S. 2926 — New York-New Jersey Watershed Protection Act

This section defines terms used in the Act, including (1) "Watershed," as the land area whose surface water drains into the New York-New Jersey Harbor, the waters therein, and associated estuaries; (2) "Secretary," as the Secretary of the Interior acting through the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; (3) "approved plan," as a plan for watershed management approved by a federal, regional, state, tribal, or local governmental entity (including State Wildlife Action Plans) or determined by the Secretary, in consultation with such entities, to achieve the Act's purposes (including nine specified plans such as the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program Action Agenda and the Hudson Raritan Comprehensive Restoration Plan); (4) "restoration and protection," as conservation, stewardship, and enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat, including water quality improvements, to preserve ecosystems and for public use and enjoyment; (5) "environmental justice," as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to environmental laws, regulations, and policies; and (6) "program" and "grant program," referring to the New York-New Jersey Watershed Restoration Program and voluntary grant program established under sections 3(a) and 4(a), respectively.

This section directs the Secretary to establish, not later than 180 days after enactment, a nonregulatory program known as the New York-New Jersey Watershed Restoration Program to coordinate restoration and protection activities in the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary, Hudson River Estuary, Mohawk River Basin, and Raritan River watershed (i.e., among federal, state, tribal, local, and regional entities). The program's purposes include sustaining fish and wildlife habitat; improving water quality and public access; advancing natural climate solutions and green infrastructure such as living shorelines; engaging environmental justice communities through outreach, education, and workforce development; increasing scientific capacity for planning, monitoring, and research; conducting feasibility studies for green infrastructure; supporting land conservation; monitoring environmental quality; and implementing approved plans. In implementing the program, the Secretary must draw on existing plans; consult with entities including the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program (HEP), Hudson River Estuary Program, Mohawk River Basin Program, Sustainable Raritan River Initiative, federal agencies, states, localities, and environmental justice organizations to identify, prioritize, and carry out activities; and adopt a watershed-wide strategy for science-based, cost-effective projects that maximize conservation outcomes, prioritize environmental justice needs, and implement a grant program. The Secretary must also consult with the heads of specified federal agencies (i.e., EPA, NOAA, Agriculture, National Park Service), the Governors of New York and New Jersey, state environmental officials, HEP, tribes, and other relevant entities.

This section establishes, not later than 180 days after enactment, the New York-New Jersey Watershed Restoration Grant Program to provide competitive matching grants and technical assistance to state, Tribal, and local governments, nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and other eligible entities for coordinated restoration and protection activities within the New York-New Jersey Watershed. The Secretary must develop grant criteria, in consultation with specified stakeholders, to ensure funded activities accomplish purposes identified in section 3(b)(2) and advance priority actions in the watershed-wide strategy; prioritize capacity building for restoration organizations; and limit the federal cost share to 50 percent generally or 90 percent (waivable to 100 percent) for small, rural, or disadvantaged communities, with the non-federal share provided in cash or in-kind. The Secretary may enter an agreement with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) or a similar organization to manage the program using advance payments invested for the program's benefit, with NFWF funds subject to the NFWF Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.) excluding the general authorization provisions (16 U.S.C. 3709(a)).

This section requires the Secretary to submit to Congress, not later than 180 days after enactment and annually thereafter, a report on the implementation of this Act, including a description of each activity funded under the Act in the preceding fiscal year.

This section authorizes appropriations of $20 million for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to the Secretary to carry out the Act, of which not more than 5% may be used for administrative costs. Of the amounts appropriated, the Secretary must use at least 75% for the grant program, including related technical assistance. Such amounts supplement, and do not supplant, other funding for the Secretary's activities in the Watershed.