§3202 Water storage, groundwater storage, and conveyance projects

Summary

Only certain feasibility studies can get federal money. A study is eligible only if Congress authorized it before November 15, 2021, Congress approved its funding under section 4007 of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (Public Law 114–322) before November 15, 2021, or the Secretary is doing the study for one of two named projects: the Verde Reservoirs Sediment Mitigation Project in Arizona or the Tualatin River Basin Project in Oregon. A project can get construction money only if Congress authorized construction before November 15, 2021, Congress approved construction funding under that same section 4007 before that date (with two narrow exceptions about prior recommendation or state funding rescission), or Congress approved a feasibility study before that date and, after the study is finished, the Secretary finds the project is technically and financially feasible under the reclamation laws, has enough non‑Federal funding for the non‑Federal share, is in the public interest, and the Secretary recommends construction. Projects that are the two named studies above are not eligible for construction under that study path. How much the Federal Government pays depends on which law applies. If an Act of Congress sets the share, that Act controls. If the project was approved under section 4007, that section controls. For other projects, a federally owned project gets at most 50% Federal funding and a non‑Federal project gets at most 25% Federal funding. Before paying, the Secretary must make sure the Federal investment matches a fair share of Federal benefits. Any Federal money must follow the reclamation laws about repayment. All projects must follow environmental laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act.