Bill Summary
The "Bureau of Reclamation Transparency Act" is a bill that requires the Secretary of the Interior to submit a report to Congress on the efforts of the Bureau of Reclamation to manage its infrastructure assets. This includes all buildings, structures, equipment, and facilities that are owned by the Bureau and used to manage water and related resources. The report, known as the "Asset Management Report," will provide information on the maintenance and repair needs of these assets, including a budget estimate for each item and a rating system to prioritize these needs. The bill also requires the Secretary to consult with other agencies and stakeholders in developing the report. Additionally, the bill calls for updates to the report every two years and for similar reporting requirements to be developed for assets that have been transferred to non-Federal entities.
Possible Impacts
1. The requirements outlined in the legislation could result in increased taxes for individuals, as the report may recommend funding for major repairs and rehabilitation needs for Bureau of Reclamation projects.
2. The legislation could also lead to decreased access to recreational facilities for individuals, as the report may identify infrastructure assets that are no longer considered mission critical and therefore may be decommissioned or closed.
3. The legislation may also impact the job security and opportunities for individuals employed by the Bureau of Reclamation, as the report may recommend changes to staffing or contracting practices for maintenance of infrastructure assets.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1268 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1268
To require the Secretary of the Interior to submit to Congress a report
on the efforts of the Bureau of Reclamation to manage its
infrastructure assets.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 14, 2019
Mr. Gosar (for himself, Mr. Biggs, Mr. Calvert, Mr. Garamendi, Mr.
Gianforte, Mr. Gohmert, Mr. Hice of Georgia, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Hunter,
Mrs. Kirkpatrick, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Lamborn, Mr. Meadows, Mr.
McClintock, Mrs. Rodgers of Washington, Mr. Mullin, Mrs. Napolitano,
Mr. Newhouse, Mr. Schweikert, and Mr. Tipton) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of the Interior to submit to Congress a report
on the efforts of the Bureau of Reclamation to manage its
infrastructure assets.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Bureau of Reclamation Transparency
Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Asset.--
(A) In general.--The term ``asset'' means any of
the following assets that are used to achieve the
mission of the Bureau to manage, develop, and protect
water and related resources in an environmentally and
economically sound manner in the interest of the people
of the United States:
(i) Capitalized facilities, buildings,
structures, project features, power production
equipment, recreation facilities, or quarters.
(ii) Capitalized and noncapitalized heavy
equipment and other installed equipment.
(B) Inclusions.--The term ``asset'' includes assets
described in subparagraph (A) that are considered to be
mission critical.
(2) Asset management report.--The term ``Asset Management
Report'' means--
(A) the annual plan prepared by the Bureau known as
the ``Asset Management Plan''; and
(B) any publicly available information relating to
the plan described in subparagraph (A) that summarizes
the efforts of the Bureau to evaluate and manage
infrastructure assets of the Bureau.
(3) Major repair and rehabilitation need.--The term ``major
repair and rehabilitation need'' means major nonrecurring
maintenance at a Reclamation facility, including maintenance
related to the safety of dams, extraordinary maintenance of
dams, deferred major maintenance activities, and all other
significant repairs and extraordinary maintenance.
(4) Reclamation facility.--The term ``Reclamation
facility'' means each of the infrastructure assets that are
owned by the Bureau at a Reclamation project.
(5) Reclamation project.--The term ``Reclamation project''
means a project that is owned by the Bureau, including all
reserved works and transferred works owned by the Bureau.
(6) Reserved works.--The term ``reserved works'' means any
building, structure, facility, or equipment--
(A) that is owned by the Bureau; and
(B) for which operations and maintenance are
performed, regardless of the source of funding--
(i) by an employee of the Bureau; or
(ii) through a contract entered into by the
Commissioner.
(7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(8) Reclamation.--The term ``Reclamation'' means the Bureau
of Reclamation.
(9) Bureau.--The term ``Bureau'' means the Bureau of
Reclamation.
(10) Commissioner.--The term ``Commissioner'' means the
Commissioner of Reclamation.
(11) Transferred works.--The term ``transferred works''
means a Reclamation facility at which operations and
maintenance of the facility is carried out by a non-Federal
entity under the provisions of a formal operations and
maintenance transfer contract or other legal agreement with the
Bureau.
SEC. 3. ASSET MANAGEMENT REPORT ENHANCEMENTS FOR RESERVED WORKS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress an Asset Management
Report that--
(1) describes the efforts of the Bureau--
(A) to maintain in a reliable manner all reserved
works at Reclamation facilities; and
(B) to standardize and streamline data reporting
and processes across regions and areas for the purpose
of maintaining reserved works at Reclamation
facilities; and
(2) expands on the information otherwise provided in an
Asset Management Report, in accordance with subsection (b).
(b) Infrastructure Maintenance Needs Assessment.--
(1) In general.--The Asset Management Report submitted
under subsection (a) shall include--
(A) a detailed assessment of major repair and
rehabilitation needs for all reserved works at all
Reclamation projects; and
(B) to the maximum extent practicable, an itemized
list of major repair and rehabilitation needs of
individual Reclamation facilities at each Reclamation
project.
(2) Inclusions.--To the maximum extent practicable, the
itemized list of major repair and rehabilitation needs under
paragraph (1)(B) shall include--
(A) a budget level cost estimate of the
appropriations needed to complete each item; and
(B) an assignment of a categorical rating for each
item, consistent with paragraph (3).
(3) Rating requirements.--
(A) In general.--The system for assigning ratings
under paragraph (2)(B) shall be--
(i) consistent with existing uniform
categorization systems to inform the annual
budget process and agency requirements; and
(ii) subject to the guidance and
instructions issued under subparagraph (B).
(B) Guidance.--As soon as practicable after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
issue guidance that describes the applicability of the
rating system applicable under paragraph (2)(B) to
Reclamation facilities.
(4) Public availability.--Except as provided in paragraph
(5), the Secretary shall make publicly available, including on
the internet, the Asset Management Report required under
subsection (a).
(5) Confidentiality.--The Secretary may exclude from the
public version of the Asset Management Report made available
under paragraph (4) any information that the Secretary
identifies as sensitive or classified, but shall make available
to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate
and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives a version of the report containing the
sensitive or classified information.
(c) Updates.--Not later than 2 years after the date on which the
Asset Management Report is submitted under subsection (a) and
biennially thereafter, the Secretary shall update the Asset Management
Report, subject to the requirements of section 4(b)(2).
(d) Consultation.--To the extent that such consultation would
assist the Secretary in preparing the Asset Management Report under
subsection (a) and updates to the Asset Management Report under
subsection (c), the Secretary shall consult with--
(1) the Secretary of the Army (acting through the Chief of
Engineers); and
(2) water and power contractors.
SEC. 4. ASSET MANAGEMENT REPORT ENHANCEMENTS FOR TRANSFERRED WORKS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall coordinate with the non-
Federal entities responsible for the operation and maintenance of
transferred works in developing reporting requirements for Asset
Management Reports with respect to major repair and rehabilitation
needs for transferred works that are similar to the reporting
requirements described in section 3(b).
(b) Guidance.--
(1) In general.--After considering input from water and
power contractors of the Bureau, the Secretary shall develop
and implement a rating system for transferred works that
incorporates, to the maximum extent practicable, the rating
system for major repair and rehabilitation needs for reserved
works developed under section 3(b)(3).
(2) Updates.--The ratings system developed under paragraph
(1) shall be included in the updated Asset Management Reports
under section 3(c).
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