March 18, 2026
Mr. Ciscomani (for himself and Mr. Neguse) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
To reauthorize the Cooperative Watershed Management Program, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Cooperative Watershed Management Program Reauthorization Act of 2026
.
Sec. 2. Cooperative watershed management program
(a) Definitions
Section 6001 of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (16 U.S.C. 1015) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (7) as paragraphs (5) through (8), respectively;
(2)
by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
(4) Indian tribe
The term Indian tribe has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).; and
(3)
in paragraph (7) (as so redesignated), in subparagraph (B)(v)—
(A)
in subclause (I), by striking or
at the end;
(B)
in subclause (II), by inserting or
after the semicolon; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following:
(III)
has ancestral lands within the watershed;
(b) Program
Section 6002 of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (16 U.S.C. 1015a) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (c)—
(A)
in paragraph (1)(B)—
(i)
in clause (i), by striking interests; or
and inserting interests, including Indian tribes;
;
(ii)
by redesignating clause (ii) as clause (iii); and
(iii)
by inserting after clause (i) the following:
(ii)
demonstrate significant need due to drought, wildfire, or other natural disaster; or;
(B)
in paragraph (2)—
(i)
in subparagraph (A)(i), by striking $100,000
and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting $150,000 each year for a period of not less than 3 years, subject to the sufficiency of applications submitted and the availability of appropriations.
;
(ii)
by striking clause (iii);
(iii)
by redesignating clauses (iv) and (v) as clauses (iii) and (iv), respectively; and
(iv)
by adding at the end the following:
(v) Continuation and extension
(I) In general
The Secretary may, at the discretion of the Secretary, issue a continuation of the first-phase grant for not more than 2 additional years if the recipient of the first-phase grant has demonstrated satisfactory performance with implementation of the proposal under the initial grant, as determined by the Secretary.
(II) Amounts
A grant continued pursuant to subclause (I) shall be in an amount not greater than $150,000 each year, as determined to be appropriate by the Secretary.;
(C)
in paragraph (3)(B)(ii), by striking quantity.
and inserting the following: “quantity, including—
(I)
grant writing;
(II)
project management; and
(III)
technical assistance, such as feasibility, design, preliminary environmental review, and engineering.; and
(D)
by adding at the end the following:
(4) Continuous enrollment
The Secretary shall—
(A)
make funding opportunities for the program available on a regular basis; and
(B)
allow applications for grants under the program to be submitted and evaluated multiple times during a calendar year.;
(2)
in subsection (f), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting , and make available to the public,
after House of Representatives
; and
(3)
by striking subsection (g) and inserting the following:
(g) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $40,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.