repaid
to the Federal Government over a period of not less than 3
years at the project interest rate, notwithstanding section 106
of Public Law 99-546 (100 Stat. 3052);
(11) issue proposed rules to update stormwater regulations
for urban (municipal) and suburban runoff sources, including
strong green infrastructure-based requirements for retention of
stormwater runoff;
(12) approve petitions requesting the EPA to use its
residual designation authority to require commercial,
industrial, and institutional land uses to control runoff that
contributes pollution to rivers, lakes, and beaches;
(13) issue guidance on use of rainwater capture, including
technical guidance on treatment needs and options for different
end uses, to better promote use of rainwater capture and on-
site reuse; and
(14) implement authorized proposals to upgrade or replace
hydropower turbines that improve cold water fish habitat at
Central Valley Project facilities.
(c) Other Agencies.--To the extent that they have any role in
approving projects to increase water supply projects under subsections
(a) and (b), the provisions of this section shall apply to all other
Federal agencies.
(d) Accelerated Project Decision and Elevation.--
(1) In general.--Upon the request of the State, the heads
of Federal agencies shall use the expedited procedures under
this subsection to make final decisions relating to a Federal
project to provide additional water supplies pursuant to
subsections (a) and (b), consistent with existing law,
including among other things applicable laws and regulations,
water quality standards, biological opinions, court orders, and
section 7 of this Act.
(2) Request for resolution.--Upon the request of the State,
the head of an agency referred to in subsection (a) or the head
of another Federal agency responsible for carrying out a review
of a project, as applicable, the Secretary of the Interior
shall convene a final project decision meeting with the heads
of all relevant Federal agencies to decide whether to approve a
project to provide emergency water supplies.
(3) Decision.--
(A) The Secretary of the Interior shall hold a
meeting requested under this subsection within 7 days
of receiving the meeting request; and
(B) the head of the relevant Federal agency shall
issue a final decision on the project within 10 days of
the meeting request.
(4) Notification.--Upon receipt of a request for a meeting
under this subsection, the Secretary of the Interior shall
notify the heads of all relevant Federal agencies of the
request, including the project to be reviewed and the date for
the meeting.
(5) Convention by secretary.--The Secretary may convene a
final project decision meeting under this subsection at any
time, at the discretion of the Secretary, regardless of whether
a meeting is requested under paragraph (2).
(e) Termination of Authority.--The authority under this section
expires on the date on which the Governor of the State suspends the
state of drought emergency declaration or the end of 2016, whichever is
earlier.
SEC. 4. EMERGENCY APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Appropriation.--There is hereby appropriated for fiscal year
2014, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, a
total amount of $255,000,000, to remain available until the end of the
period during which the State's emergency drought designation is in
effect, to be allocated among the following purposes:
(1) For ``Department of the Interior--Bureau of
Reclamation--Water and Related Resources'' for eligible
projects within the State, on a priority and expedited basis,
that--
(A) create drought-tolerant water supplies by
implementing water reclamation and reuse projects
authorized under title XVI of Public Law 102-575; and
(B) optimize and conserve water supplies through
the WaterSMART program, including--
(i) by replacing water consuming products
or functions with waterless devices or
technologies that perform the same function;
and
(ii) by installing districtwide or on-farm
water efficiency and conservation technologies,
including behavioral water efficiency, system
modernizations including leak repair and SCADA
systems, and other technologies that have been
proven to provide improvements in water use
efficiency through the verification of a third
party; and
(iii) water efficiency projects for managed
wetlands to improve water conveyance
infrastructure, level ponds to reduce the
amount of water required to flood them, or
install water recirculation systems.
(2) For assistance under the Reclamation States Emergency
Drought Relief Act of 1991 (43 U.S.C. 2201 et seq.) and any
other applicable Federal law (including regulations) for the
optimization and conservation of water supplies to assist
drought-plagued areas of the West. Such assistance may
include--
(A) the installation of ground water wells as
requested by the managers of wildlife refuges;
(B) the purchase or assistance in the purchase of
water from willing sellers;
(C) conservation projects providing water supply
benefits in the short term and reducing demand in the
long term;
(D) exchanges with any water districts willing to
provide water to meet other districts' emergency water
needs in return for the future delivery of equivalent
amounts of water in the same year or in future years;
(E) maintenance of cover crops to prevent public
health impacts from severe dust storms;
(F) emergency pumping projects for critical health
and safety purposes;
(G) the use of new or innovative water on-farm
conservation technologies or methods that may assist in
sustaining permanent crops in areas with severe water
shortages;
(H) technical assistance to improve existing
irrigation practices to provide water supply benefits;
and
(I) activities to mitigate the impacts of the
drought and this Act on threatened and endangered fish
and wildlife.
(3) For ``Department of Agriculture--Rural Utilities
Service--Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program Account'', not
less than $5,000,000 for the cost of direct and guaranteed
loans and grants for the rural water, wastewater, and waste
disposal programs authorized by sections 306 and 310B or
described in section 381E(d)(2) of the Consolidated Farm and
Rural Development Act within the State.
(4) For ``Environmental Protection Agency--State and Tribal
Assistance Grants''--
(A) not less than $30,000,000 for capitalization
grants for the Clean Water State Revolving Funds under
title VI of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33
U.S.C. 1381 et seq.) within the State; and
(B) not less than $15,000,000 for capitalization
grants for the Drinking Water State Revolving Funds
under section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42
U.S.C. 300j-12) within the State.
(5) For ``Department of Justice--Drug Enforcement
Administration'', not less than $3,000,000 for the Domestic
Cannabis Eradication and Suppression Program to assist State or
local law enforcement agencies in the suppression of cannabis
operations that are conducted on public lands or that
intentionally trespass on the property of another that also
divert, redirect, obstruct, drain, or impound water supply.
(6) For ``Land and Water Conservation Fund'', not less than
$50,000,000 shall be provided to the Department of the Interior
and U.S. Forest Service for the implementation of projects
under the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 in
drought-affected States that reduce fire risk, improve water
quality or downstream water quantity, or expand ground water
recharge capacity.
(b) Emergency Designation.--The amount under this section is
designated by Congress as being for emergency requirements pursuant to
section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2)(A)(i)).
SEC. 5. DROUGHT PLANNING ASSISTANCE.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the
Natural Resources Conservation Service, shall provide water supply
planning assistance in preparation for and in response to dry,
critically dry, and below normal water year types to any water agency
in the State who has requested it.
(b) Types of Assistance.--Assistance under subsection (a) shall
include--
(1) hydrological forecasting;
(2) assessment of water supply sources under different
water year classification types;
(3) identification of alternative water supply sources;
(4) guidance on potential water transfer partners;
(5) technical assistance regarding Federal and State
permits and contracts under the Act of February 21, 1911 (36
Stat. 925, chapter 141) (commonly known as the ``Warren Act'');
(6) installation of districtwide or on-farm water
efficiency and conservation technologies, including behavioral
water efficiency, system modernizations including leak repair
and SCADA systems, and other technologies that have been proven
to provide improvements in water use efficiency through the
verification of a third party;
(7) technical assistance regarding emergency provision of
water supplies for critical health and safety purposes; and
(8) activities carried out in conjunction with the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Integrated
Drought Information System, and the State partners of the
National Integrated Drought Information System under the
National Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006 (15
U.S.C. 313d)--
(A) to collect and integrate key indicators of
drought severity and impacts; and
(B) to produce and communicate timely monitoring
and forecast information to local and regional
communities, including the San Joaquin Valley, the
Delta, the Central Coast, the Klamath River Basin, and
the Trinity River Basin.
SEC. 6. FISHERIES DISASTER DECLARATION.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Commerce shall treat the
Proclamation of a State Emergency and associated Executive order issued
by the Governor of California on January 17, 2014, as a request for the
Secretary to determine under sections 312(a) and 315 of the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1861a(a) and
1864) that there is a commercial fisheries failure and catastrophic
regional fishery disaster, respectively, for fisheries that originate
in the State of California.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress that if the
drought conditions continue as projected and negatively impact the
fisheries originating in the State of California, and the communities
and industries that depend on them, then the Secretary--
(1) should look favorably upon such request; and
(2) should immediately propose regulations to provide
disaster assistance, funds, and other assistance under, and
otherwise implement, such sections with respect to such
request, to ensure timely relief for impacted parties.
SEC. 7. EMERGENCY ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS.
To minimize the time spent carrying out environmental reviews and
to deliver water quickly that is needed to address emergency drought
conditions in the State, if necessary, the head of each applicable
Federal agency shall, in carrying out this Act, consult with the
Council on Environmental Quality in accordance with section 1506.11 of
title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (including successor regulations)
to develop alternative arrangements to comply with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) during the
emergency.
SEC. 8. STATE REVOLVING FUNDS.
The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, in
allocating amounts for each of the fiscal years during which the
State's emergency drought declaration is in force to State water
pollution control revolving funds established under title VI of the
Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.) and the
State drinking water treatment revolving loan funds established under
section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-12), shall,
for those projects that are eligible to receive assistance under
section 603 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1383)
or section 1452(a)(2) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-
12(a)(2)), respectively, that the State determines will provide
additional water supplies most expeditiously to areas that are at risk
of having an inadequate supply of water for public health and safety
purposes or to improve resiliency to drought--
(1) require the State to review and prioritize funding for
such projects;
(2) issue a determination of waivers within 30 days of the
conclusion of the informal public comment period pursuant to
section 436(c) of title IV of division G of Public Law 113-76;
and
(3) authorize, at the request of the State, 40-year
financing for assistance under section 603(d)(2) of the Federal
Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1383(d)(2)) or section
1452(f)(2) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-
12(f)(2)).
SEC. 9. FORECASTED.
(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Fixing
Operations of Reservoirs to Encompass Climatic and Atmospheric Science
Trends for Emergency Droughts Act'' or the ``FORECASTED Act''.
(b) Review of Reservoir Operations.--
(1) In general.--Except as specified in subsection (c), not
later than 1 year after a request of a non-Federal sponsor of a
reservoir, the Secretary of the Army, in consultation with the
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), shall review its operation, including
the water control manual and rule curves, using improved
weather forecasts and run-off forecasting methods, including
the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction System of the National
Weather Service and the Hydrometeorology Testbed program of
NOAA.
(2) Description of benefits.--In conducting the review
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall determine if a change
in operations, including the use of improved weather forecasts
and run-off forecasting methods, will improve one or more of
the core functions of the Army Corps of Engineers, including--
(A) reducing risks to human life, public safety,
and property;
(B) reducing the need for future disaster relief;
(C) improving local water storage capability and
reliability in coordination with the non-Federal
sponsor and other water users;
(D) restoring, protecting, or mitigating the
impacts of a water resources development project on the
environment; or
(E) improving fish species habitat or population
within the boundaries and downstream of a water
resources project.
(3) Results reported.--Not later than 90 days after
completion of the review under this section, the Secretary
shall submit a report to Congress regarding the results of such
review.
(4) Manual update.--As expeditiously as practicable and not
later than 3 years after submission of the report under
subsection (c), and pursuant to the procedures required under
existing authorities, if the Secretary determines from the
results of the review that using improved weather and run-off
forecasting methods improves one or more core functions of the
Army Corps of Engineers at a reservoir, the Secretary shall
incorporate such changes in its operation and update the water
control manual.
(c) Emergency Projects.--
(1) In general.--Upon the declaration by the Governor of a
State declaring a drought emergency, the Secretary of the Army
in implementing this Act shall use no more than 90 days in
complying with all provisions of this Act, including subsection
(b)(1) and subsection (b)(4), and shall make use of the
emergency provisions of the Council on Environmental Quality
guidelines under part 1506.11 of title 40 of the Code of
Federal Regulations in complying with the National
Environmental Policy Act to minimize time spent in
environmental reviews to the greatest extent possible in order
to deliver water quickly that is necessary to address emergency
drought conditions.
(2) Termination of authority.--Authority under this
subsection shall terminate on the date on which the Governor of
the State referred to in subsection (a) suspends the drought
emergency declaration.
SEC. 10. COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW REGARDING GROUND WATER MONITORING
AND AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT PLANNING.
(a) Ground Water Monitoring.--None of the funds made available in
this Act to any water program within the State of California may be
made available to an entity if such entity is not in compliance with
the provisions of the State of California's Statewide Groundwater
Elevation Monitoring program authorized by SBX7-6, enacted in November
2009.
(b) Agricultural Water Management Planning.--None of the funds made
available in this Act to any water program within the State of
California may be made available to any Central Valley Project
irrigation contractor if such entity does not meet agricultural water
management planning requirements established by SBX7-7, enacted in
November 2009.
SEC. 11. EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL AGRICULTURE DISASTER APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Funding.--
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, as soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this
Act, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated, the Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer to
the Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this section as
the ``Secretary'') for the emergency conservation program
established under title IV of the Agricultural Credit Act of
1978 (16 U.S.C. 2201 et seq.) and the emergency watershed
protection program established under section 403 of the
Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2203) $100,000,000,
to remain available until the end of the period during which
the State's emergency drought designation is in effect, to be
divided among each applicable program as the Secretary
determines to be appropriate--
(A) to provide to agricultural producers and other
eligible entities affected by the 2014 drought
assistance upon declaration of a natural disaster under
section 321(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1961(a)) or for the same
purposes for counties that are contiguous to a
designated natural disaster area; and
(B) to carry out any other activities the Secretary
determines necessary as a result of the 2014 drought,
such as activities relating to wildfire damage.
(2) Receipt and acceptance.--The Secretary shall be
entitled to receive, shall accept, and shall use to carry out
this subsection the funds transferred under paragraph (1),
without further appropriation.
(b) Emergency Assistance Program for Livestock, Honeybees, and
Farm-Raised Fish.--Notwithstanding any other applicable limitations
under law, the Secretary shall use such sums as are necessary of the
funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to carry out the emergency
assistance program for livestock, honeybees, and farm-raised fish under
section 531(e) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1531(e)) for
each fiscal year during the period in which the State's emergency
drought designation is in effect, to provide assistance to agricultural
producers for losses due to drought.
(c) FEMA Predisaster Hazard Mitigation Grants.--
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, as soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this
Act, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated, the Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer to
the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
$25,000,000 for fiscal year 2014, to remain available until the
end of the period during which the State's emergency drought
designation is in effect, for mitigation activities related to
drought and wildfire hazards.
(2) Receipt and acceptance.--The Administrator of the
Federal Emergency Management Agency shall be entitled to
receive, shall accept, and shall use to carry out this
subsection the funds transferred under paragraph (1), without
further appropriation.
(d) Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants.--
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law--
(A) as soon as practicable after the date of
enactment of this Act, out of any funds in the Treasury
not otherwise appropriated, the Secretary of the
Treasury shall transfer to the Secretary $25,000,000
for fiscal year 2014, to remain available until the end
of the period during which the State's emergency
drought designation is in effect, to provide emergency
community water assistance grants under section 306A of
the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7
U.S.C. 1926a) to address impacts of drought;
(B) the maximum amount of a grant provided under
subparagraph (A) for fiscal year 2014 shall be
$1,000,000; and
(C) for fiscal year 2014, a community whose
population is less than 50,000 shall be eligible for a
grant under this paragraph.
(2) Receipt and acceptance.--The Secretary shall be
entitled to receive, shall accept, and shall use to carry out
this subsection the funds transferred under paragraph (1),
without further appropriation.
(e) Office of the Inspector General.--
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, as soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this
Act, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated, the Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer to
the Inspector General of the Department of Agriculture
$2,000,000 for fiscal year 2014, to remain available until the
end of the period during which the State's emergency drought
designation is in effect, for oversight of activities carried
out by the Department relating to drought.
(2) Receipt and acceptance.--The Inspector General of the
Department of Agriculture shall be entitled to receive, shall
accept, and shall use to carry out this subsection the funds
transferred under paragraph (1), without further appropriation.
(f) Emergency Grants To Assist Low-Income Migrant and Seasonal
Farmworkers.--
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, as soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this
Act, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated, the Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer to
the Secretary $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2014, to remain
available until the end of the period during which the State's
emergency drought designation is in effect, to provide
emergency grants to assist low-income migrant and seasonal
farmworkers under section 2281 of the Food, Agriculture,
Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 5177a) to
address impacts of drought upon declaration of a natural
disaster under section 321(a) of the Consolidated Farm and
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1961(a)) or for the same
purposes in counties that are contiguous to a designated
natural disaster area.
(2) Receipt and acceptance.--The Secretary shall be
entitled to receive, shall accept, and shall use to carry out
this subsection the funds transferred under paragraph (1),
without further appropriation.
(g) Emergency Forest Restoration Program.--
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, as soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this
Act, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated, the Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer to
the Secretary $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2014, to remain
available until the end of the period during which the State's
emergency drought designation is in effect, for the Emergency
Forest Restoration Program under section 407 of the
Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2206) to address
impacts of drought or wildfire upon declaration of a natural
disaster under section 321(a) of the Consolidated Farm and
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1961(a)) or for the same
purposes in counties that are contiguous to a designated
natural disaster area.
(2) Receipt and acceptance.--The Secretary shall be
entitled to receive, shall accept, and shall use to carry out
this subsection the funds transferred under paragraph (1),
without further appropriation.
SEC. 12. ILLEGAL WATER DIVERSION FOR MARIJUANA CULTIVATION.
(a) Determination.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of National Drug
Control Policy, in collaboration with the Secretary of the Interior and
the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, shall
determine the amount of water diverted for marijuana cultivation in
each of the high intensity drug trafficking areas (as designated under
section 707 of the Office of National Drug Control Policy
Reauthorization Act of 1998 (21 U.S.C. 1706)) within the State of
California.
(b) Environmental Protection Agency Requirement.--Using existing
funds, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall
assign 1 additional member of the Criminal Investigation Division of
the Environmental Protection Agency to each of the 3 high intensity
drug trafficking areas determined under subsection (a) to have the
largest amount of water diverted for marijuana cultivation within the
State of California.
SEC. 13. EFFECT ON STATE LAWS.
Nothing in this Act preempts any State law, including area of
origin and other water rights protections.
SEC. 14. EFFECT ON NATIVE WATER AND FISHING RIGHTS.
Nothing in this Act is intended to in any way diminish the water,
fishing, or other rights of Indian tribes as confirmed by treaty,
Executive order, water rights settlement, or other judicial,
administrative, or legislative authority, or to diminish the
obligations of the Secretary of the Interior on behalf of the United
States to assert and protect such rights.
SEC. 15. TREATMENT OF DROUGHT UNDER THE ROBERT T. STAFFORD DISASTER
RELIEF AND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE ACT.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the term ``major disaster'' (as defined in section 102
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122)) includes drought, yet no
drought in the 30 years preceding the date of enactment of this
Act has been declared by the President to be a major disaster
in any of the States in accordance with section 401 of that Act
(42 U.S.C. 5170);
(2) a major drought shall be eligible to be declared a
major disaster or state of emergency by the President on the
request of the Governor of any State;
(3) droughts are natural disasters that do occur, and while
of a different type of impact, the scale of the impact of a
major drought can be equivalent to other disasters that have
been declared by the President to be a major disaster under the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act
(42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.); and
(4) droughts have wide-ranging and long-term impacts on
ecosystem health, agriculture production, permanent crops,
forests, waterways, air quality, public health, wildlife,
employment, communities, State and national parks, and other
natural resources of a State and the people of that State that
have significant value.
(b) Amendment.--Section 502(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5192(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (7), by striking ``and'';
(2) in paragraph (8), by striking the period at the end and
inserting a semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(9) provide disaster unemployment assistance in
accordance with section 410;
``(10) provide emergency nutrition assistance in accordance
with section 412; and
``(11) provide crisis counseling assistance in accordance
with section 416.''.
SEC. 16. KLAMATH BASIN WATER SUPPLY.
The Klamath Basin Water Supply Enhancement Act of 2000 (Public Law
106-498; 114 Stat. 2221) is amended--
(1) by redesignating sections 4 through 6 as sections 5
through 7, respectively; and
(2) by inserting after section 3 the following:
``SEC. 4. WATER MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING ACTIVITIES.
``The Secretary is authorized to engage in activities, including
entering into agreements and contracts or otherwise making financial
assistance available, to reduce water consumption or demand, or to
restore ecosystems in the Klamath Basin watershed, including tribal
fishery resources held in trust, consistent with collaborative
agreements for environmental restoration and settlements of water
rights claims.''.
SEC. 17. DROUGHT PREPAREDNESS FOR FISHERIES.
(a) Salmon Drought Plan.--Not later than January 1, 2016, the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service shall, in consultation with the
National Marine Fisheries Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Army
Corps of Engineers, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife,
prepare a California salmon drought plan. The plan shall investigate
options to protect salmon populations originating in the State of
California, contribute to the recovery of populations listed under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and contribute
to the goals of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (Public Law
102-575). The plan shall focus on actions that can aid salmon
populations during the driest years. Strategies investigated shall
include--
(1) relocating the release location and timing of hatchery
fish to avoid predation and temperature impacts;
(2) barging of hatchery release fish to improve survival
and reduce straying;
(3) coordinating with water users, the Bureau of
Reclamation, and the California Department of Water Resources
regarding voluntary water transfers, to determine if water
released upstream to meet the needs of downstream or South-of-
Delta water users can be managed in a way that provides
additional benefits for salmon;
(4) hatchery management modifications, such as expanding
hatchery production of listed fish during the driest years, if
appropriate; and
(5) increasing rescue operations of upstream migrating
fish.
(b) Appropriation.--There is hereby appropriated for fiscal year
2014, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, a
total amount of $3,000,000, to remain available until the end of the
period during which the State's emergency drought designation is in
effect, for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for urgent
fish, stream, and hatchery activities related to extreme drought
conditions, including work with the National Marine Fisheries Service,
the Bureau of Reclamation, the Army Corps of Engineers, the California
Department of Fish and Wildlife, or a qualified tribal government.
(c) Qualified Tribal Government Definition.--For the purposes of
this section, the term ``qualified tribal government'' means any
government of an Indian tribe that the Secretary of the Interior
determines--
(1) is involved in salmon management and recovery
activities under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.); and
(2) has the management and organizational capability to
maximize the benefits of assistance provided under this
section.
SEC. 18. WATER STORAGE-INTEGRATED REGIONAL WATER MANAGEMENT,
RECLAMATION, AND RECYCLING PROJECTS.
Subtitle F of title IX of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of
2009 (42 U.S.C. 10361 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 9511. WATER STORAGE-INTEGRATED REGIONAL WATER MANAGEMENT,
RECLAMATION, AND RECYCLING PROJECTS.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to enter into cost-
shared financial assistance agreements with non-Federal entities in
Reclamation States and Hawaii for the planning, design, and
construction of permanent water storage and conveyance facilities used
solely to regulate and maximize water supplies arising from projects
deemed eligible for assistance under this Act or authorized under any
other provision of law to--
``(1) recycle impaired surface water and ground water; or
``(2) use integrated and coordinated water management on a
watershed or regional scale.
``(b) Priority.--In providing financial assistance under this
section, the Secretary shall give priority to storage and conveyance
components that--
``(1) ensure the efficient and beneficial use of water or
reuse of the recycled water;
``(2) consistent with Secretarial Order No. 3297 issued by
the Secretary of the Interior on February 22, 2010, support--
``(A) sustainable water management practices; and
``(B) the water sustainability objectives of one or
more bureaus of the Department of the Interior or other
Federal agencies, including the Department of
Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, the Department
of Energy, and the Environmental Protection Agency;
``(3) increase the availability of usable water supplies in
a watershed or region to benefit people, the economy, and the
environment and include adaptive measures needed to address
climate change and future demands;
``(4) where practicable, provide flood control or
recreation benefits and include the development of incremental
hydroelectric power generation;
``(5) include partnerships that go beyond political and
institutional jurisdictions to support the efficient use of the
limited water resources of a region and the Nation; and
``(6) generate environmental benefits, such as benefits to
fisheries, wildlife, wildlife habitats, and water quality,
water-dependent ecological systems, and water supply benefits
to agricultural and urban water users.
``(c) Federal Cost Share.--The Federal share of the cost of a
project authorized in subsection (a) shall be the lesser of 50 percent
of total costs or $15,000,000 (adjusted for inflation) and shall be
nonreimbursable.
``(d) In-Kind Contributions.--The non-Federal share of the cost of
a project authorized in subsection (a) may include `in-kind'
contributions to the planning, design, and construction of a project.
``(e) Title; Operation and Maintenance Costs.--The non-Federal
entity entering into such financial assistance agreements shall hold
title to any and all facilities constructed under this section, and
shall be solely responsible for the costs of operating and maintaining
such facilities.''.
SEC. 19. EMERGENCY PLANNING.
(a) Catastrophic Drought Plan.--Not later than 120 days after the
enactment of this Act, the President shall update the National Response
Plan and the National Disaster Recovery Framework to include a plan for
catastrophic drought that calls on the capabilities of all applicable
Federal agencies and departments including the pre-positioning of
Federal resources to provide emergency clean water supplies.
(b) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section--
(1) the term ``National Response Plan'' means the National
Response Plan or any successor plan prepared under section
502(a)(6) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002; and
(2) the term ``National Disaster Recovery Framework'' means
the National Disaster Recovery Framework or any successor
document prepared under section 682 of the Post-Katrina
Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006.
SEC. 20. TERMINATION OF AUTHORITIES.
The authorities under sections 3, 4, 7, 8, and 12 expire on the
date on which the Governor of the State suspends the state of drought
emergency declaration or the end of 2016, whichever is earlier.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Budget, Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, and the Judiciary, 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 Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Budget, Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, and the Judiciary, 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 Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Budget, Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, and the Judiciary, 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 Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Budget, Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, and the Judiciary, 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 Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Budget, Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, and the Judiciary, 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.
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Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Budget, Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, and the Judiciary, 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 Environment and the Economy.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.