43 U.S.C. § 373f: Partnerships, grants, and…

Summary

The Secretary can work with, give grants to, or sign cooperative agreements with joint powers authorities. Those are groups set up under state law by irrigation districts, other local water districts, and local governments. The help is for planning and feasibility studies for water storage projects that Congress has approved. All planning papers and environmental review documents under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for a covered project must be shared with the joint powers authority in the agreement. The Bureau of Reclamation must finish required NEPA reviews quickly and use the shortest proper process, including during feasibility studies, Draft Environmental Impact Statements (DEIS), and Final Environmental Impact Statements (FEIS). The Bureau does not have to finish those studies or statements if the Commissioner and the Secretary agree the joint powers authority can speed the project as a non-Federal effort, or if the project fails Federal cost-benefit rules. The Secretary cannot pay for these studies or projects unless there is a clear Federal interest.

Title 43, §373f

Public Lands, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The Secretary may hereafter partner, provide a grant to, or enter into a cooperative agreement with local joint powers authorities formed pursuant to State law by irrigation districts and other local water districts and local governments, to advance planning and feasibility studies authorized by Congress for water storage project: Provided, That the Secretary shall ensure that all documents associated with the preparation of planning and feasibility studies and applicable environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act [42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.] for a project covered by this section shall be made available to any joint powers authority with whom the Secretary enters into an agreement to advance such project: Provided further, That the Secretary, acting through the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, shall ensure that all applicable environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act, to the degree such reviews are required, are completed on an expeditious basis and that the shortest existing applicable process under the National Environmental Policy Act shall be utilized, including in the completion of feasibility studies, Draft Environmental Impact Statements (DEIS) and Final Environmental Impact Statements (FEIS): Provided further, That the Bureau of Reclamation need not complete the applicable feasibility study, DEIS or FEIS if the Commissioner determines, and the Secretary concurs, that the project can be expedited by a joint powers authority as a non-Federal project or if the project fails to meet applicable Federal cost-benefit requirements or standards: Provided further, That the Secretary shall not provide financial assistance towards these studies or projects, unless there is a demonstrable Federal interest.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The National Environmental Policy Act, referred to in text, probably means the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, Pub. L. 91–190, Jan. 1, 1970, 83 Stat. 852, which is classified generally to chapter 55 (§ 4321 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 4321 of Title 42 and Tables.

§373f Partnerships, Grants, and Cooperative Agreements with Local Joint Powers Authorities