LCBP Enhancements Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Peter Welch
Introduced
Summary
Creates a formal, ongoing fiscal-agent framework for the Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program to lock in funding continuity and clearer oversight. The bill would require the Steering Committee and the Administrator to jointly choose, monitor, and periodically re-evaluate a qualifying fiscal agent.
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- Organizations that could serve as the fiscal agent would face new selection rules and evaluation timelines. The Steering Committee and the Administrator would jointly select the fiscal agent, require it be headquartered in the Lake Champlain drainage basin or, if none is suitable, in New York or Vermont, and assess effectiveness starting as soon as practicable and then at least every five years; the Administrator must report assessment findings within 90 days.
- Local program staff, grantees, and projects would see more stable funding arrangements. Funding could be awarded to the designated fiscal agent without competition until a replacement is chosen, and unobligated or unexpended funds may be re-obligated to a new agent to preserve continuity of staff, programming, awards, and administration.
- Fisheries managers, researchers, and regional partners would gain a clearer federal role. The bill would authorize the U.S. Section of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to work on Lake Champlain and related Saint Lawrence River basin areas in Vermont and New York on fisheries research, sea lamprey control, invasive-species prevention, restoration, monitoring, and public engagement, and to partner with federal, state, academic, nonprofit, local, and Canadian or Quebec authorities. It also defines the terms ‘fiscal agent’ and ‘Steering Committee’ and extends the programs statutory term to 2032.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Great Lakes commission work on Lake Champlain
If enacted, the bill would let the U.S. Section of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission do work on Lake Champlain and nearby Saint Lawrence River areas in New York and Vermont. Authorized work would include fisheries research, monitoring, restoration, sea lamprey control, invasive species prevention and mitigation, and public education. The commission would be allowed to partner with the Lake Champlain program, federal and state agencies, universities, nonprofits, local governments, and Canadian and Quebec authorities. This change would take effect on enactment.
Lake Champlain program extended to 2032
If enacted, the bill would change the program end year from 2027 to 2032. The substitution would take effect on enactment. Grants and program rules under the statute would remain authorized until 2032.
New rules for Lake Champlain fiscal agent
If enacted, the bill would require the Steering Committee and the EPA Administrator to jointly pick a fiscal agent for the Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program. The fiscal agent would handle payroll, pay bills, sign and run funding agreements, and act as a fiduciary as the Steering Committee and Administrator agree. The bill would prefer agents headquartered in the Lake Champlain drainage basin, or in New York or Vermont, or otherwise with a significant local staffing presence. It would require joint assessments of the fiscal agent as soon as practicable and at least once every 5 years, with stakeholder input, and the Administrator would report findings to two congressional committees within 90 days after each assessment. While an agent serves, funding could be awarded to that agent without competition, and unspent funds could be moved to a newly selected agent.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Peter Welch
VT • D
Cosponsors
Charles Schumer
NY • D
Sponsored 2/11/2026
Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
VT • I
Sponsored 2/11/2026
Kirsten Gillibrand
NY • D
Sponsored 2/11/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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