S4041-119

What This Bill Does

The bill revises the Cooperative Watershed Management Program to expressly include Indian Tribes, including a Tribe with ancestral lands in a watershed. It adds selection priority for proposals representing diverse interests including Tribes and for applicants showing significant need from drought, wildfire, or another natural disaster. First-phase grants increase from the prior $100,000 level to as much as $150,000 each year for at least three years, subject to applications and appropriations. A satisfactory recipient may receive up to two additional years at no more than $150,000 annually. Grant writing, project management, feasibility, design, preliminary environmental review, and engineering become supported work. The Secretary must offer regular, multiple application cycles, make the program report public, and may receive $40 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.

Who Benefits and How

Indian tribal governments and watershed groups benefit from broader eligibility, explicit recognition of ancestral lands, larger annual awards, longer first-phase support, and repeated opportunities to apply. Communities facing drought, wildfire, or other natural disasters benefit from a new priority pathway and from grants that may fund planning, technical assistance, engineering, and project management needed to reduce watershed risk. Environmental consulting and engineering providers may gain paid work when recipients use grant funds for feasibility, design, preliminary environmental review, grant writing, and technical assistance.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Department of the Interior watershed-program administrators must run continuous enrollment, evaluate applications multiple times each year, assess performance for extensions, administer larger and longer grants, and publish reports. Federal taxpayers bear up to $40 million in authorized annual program costs for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031, while grant recipients must document satisfactory performance to receive continuation funding.

Key Provisions

• Expands tribal eligibility and recognizes ancestral lands within a watershed.
• Adds priority for significant need caused by drought, wildfire, or another natural disaster.
• Raises first-phase support to as much as $150,000 per year for at least three years and authorizes up to two continuation years.
• Expands supported activities to grant writing, project management, feasibility, design, environmental review, and engineering.
• Requires regular funding opportunities, multiple annual application rounds, and public program reporting.
• Authorizes $40 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.