S. 1107 — MATCH Act of 2025

This section establishes a process for preagreement costs under the Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP)—which authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to undertake emergency measures, including floodplain easements, to protect watersheds and safeguard lives and property from floods, drought, erosion, or other natural disasters. For sponsors (i.e., state or local governments or Indian tribes, as defined in 25 U.S.C. 5304), it directs the Secretary to, not later than 180 days after enactment: (1) identify a list of EWP measures for which costs may be incurred prior to an agreement with the Secretary; and (2) develop a state-level procedure, including deadlines, for sponsors to request additional such measures for a specified natural disaster. If the Secretary enters an agreement with a sponsor, applicable preagreement costs count toward the sponsor's project cost contribution; however, the sponsor assumes the risk of those costs, and the provision does not require the Secretary to enter any agreement. (Thus, sponsors may begin urgent post-disaster work before federal approval and potentially receive cost-sharing credit.)