Saline Lake Ecosystems in the Great Basin States Program Act of 2020

II 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION S. 4190 To authorize the Director of the United States Geological Survey to establish a regional program to assess, monitor, and benefit the hydrology of saline lakes in the Great Basin and the migratory birds and other wildlife dependent on those habitats, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES JULY 2, 2020 Mr. MERKLEY (for himself and Mr. ROMNEY) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works A BILL To authorize the Director of the United States Geological Survey to establish a regional program to assess, mon- itor, and benefit the hydrology of saline lakes in the Great Basin and the migratory birds and other wildlife dependent on those habitats, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Saline Lake Eco- 4 systems in the Great Basin States Program Act of 2020’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:35 Jul 13, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4190.IS S4190 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 2 •S 4190 IS SEC. 2. SALINE LAKE ECOSYSTEMS IN THE GREAT BASIN 1 STATES ASSESSMENT AND MONITORING PRO- 2 GRAM. 3 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 4 (1) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘Program’’ means 5 the Saline Lake Ecosystems in the Great Basin 6 States Assessment and Monitoring Program estab- 7 lished under subsection (b). 8 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 9 the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Di- 10 rector of the United States Geological Survey. 11 (b) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 12 a Saline Lake Ecosystems in the Great Basin States As- 13 sessment and Monitoring Program to assess and monitor 14 the hydrology of saline lake ecosystems in the Great Basin 15 and the migratory birds and other wildlife that depend on 16 those ecosystems to inform and support coordinated man- 17 agement and conservation actions to benefit those eco- 18 systems, migratory birds, and other wildlife. 19 (c) WORK AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.— 20 (1) IN GENERAL.—Under the Program, the 21 Secretary, in coordination with the Director of the 22 United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the en- 23 tities described in paragraph (2), shall establish a 24 multiyear work and implementation plan to assess, 25 monitor, and conserve saline lake ecosystems in the 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:35 Jul 13, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4190.IS S4190 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 3 •S 4190 IS Great Basin and the migratory birds and other wild- 1 life that depend on those ecosystems. 2 (2) COORDINATING ENTITIES.—The entities re- 3 ferred to in paragraph (1) include— 4 (A) Federal, State, Tribal, and local agen- 5 cies; 6 (B) institutions of higher education; 7 (C) nonprofit organizations; and 8 (D) other local stakeholders. 9 (3) INCLUSIONS.—The work and implementa- 10 tion plan established under paragraph (1) shall in- 11 clude— 12 (A) a synthesis of available information, 13 literature, and data, and an assessment of sci- 14 entific and informational needs, relating to— 15 (i) water quantity, water quality, 16 water use, and water demand; 17 (ii) migratory bird and other wildlife 18 populations, habitats, and ecology; 19 (iii) annual lifecycle needs of migra- 20 tory birds; and 21 (iv) environmental changes and other 22 stressors, including climatic stressors; 23 (B) a description of how the plan should 24 be implemented to address the scientific and in- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:35 Jul 13, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4190.IS S4190 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 4 •S 4190 IS formational needs described in subparagraph 1 (A), including proposed activities, such as moni- 2 toring, data infrastructure needs, and develop- 3 ment of tools necessary to implement the Pro- 4 gram; 5 (C) recommendations and a cost assess- 6 ment for the implementation of the plan; and 7 (D) such other matters as the Secretary 8 determines to be appropriate. 9 (4) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the 10 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 11 submit to Congress a report describing the work and 12 implementation plan established under paragraph 13 (1). 14 (d) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary shall imple- 15 ment the Program based on the information, findings, and 16 recommendations contained in the work and implementa- 17 tion plan established under subsection (c). 18 (e) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS AND GRANTS.— 19 Using such sums as the Secretary considers to be appro- 20 priate of amounts made available for each fiscal year 21 under subsection (f), the Secretary may enter into cooper- 22 ative funding agreements with, or provide grants to, enti- 23 ties described in subsection (c)(2) for the purposes of— 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:35 Jul 13, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4190.IS S4190 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 5 •S 4190 IS (1) participating in developing, or providing in- 1 formation to inform the development of, the work 2 and implementation plan under subsection (c); 3 (2) carrying out assessments and monitoring of 4 water quality, quantity, use, and demand under the 5 Program; and 6 (3) carrying out ecological, biological, and avian 7 assessments and monitoring under the Program. 8 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 9 authorized to be appropriated to carry out the Program 10 $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2026. 11 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:35 Jul 13, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S4190.IS S4190 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS