S. 3015 — AWRC Act of 2025

This section authorizes appropriations of $16 million for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029 (previously through 2025) for water resources research and technology institutes—one per state (including territories), established at land-grant universities or other designated institutions to conduct or arrange peer-reviewed applied research that improves water supply reliability, addresses water problems, trains new researchers and technicians, and disseminate results to water managers and the public, in cooperation with other state and regional entities. Of such amounts, 20% must be used for competitive grants to institutes for research on interstate or regional water problems (i.e., beyond single-state concerns), specific program priorities jointly identified by the Secretary of the Interior and institutes, or water problems identified by Congress as interstate in nature, with federal cost-sharing. (Thus, the remaining 80% is available for general institute activities, subject to reallocation of unobligated funds.)