# 119-hr-5762: New York-New Jersey Watershed Protection Act of 2025

119-hr-5762, New York-New Jersey Watershed Protection Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20] (D-NY); status introduced (as of 2026-08-05).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5762
- As of: 2026-08-05
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-5762
- Congress: 119
- Title: New York-New Jersey Watershed Protection Act of 2025
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-10-14
- Sponsor: Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20] (D-NY)
- Cosponsors: 27
- Policy area: Environmental Protection
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-05

## Summary

**Coordinated watershed restoration program.** This bill would create a nonregulatory New York–New Jersey Watershed Restoration Program to plan, fund, and coordinate habitat, water-quality, and climate-resilience projects across the watershed while prioritizing communities facing environmental injustice. - Communities and recreation: The program emphasizes outreach, education, workforce development, and improved public access and recreation, with special prioritization for environmental justice communities. - Local, Tribal, State governments and nonprofits: A competitive grant program would provide matching grants to eligible entities. The Federal share is up to 50 percent generally, 90 percent for small, rural, and disadvantaged communities, and can reach 100 percent if a recipient cannot pay non‑Federal costs. - Ecosystems, science, and climate resilience: The program would fund planning, feasibility studies, green infrastructure and living shorelines, monitoring, and science capacity to restore fish and wildlife habitat and improve water quality. The bill authorizes $20 million per year for 2026 through 2031, with at least 75 percent of each year's funding going to grants and no more than 5 percent for administration.

## Cosponsors (27)

- Rep. Malliotakis, Nicole [R-NY-11] (R-NY), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7] (D-NY), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1] (R-PA), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Gillen, Laura [D-NY-4] (D-NY), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10] (D-NY), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5] (D-NJ), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7] (R-NJ), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16] (D-NY), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17] (R-NY), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mannion, John W. [D-NY-22] (D-NY), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10] (D-NJ), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5] (D-NY), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ-8] (D-NJ), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6] (D-NY), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1] (D-NJ), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14] (D-NY), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pallone, Frank [D-NJ-6] (D-NJ), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pou, Nellie [D-NJ-9] (D-NJ), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Riley, Josh [D-NY-19] (D-NY), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ryan, Patrick [D-NY-18] (D-NY), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Sherrill, Mikie [D-NJ-11] (D-NJ), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3] (D-NY), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15] (D-NY), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2] (R-NJ), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12] (D-NJ), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Conaway, Herbert C. [D-NJ-3] (D-NJ), 2025-12-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mejia, Analilia [D-NJ-11] (D-NJ), 2026-08-03T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Grants for New York–New Jersey watershed projects: benefit, high. If enacted, Interior would offer competitive grants within 180 days for watershed projects by states, Tribes, cities, nonprofits, and colleges. The federal share would cover up to 50% of costs, 90% if the work serves a small, rural, or disadvantaged community, and up to 100% if the recipient cannot…
- New watershed program for New York–New Jersey: benefit, medium. Within 180 days, Interior would set up a nonregulatory program to restore and protect the New York–New Jersey watershed. It would work with federal, state, Tribal, local, and regional partners. It would support habitat, cleaner water, natural climate solutions, and green infrastructure, with a focu…
- Bought land would go to local groups: benefit, low. Upon enactment, the federal government would not keep land bought under this Act. Any land acquired would need to be promptly transferred to eligible state, Tribal, or local governments, nonprofits, colleges, or other groups. This would favor local control of restored sites. The rule would last unt…

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## Sources
- [119-hr-5762 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5762)

## Related
- [119-hr-1993: 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1993)
- [119-hr-2086: Rights for the TSA Workforce Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2086)
- [119-hr-1410: 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1410)
- [119-hr-1065: Protect Our Letter Carriers Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1065)
- [119-hr-2102: Major Richard Star Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2102)
- [119-hr-1787: Roberto Clemente Commemorative Coin Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1787)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5762 (as of 2026-08-05).