Assistance to local organizations

Section 3 of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1003) is amended— (1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (e); (2) in subsection (a)(6), in the first sentence, by striking occupiers, individually and inserting the following: “occupiers in accordance with subsection (b). (b) Agreements with landowners, operators, and occupiers (1) In general The Secretary may enter into agreements under subsection (a)(6) with landowners, operators, and occupiers, individually; (3) in subsection (b) (as so designated)— (A) by striking supplemented. Applications and inserting the following: “supplemented. (2) Applications Applications; (B) in paragraph (2) (as so designated)— (i) in the first sentence, by striking such conservation plans and inserting conservation plans described in paragraph (1); (ii) by striking such district. In return and all that follows through interest. The portion and inserting the following: “that district. (3) Cost sharing (A) In general The Secretary may agree to share the costs of carrying out a work of improvement, or specific practices and measures described in such an agreement, if the Secretary determines that cost sharing is appropriate and in the public interest.; (B) Portion of costs The portion; and (iii) in subparagraph (B) (as so designated)— (I) by striking programs. The Secretary and inserting the following: “programs. (4) Termination; modifications The Secretary; (C) in paragraph (4) (as so designated)— (i) in the first sentence, by striking hereunder, as he and inserting under this subsection, as the Secretary; and (ii) by striking herein. Notwithstanding and inserting the following: “under this subsection. (5) Preservation or surrender of history Notwithstanding; and (D) in paragraph (5) (as so designated)— (i) by striking he and inserting the Secretary; (ii) by striking paragraph and inserting subsection; (iii) by striking hereunder for (1) preservation and inserting the following: “under this paragraph for— (A) preservation; and (iv) in subparagraph (A) (as so designated), by striking crop; or (2) surrender and inserting the following: “crop; or (B) surrender; (4) by inserting after subsection (b) (as so designated) the following: (c) Delegation of authorities The Secretary shall delegate final decisionmaking authority to the State Conservationist, or the agency having that responsibility, of the State in which the work of improvement is located for the determination of when the watershed plan for a work of improvement shall be released for final public comment. (d) Deadline for approval or disapproval (1) In general Subject to paragraph (2), not later than 45 days after the date on which an application for a work of improvement is submitted to the Secretary, the Secretary shall approve or disapprove the application. (2) Extensions The Secretary may extend the deadline described in paragraph (1) by 45 days, if necessary.; (5) in subsection (e) (as so redesignated)— (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)— (i) by inserting or the delegated authority under subsection (c) after The Secretary; and (ii) by inserting or the delegated authority after if the Secretary; and (B) in paragraph (2), by striking section 4 and inserting section 7; and (6) by adding at the end the following: (f) Approval of plans that improve the condition of a natural feature Notwithstanding subsection (a)(3), the Secretary may approve a plan for a multibenefit work of improvement, regardless of the ratio of costs to benefits of the multibenefit work of improvement. (g) Guarantee of funding for certain construction materials (1) In general Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary may approve funding under a work of improvement for construction materials for pipes to convey water if the Secretary determines that the construction materials— (A) are fully recyclable; (B) maintain structural integrity for not less than 100 years; and (C) are capable of being manufactured on-site. (2) Construction materials with less than 100-year structural integrity The Secretary, at the election of a project sponsor and with the recommendation of the applicable State Conservationist of the project sponsor, may approve funding under a work of improvement for construction materials for pipes to convey water that do not meet the criteria described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of paragraph (1)..