S1413-119

What This Bill Does

S.1413 would raise the additional federal authorization for implementing the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement from $250 million to $750 million, measured at the existing October 2006 price levels. It changes both the financing description in section 10009(a)(1) and the authorization in section 10009(b)(1) of Public Law 111-11. Those provisions describe the same federal funding authority: the increase is $500 million, not two separate $500 million increases.

A separate amendment raises the Part III water-management authorization in section 10203(c) from $50 million to $75 million at its existing October 2008 price levels. That is another $25 million of authorized capacity, not a new $75 million payment on top of the existing ceiling. These historical-price authorizations should not be represented as a precise current-dollar outlay. The bill remains pending after its September 17, 2026 placement on the Senate calendar; the available introduced text contains these three amount substitutions.

Who Benefits and How

The Bureau of Reclamation would have greater statutory room to seek appropriations for the existing restoration settlement, which combines river-restoration work with measures addressing water-supply effects on Friant Division contractors. Communities using the river could benefit from completed restoration projects, but the bill neither selects particular projects nor guarantees a specific environmental result.

Friant Division water users and eligible local water agencies could benefit from the separate Part III increase. Existing Part III authority covers restoration of Friant-Kern and Madera canal capacity, reverse-flow pump-back facilities, and qualifying local groundwater banking or recharge-and-recovery projects that offset settlement-related water-supply impacts. Contractors performing funded construction could gain opportunities through subsequent projects, not direct awards under this bill.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Federal budget costs would arise if Congress provides and agencies spend additional appropriations. Raising the ceilings does not itself make the increased amounts available, waive the existing settlement financing conditions, or require officials to spend unappropriated money. Section 10009(b)(1) continues to tie spending of additional appropriations to eligible Restoration Fund deposits, in-kind contributions and other actually committed nonfederal payments, with specified deposit categories excluded. The amendment does not erase existing California or other participant contributions.

The Part III authorization remains nonreimbursable, but this does not make every local project fully federally funded. Existing section 10202 limits federal assistance to 50 percent of qualifying planning, design and environmental-compliance costs and 50 percent of construction costs; local agencies retain their shares and all operation, maintenance, replacement and rehabilitation costs. The bill does not change those rules or the separate existing $35 million and $17 million Restoration Fund provisions. Additional Bureau of Reclamation workload and local cost-sharing would depend on projects and appropriations, rather than arise as a new unconditional payment mandate.

Key Provisions

• Expands one settlement implementation authorization from $250 million to $750 million, with a conforming reference to the same amount.
• Expands the separate Part III authorization from $50 million to $75 million; retains its nonreimbursable character and existing project requirements.
• Preserves the existing historical price bases, financing restrictions and local cost shares; provides no direct appropriation.