Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act

(a) Assistance to local organizations (1) In general Section 3(a) of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1003(a)) is amended by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (7) and inserting after paragraph (5) the following: (6) to provide technical and financial assistance for remedial actions in accordance with subsection (c); and. (2) Assistance for remedial actions; Streamlining Section 3 of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1003) is amended by adding at the end the following: (c) Assistance for remedial actions (1) In general In carrying out subsection (a)(6), the Secretary may provide technical and financial assistance to local organizations for remedial actions for a completed work of improvement installed under this Act with respect to which— (A) deterioration of a structural component of the work of improvement is occurring at an abnormal rate, including situations in which such deterioration is due to a design deficiency or to site conditions that were unknown at the time of installation of the work of improvement; (B) the planned service life of the work of improvement exceeds the service life of a structural component of such work of improvement; or (C) structural damage to such work of improvement, or to a structural component of such work of improvement, was caused by a storm event that exceeded the maximum storm event for which the work of improvement was designed. (2) Cost share Financial assistance provided under this subsection shall be provided in accordance with the cost-share rate established in the agreement with the local organization for the work of improvement. (d) Streamlining The Secretary shall, on an ongoing basis— (1) engage with relevant Federal agencies to reduce or eliminate regulatory, policy, or procedural barriers to timely provision of assistance under this Act; (2) provide for streamlined procedures relating to coordination with other Federal or State agencies for required reviews and permitting of projects pursuant to this Act, and ensure such procedures are commensurate with the size and scale of the projects; (3) conduct an assessment of internal Department of Agriculture planning, technical support, and approvals to determine best practices to be used for the purpose of maximizing the decisionmaking authority of State conservationists with respect to approvals required for projects under this Act; and (4) prioritize the use of agreements and contracting authorities under this Act to provide funding to local organizations for the planning, design, and construction of works of improvement.. (b) Data Section 13 of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1010) is amended to read as follows: 13. Data (a) In general The Secretary shall collect and maintain, and make publicly available— (1) data, on a national and State-by-State basis, concerning— (A) expenditures for the individual flood control and conservation measures for which assistance is provided under this Act; and (B) the expected flood control or environmental (including soil erosion) benefits that will result from the implementation of such measures; and (2) data, with respect to each project for which assistance is provided under this Act, concerning— (A) total allocated and expended funds for planning, design, construction, remedial actions, and rehabilitation; and (B) contracts and agreements entered into by the Secretary with a local organization to provide services, including— (i) the services provided through such contracts and agreements; (ii) the total funds allocated to such contracts and agreements; and (iii) any modifications or adjustments made to such contracts and agreements. (b) Prohibition The Secretary may not make publicly available under this section an agreement entered into with an individual landowner, operator, or occupier under this Act, or any disaggregated information that identifies such individual landowner, operator, or occupier.. (c) Rehabilitation of structural measures near, at, or past their evaluated life expectancy (1) Cost share assistance for rehabilitation Section 14(b) of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1012(b)) is amended— (A) in paragraph (2), by striking 65 percent and inserting 90 percent; and (B) by adding at the end the following: (4) Relation to requirements of authorized projects A rehabilitation project for which assistance is provided under this section shall not be subject to— (A) the requirement under section 2 that a project contain benefits directly related to agriculture, including rural communities, that account for at least 20 percent of the total benefits of the project; or (B) section 4(5).. (2) Funding Section 14(h)(2)(E) of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1012(h)(2)(E)) is amended by striking 2023 and inserting 2031.