The bill establishes the New York-New Jersey Watershed Restoration Program and Grant Program to coordinate restoration and protection activities, improve water quality, and engage the public. The Secretary of the Interior will work with governmental and non-governmental entities to identify and prioritize activities within the Watershed. The Grant Program will provide funding for restoration and protection activities, with a possible 90% Federal share for communities in need. The annual report is required for Congress, and the authorization of appropriations is set at $20 million per year until 2031. The Act will cease to have effect after October 1, 2031.
New York-New Jersey Watershed Protection Act
This bill establishes programs to restore and protect the New York-New Jersey Watershed. The watershed is composed of all land area the surface water of which drains into the New York-New Jersey Harbor, the waters contained within that land area, and associated estuaries.
Specifically, the bill requires the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to establish the New York-New Jersey Watershed Restoration Program, a nonregulatory program, to coordinate restoration and protection activities among government entities and conservation partners throughout the watershed.
The bill also establishes the New York-New Jersey Watershed Restoration Grant Program, a voluntary grant and technical assistance program, to provide competitive matching grants to certain entities to implement restoration and protection activities for the watershed. The federal government may not maintain ownership of any land acquired under the bill except for the purpose of promptly transferring ownership to grant recipients.
The bill ceases to have force or effect on October 1, 2031.
