Watershed Results Act
Sponsored By: Senator Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
In Committee
Summary
Analytics-driven, pay-for-performance watershed projects would use pre-funded technical analyses to pick cost-effective conservation activities and pay partners for verified increases in water, habitat, or water quality. The bill focuses on partnerships with States, Tribes, local water authorities, and NGOs to plan, implement, verify, and finance watershed-scale outcomes.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Confidential analytics data protections
If enacted, information collected for advance watershed analytics could only be used to identify, prioritize, and fund qualifying activities. That information would be treated as confidential commercial information and be exempt from FOIA disclosure. The same confidentiality rules would apply to employees of watershed partners.
How funding and payments would work
If enacted, Congress would be authorized to appropriate $17 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to run the program. The Secretary could award a watershed partner up to 50 percent of estimated project costs each year for partnership duties. The federal share of any grant would be capped at 75 percent, and partners could bring in non-federal funding. The Secretary must publish outcome price tables and standards, and must provide funds for pay-for-performance payments no later than 90 days after outcomes are verified.
New watershed projects and partner duties
If enacted, the bill would create a Watershed Outcomes Projects program and require the Interior Secretary to invite proposals within one year. Eligible applicants would include States, Tribes, irrigation and water districts, authorities with water or power delivery, and nongovernmental groups. A watershed partner would be selected to run each project, do advance analytics, recruit qualifying conservation activities, set prices and standards, verify outcomes, and manage contracts. Partnership terms would normally be up to 5 years, may be renewed for up to 5 years, and can be extended one time for up to 2 years. The total number of projects would be limited to five nationwide.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
OR • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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