Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-110
§1012 Rehabilitation of Structural Measures Near, At, or Past Their Evaluated Life Expectancy
Title 16 › CHAPTER 18 — WATERSHED PROTECTION AND FLOOD PREVENTION › § 1012
Summary
The Secretary may give money and help to local groups to repair, upgrade, or take apart dams that were built under certain federal watershed programs. Rehabilitation means work to make a dam safe and last longer. Covered water resource project means projects built under listed federal programs. Structural measure means a dam and its impoundment area. The federal share can cover 65 percent of total rehabilitation costs, but it cannot pay more than 100 percent of the actual construction costs. Local groups must secure land, easements, and rights-of-way, and they must pay for water, mineral rights, and any permits. The Secretary can require local zoning or development rules in the watershed so the fix remains useful. The Natural Resources Conservation Service can give technical help, including specialists in engineering, geology, soils, hydrology, biology, water quality, and contract work. Rehab funds cannot be used for routine operation and maintenance the local group already agreed to do, although the Secretary may renegotiate who handles operation and maintenance after the rehab is finished. Local groups must apply with State approval or the Governor’s approval if no State agency exists, and the State dam safety official should be involved if permits are needed. The Secretary will use a written, published system to accept and rank requests, and will deny requests if the need comes from poor maintenance. The Commodity Credit Corporation funds available are: $45,000,000 (FY2003), $50,000,000 (FY2004), $55,000,000 (FY2005), $60,000,000 (FY2006), $65,000,000 (FY2007), $0 (FY2008), $100,000,000 (FY2009, available until spent), and $250,000,000 (FY2014, available until spent). Additional authorized appropriations are $45,000,000 (FY2003), $55,000,000 (FY2004), $65,000,000 (FY2005), $75,000,000 (FY2006), and $85,000,000 for each fiscal year 2008 through 2023. The Secretary and State agencies must assess rehabilitation needs in all States, keep a database of projects and spending, report yearly to Congress, and require recipients to report within 90 days after a project is finished.
Full Legal Text
Title 16, §1012
Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Definitions
For purposes of this section: (1) Rehabilitation
(2)Covered water resource project
The term “covered water resource project” means a work of improvement carried out under any of the following:
(A)This chapter.
(B)section 13 of the Act of December 22, 1944 (Public Law 78–534; 58 Stat. 905).
(C)The pilot watershed program authorized under the heading “Flood Prevention” of the Department of Agriculture Appropriation Act, 1954 (Public Law 156; 67 Stat. 214).
(D)Subtitle H of title XV of the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 (16 U.S.C. 3451 et seq.; commonly known as the Resource Conservation and Development Program).
(3)Structural measure
The term “structural measure” means a physical improvement that impounds water, commonly known as a dam, which was constructed as part of a covered water resource project, including the impoundment area and flood pool.
(b)Cost share assistance for rehabilitation
(1)Assistance authorized
The Secretary may provide financial assistance to a local organization to cover a portion of the total costs incurred for the rehabilitation of structural measures originally constructed as part of a covered water resource project. The total costs of rehabilitation include the costs associated with all components of the rehabilitation project, including acquisition of land, easements, and rights-of-ways, rehabilitation project administration, the provision of technical assistance, contracting, and construction costs, except that the local organization shall be responsible for securing all land, easements, or rights-of-ways necessary for the project.
(2)Amount of assistance; limitations
The amount of Federal funds that may be made available under this subsection to a local organization for construction of a particular rehabilitation project shall be equal to 65 percent of the total rehabilitation costs, but not to exceed 100 percent of actual construction costs incurred in the rehabilitation. However, the local organization shall be responsible for the costs of water, mineral, and other resource rights and all Federal, State, and local permits.
(3)Relation to land use and development regulations
As a condition on entering into an agreement to provide financial assistance under this subsection, the Secretary, working in concert with the affected unit or units of general purpose local government, may require that proper zoning or other developmental regulations are in place in the watershed in which the structural measures to be rehabilitated under the agreement are located so that—
(A)the completed rehabilitation project is not quickly rendered inadequate by additional development; and
(B)society can realize the full benefits of the rehabilitation investment.
(c)Technical assistance for watershed project rehabilitation
The Secretary, acting through the Natural Resources Conservation Service, may provide technical assistance in planning, designing, and implementing rehabilitation projects should a local organization request such assistance. Such assistance may consist of specialists in such fields as engineering, geology, soils, agronomy, biology, hydraulics, hydrology, economics, water quality, and contract administration.
(d)Prohibited use
(1)Performance of operation and maintenance
Rehabilitation assistance provided under this section may not be used to perform operation and maintenance activities specified in the agreement for the covered water resource project entered into between the Secretary and the local organization responsible for the works of improvement. Such operation and maintenance activities shall remain the responsibility of the local organization, as provided in the project work plan.
(2)Renegotiation
Notwithstanding paragraph (1), as part of the provision of financial assistance under subsection (b), the Secretary may renegotiate the original agreement for the covered water resource project entered into between the Secretary and the local organization regarding responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the project when the rehabilitation is finished.
(e)Application for rehabilitation assistance
A local organization may apply to the Secretary for technical and financial assistance under this section if the application has also been submitted to and approved by the State agency having supervisory responsibility over the covered water resource project at issue or, if there is no State agency having such responsibility, by the Governor of the State. The Secretary shall request the State dam safety officer (or equivalent State official) to be involved in the application process if State permits or approvals are required. The rehabilitation of structural measures shall meet standards established by the Secretary and address other dam safety issues. At the request of the local organization, personnel of the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the Department of Agriculture may assist in preparing applications for assistance.
(f)Ranking of requests for rehabilitation assistance
The Secretary shall establish such system of approving rehabilitation requests, recognizing that such requests will be received throughout the fiscal year and subject to the availability of funds to carry out this section, as is necessary for proper administration by the Department of Agriculture and equitable for all local organizations. The approval process shall be in writing, and made known to all local organizations and appropriate State agencies.
(g)Prohibition on certain rehabilitation assistance
The Secretary may not approve a rehabilitation request if the need for rehabilitation of the structure is the result of a lack of adequate maintenance by the party responsible for the maintenance.
(h)Funding
(1)Funds of Commodity Credit Corporation
In carrying out this section, of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall make available, to remain available until expended—
(A)$45,000,000 for fiscal year 2003;
(B)$50,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
(C)$55,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
(D)$60,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;
(E)$65,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
(F)$0 for fiscal year 2008;
(G)$100,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, to be available until expended; and
(H)$250,000,000 for fiscal year 2014, to remain available until expended.
(2)Authorization of appropriations
In addition to amounts made available under paragraph (1), there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section, to remain available until expended—
(A)$45,000,000 for fiscal year 2003;
(B)$55,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
(C)$65,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
(D)$75,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; and
(E)$85,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2023.
(i)Assessment of rehabilitation needs
The Secretary, in concert with the responsible State agencies, shall conduct an assessment of the rehabilitation needs of covered water resource projects in all States in which such projects are located.
(j)Recordkeeping and reports
(1)Secretary
The Secretary shall maintain a data base to track the benefits derived from rehabilitation projects supported under this section and the expenditures made under this section. On the basis of such data and the reports submitted under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall prepare and submit to Congress an annual report providing the status of activities conducted under this section.
(2)Grant recipients
Not later than 90 days after the completion of a specific rehabilitation project for which assistance is provided under this section, the local organization that received the assistance shall make a report to the Secretary giving the status of any rehabilitation effort undertaken using financial assistance provided under this section.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
section 13 of the Act of
December 22, 1944, referred to in subsec. (a)(2)(B), is section 13 of act Dec. 22, 1944, ch. 665, 58 Stat. 905, which is not classified to the Code. The Department of Agriculture Appropriation Act, 1954, referred to in subsec. (a)(2)(C), is act
July 28, 1953, ch. 251, 67 Stat. 205. Provisions under the heading “Flood Prevention” are not classified to the Code. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. The Agriculture and Food Act of 1981, referred to in subsec. (a)(2)(D), is Pub. L. 97–98, Dec. 22, 1981, 95 Stat. 1213. Subtitle H of title XV of the Act is classified generally to subchapter V (§ 3451 et seq.) of chapter 54 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. Codification Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 made identical
Amendments
to this section. The
Amendments
by Pub. L. 110–234 were repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246.
Amendments
2018—Subsec. (h)(2)(E). Pub. L. 115–334 substituted “2023” for “2018”. 2014—Subsec. (h)(1)(H). Pub. L. 113–79, § 2505(a), added subpar. (H). Subsec. (h)(2)(E). Pub. L. 113–79, § 2505(b), substituted “2018” for “2012”. 2008—Subsec. (h)(1)(G). Pub. L. 110–246, § 2803(a), added subpar. (G). Subsec. (h)(2)(E). Pub. L. 110–246, § 2803(b), substituted “each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012” for “fiscal year 2007”. 2002—Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 107–171 added subsec. (h) and struck out heading and text of former subsec. (h). Text read as follows: “There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to provide financial and technical assistance under this section— “(1) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2001; “(2) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2002; “(3) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2003; “(4) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; and “(5) $35,000,000 for fiscal year 2005.”
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2008 AmendmentAmendment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234 by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–234, see section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as an
Effective Date
note under section 8701 of Title 7, Agriculture.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
16 U.S.C. § 1012
Title 16, Conservation
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110