Water Project Navigators Act

This bill would require the Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau of Reclamation, to set up a Water Project Navigators Program within 180 days of becoming law. The program would give grants or cooperative agreements to states, Indian Tribes, local water agencies, and certain nonprofits in western states, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico to fund staff positions that help plan and carry out water projects that also benefit ecosystems. Navigators would help with grant writing, project management, and technical work such as design and engineering. Awards would last up to 3 years, with a possible 2-year extension, and the federal government would pay up to 75 percent of costs, with lower or waived local shares possible for Tribes and disadvantaged communities. No more than $15 million in federal funds could be spent on the program in any one fiscal year.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• John W. Hickenlooper Democrat sponsor
• 1 cosponsors