§701b–17 Corps of Engineers Western Water Cooperative Committee

Summary

The Secretary must create a Western Water Cooperative Committee within 90 days after December 23, 2022. The group must help make sure Corps of Engineers flood control projects in Western States follow congressional direction and find ways to avoid or reduce conflicts with state water rights and water laws. Members include the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works (or a designee), the Chief of Engineers (or a designee), one state-appointed representative from each Western State (Governors appoint), one legally experienced person from each Western State (appointed by each Attorney General), and one employee from each impacted regional office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The committee must meet at least once a year in a Western State. Meetings must be open to the public and announced in the Federal Register in advance. The committee must recommend ways to avoid or lessen conflicts, but its recommendations only apply to Western States and must not harm water resources in Missouri. Each year the Secretary must send a written report to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives. The report must summarize meetings, list any Western State legislative proposals given to the committee, and describe the committee’s recommendations and the Secretary’s response. After each meeting, members have 45 days to comment, and those comments go into the annual report. Members are unpaid but get travel expenses under title 5 rules. The committee must keep records for at least 3 years. The committee has no power to change federal or state water laws or interstate compacts, and it does not limit other states’ rights or authority. Western States: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.