Sec. 3. Program establishment
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/bill/117/hr/4677/rh/section-3A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a nonregulatory program to be known as the New York-New Jersey Watershed Restoration Program . In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall— draw on existing and new approved plans for the Watershed, or portions of the Watershed, and work in consultation with applicable management entities, including representatives of the New York-New Jersey Harbor and Estuary Program (HEP), Hudson River Estuary Program, Mohawk River Basin Program, Sustainable Raritan River Initiative, the Federal Government, and other State and local governments, and regional and nonprofit organizations, as appropriate, to identify, prioritize, and implement restoration and protection activities within the Watershed; and adopt a Watershed-wide strategy that— supports the implementation of a shared set of science-based restoration and protection activities developed in accordance with paragraph (1); targets cost-effective projects with measurable results; maximizes conservation outcomes; prioritizes the needs of communities lacking in environmental justice; and establishes the voluntary grant and technical assistance programs authorized in this Act.
In establishing the program, the Secretary shall, as appropriate— consult with— the heads of Federal agencies, including— the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; the Director of the National Park Service; and other agencies, as appropriate; and Indian Tribes; and coordinate with— the Governors of New York and New Jersey, along with the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Director of the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife; the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program; and other public agencies and organizations with authority for the planning and implementation of conservation strategies in the Watershed.
The purposes of the program include— coordinating restoration and protection activities among Federal, State, Tribal, local, and regional entities and conservation partners throughout the Watershed; carrying out coordinated restoration and protection activities, and providing for technical assistance throughout the Watershed— to sustain and enhance fish and wildlife habitat restoration and protection activities; to improve and maintain water quality to support fish, wildlife, and their habitat, as well as to improve opportunities for public access and recreation in the Watershed consistent with the ecological needs of fish and wildlife habitat; to advance the use of natural and nature-based features, living shoreline, natural climate solutions, and other green infrastructure techniques to maximize the resilience of communities, natural systems, and habitats under changing sea levels, storm risks, and watershed conditions; to engage the public, particularly communities experiencing environmental injustice, through outreach, education, and community involvement to increase capacity and support for coordinated restoration and protection activities in the Watershed; to increase scientific capacity to support the planning, monitoring, and research activities necessary to carry out coordinated restoration and protection activities; to provide for feasibility and planning studies for projects that achieve habitat restoration and stormwater management goals; to support land conservation and management activities necessary to fulfill the Watershed-wide strategy adopted under subsection (b); to provide technical assistance to carry out restoration and protection activities in the Watershed; to monitor environmental quality to assess progress toward the goals of this Act; and to improve fish and wildlife habitats, as well as opportunities for personal recreation, along rivers and shore fronts within communities experiencing environmental injustice; and other activities necessary for the implementation of approved plans.