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Several United States Senators introduced legislation titled:
Headwaters Protection Act of 2023 (“Act”)
The legislation was introduced by:
- Senator Michael Bennet
- Senator Mike Crapo
- Senator Dianne Feinstein
- Senator James Risch
- Senator Ben Ray Luján
- Senator Mark Kelly
- Senator John Hickenlooper
- Senator Martin Heinrich
The legislation would expand support for two United States Forest Service (“Service”) programs that had been created by the 2018 Farm Bill.
The programs addressed include:
- Water Source Protection Program
- Watershed Condition Framework
The objectives of the two Service programs are stated to:
- Prevent water pollution at the source
- Improve the health of watersheds
- Ensure investments benefit downstream communities
The Act would:
- Increase funding
- Expand access to funding
- Direct the programs to prioritize local, collaborative partnerships to protect forests and wetlands
- Create dedicated funding for the Watershed Condition Framework
- Make a technical change to the Watershed Condition Framework to ensure management activities in the National Forest do not lead to long-term degradation of the watersheds
The Act is stated to:
- Reauthorize the Water Source Protection Program and increase the authorization of appropriations for the program from $10 million per year to $30 million per year
- Broaden the range of water users to include historically disadvantaged communities who can participate and benefit
- Reduce financial barriers for water users to participate in the Water Source Protection Program
- Prioritize Water Source Protection Program projects that benefit drinking water quality and improve resilience to wildfire and climate change
- Make a technical change to the Watershed Condition Framework to ensure healthy watersheds do not become degraded
- Authorize $30 million in new appropriations per year for the Watershed Condition Framework
A copy of the Act can be downloaded here.
