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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5966 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5966
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to establish an Ohio
River Basin Restoration Program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 7, 2025
Mr. McGarvey (for himself, Mrs. Houchin, Mr. Rulli, Mrs. Sykes, Mr.
Messmer, Mr. Deluzio, Mr. Shreve, and Mr. Mrvan) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to establish an Ohio
River Basin Restoration Program, 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.
This Act may be cited as the ``Ohio River Restoration Program
Act''.
SEC. 2. OHIO RIVER BASIN RESTORATION PROGRAM.
Title I of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 127. OHIO RIVER BASIN RESTORATION PROGRAM.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Advisory council.--The term `advisory council' means
the advisory council established under subsection (b)(5).
``(2) Agency.--The term `Agency' means the Environmental
Protection Agency.
``(3) Ohio river basin.--The term `Ohio River Basin' means
the portions of each Ohio River State that contain the
watershed of the Ohio River.
``(4) Ohio river basin restoration program.--The term `Ohio
River Basin Restoration Program' means the Ohio River Basin
Restoration Program established by this section.
``(5) Ohio river state.--The term `Ohio River State' means
Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois,
New York, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama,
Tennessee, Mississippi, or South Carolina.
``(6) Program director.--The term `Program Director' means
the Director of the Program Office.
``(7) Program office.--The term `Program Office' means the
Ohio River National Program Office established under this
section.
``(8) Tribal government.--The term `Tribal Government'
means the recognized governing body of any Indian tribe
individually identified (including parenthetically) in the list
published under section 104 of the Federally Recognized Indian
Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131).
``(b) Ohio River National Program Office.--
``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall establish an
Ohio River National Program Office within the Agency to carry
out the Ohio River Basin Restoration Program.
``(2) Program director.--The Program Office shall be headed
by a Program Director, appointed by the Administrator, who, by
reason of management experience and technical expertise
relating to the Ohio River, is highly qualified to direct the
development of programs and plans on a variety of issues
related to restoration of the Ohio River Basin.
``(3) Functions.--The Program Director shall--
``(A) coordinate actions of the Agency that seek to
protect and restore the Ohio River Basin;
``(B) develop, implement, and update the Ohio River
Basin Restoration Program and action plan required by
this section, in coordination with the advisory
council;
``(C) document information and updates related to
the development and implementation of the Ohio River
Basin Restoration Program and action plan required by
this section, and make such information and updates
available to the public, including on a public website;
and
``(D) facilitate, in cooperation with the Bureau of
Indian Affairs, engagement and consultation with Tribal
Governments and Tribal organizations to ensure Tribal
needs and priorities are solicited early and throughout
the development of the actionable goals and action plan
required by this section.
``(4) Agreements.--In carrying out paragraph (3), the
Program Director may enter into agreements, as applicable, with
relevant Federal agencies and non-Federal entities.
``(5) Advisory council.--In carrying out this section, the
Program Director shall establish an advisory council consisting
of relevant Federal entities and non-Federal stakeholders,
including representatives from--
``(A) each State located in whole or in part in the
Ohio River Basin;
``(B) each of the lower, middle, and upper basins
of the Ohio River;
``(C) each Tribal Government located in the Ohio
River Basin; and
``(D) the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation
Commission.
``(6) Reporting requirements.--The Program Director shall
submit to Congress, and make available on a public website, the
action plan and updates required by this section, and an annual
report describing--
``(A) progress made in implementing the Ohio River
Basin Restoration Program;
``(B) coordination of the Ohio River Basin
Restoration Program with other Federal, State, Tribal,
and local programs;
``(C) any funds transferred to relevant Federal
agencies under this section;
``(D) any grants awarded under this section;
``(E) specific projects and activities carried out
pursuant to this section; and
``(F) agreements with relevant Federal agencies and
non-Federal entities.
``(c) Ohio River Basin Restoration Program.--
``(1) Establishment.--There is established within the
Agency the Ohio River Basin Restoration Program to carry out
projects and activities that advance systemic, large-scale
restoration and protection of the Ohio River Basin.
``(2) Activities.--Any project or activity carried out
pursuant to the Ohio River Basin Restoration Program shall be
designed to address at least 1 of the following:
``(A) Improvement of water quality in the Ohio
River Basin and drinking water in the Ohio River
States.
``(B) Increasing community resilience to flood and
storm risk, including through restoration of natural
systems in the Ohio River Basin.
``(C) Protection and restoration of fish and
wildlife habitat in the Ohio River Basin.
``(D) Prevention and control of the spread of
aquatic invasive species in the Ohio River Basin.
``(E) Remediation of toxic substances.
``(F) Improvement of opportunities for public
access and recreation in the Ohio River Basin
consistent with the ecological needs of fish and
wildlife habitat.
``(G) Collection, monitoring, and evaluation of
data needed to plan, implement, and assess the
effectiveness of projects or activities carried out
under this section.
``(H) Improvement of public outreach, education,
and citizen involvement in the development and
implementation of projects and activities carried out
under this section.
``(3) Approaches.--Projects and activities carried out
pursuant to the Ohio River Basin Restoration Program shall
prioritize use of natural infrastructure, nature-based, and
non-structural solutions to the maximum extent practicable,
including--
``(A) protecting or restoring naturally occurring
hydrologic, geomorphic, and ecological functions and
processes; and
``(B) removing or modifying structures such as
culverts, levees, and dams to restore ecological
functions and processes.
``(4) Project and activity implementation.--
``(A) In general.--Funds made available to carry
out the Ohio River Basin Restoration Program may be
used to plan, design, implement, or construct projects
and activities described in paragraph (2) that are
carried out by a relevant Federal agency or by a non-
Federal entity in accordance with the action plan
developed under subsection (d).
``(B) Grant authority.--The Program Director may
make a grant to, or otherwise enter into an agreement
with, any non-Federal entity (including any State,
interstate, regional, local, or Tribal governmental
entity, nonprofit organization, institution of higher
education, or individual) that the Program Director
determines is qualified to carry out a project or
activity described in paragraph (2).
``(5) Project and activity selection.--
``(A) In general.--The Program Director, in
collaboration with the advisory council, shall select
projects and activities to be implemented pursuant to
the Ohio River Basin Restoration Program using
appropriate principles and criteria, including--
``(i) the selection of projects and
activities that are equitably distributed
throughout the Ohio River Basin;
``(ii) the ability of a project or activity
to achieve strategic, measurable, and
reportable environmental outcomes in accordance
with the action plan developed under subsection
(d);
``(iii) the recognition that projects and
activities may provide economic benefits to
local or regional communities, or to the entire
Ohio River Basin;
``(iv) the feasibility of prompt
implementation, timely achievement of
measurable results, and resource leveraging;
and
``(v) the opportunity to reduce duplication
and improve measurable environmental outcomes.
``(B) Compatibility.--The Program Director shall
ensure that projects and activities carried out under
this section are compatible with--
``(i) the ability of the Corps of Engineers
to maintain navigation and other Federal
projects in the Ohio River; and
``(ii) the structural integrity or
effectiveness of Federal, State, local, or
Tribal disaster risk reduction infrastructure.
``(d) Actionable Goals and Action Plan.--
``(1) Actionable goals.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of enactment of this section, the Program Director shall
develop actionable goals for the Ohio River Basin Restoration
Program, which shall be measurable and reportable and shall
include criteria for measuring their success in making progress
toward restoring the ecological health and resilience of the
Ohio River Basin.
``(2) Action plan.--Not later than 2 years after the date
of enactment of this section, the Program Director shall
develop an action plan for advancing the actionable goals
developed under paragraph (1).
``(3) Contents.--The Program Director shall include in the
action plan developed under paragraph (2)--
``(A) a description of existing Federal, State,
Tribal, and regional commissions, and regional plans,
programs, and activities affecting the Ohio River
Basin, that may be used to advance the Ohio River Basin
Restoration Program;
``(B) recommendations for a comprehensive approach,
which (where appropriate) leverages existing Federal,
State, and Tribal programs, to--
``(i) advancing systemic, large-scale
restoration and protection of the Ohio River
Basin; and
``(ii) improvements to water quality within
the Ohio River and its tributaries;
``(C) a multi-year plan that identifies specific
objectives with corresponding commitments for
activities, research, and measures for progress; and
``(D) a plan to maintain and monitor the
implementation of any specific projects or activities
identified in the action plan.
``(4) Project and activity recommendations.--The action
plan may include recommendations for specific projects or
activities that advance the action plan objectives, including
timelines, anticipated costs, and the identification of
entities responsible for carrying out such projects or
activities.
``(5) Updates.--Not less often than once every 5 years, the
Program Director shall review and update the actionable goals
and action plan developed under this subsection.
``(6) Consultation with advisory council.--In developing
and updating the actionable goals and action plan under this
subsection, the Program Director shall consult with the
advisory council.
``(7) Public engagement.--The Program Director shall
provide public notice of, and an opportunity for comment on,
the actionable goals and action plan developed under this
subsection, including during each update period under paragraph
(5).
``(e) Funding.--
``(1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $350,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
``(2) Transfer of funds to federal entities.--With funds
made available to carry out this section for each fiscal year,
the Administrator may--
``(A) transfer funds to the head of any relevant
Federal agency, with the concurrence of the head of
such agency, to carry out activities in accordance with
this section; and
``(B) enter into an interagency agreement with the
head of any relevant Federal agency to carry out
activities in accordance with this section.
``(f) Budget Item.--The Administrator shall, in the Agency's annual
budget submission to Congress, include a funding request for the Ohio
River Basin Restoration Program as a separate budget line item.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
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