This bill expands the Land and Water Conservation Fund—a longstanding federal program that helps states fund outdoor recreation and land conservation—to also cover water quality improvement projects. Specifically, it allows the Secretary of the Interior to provide financial assistance to states for projects that restore bodies of water identified as polluted under the Clean Water Act, but only for projects that work with natural water systems like wetlands, marshes, and living shorelines rather than built infrastructure. States must include these water quality projects in their comprehensive outdoor recreation plans, and the bill allows states to count their own spending on water quality work toward the required local cost-sharing obligation. The bill explicitly protects state authority over water and limits federal regulatory power, while also requiring the Interior Department to consult with the Environmental Protection Agency on these projects. The legislation does not specify dedicated funding amounts or implementation timelines but amends existing law to broaden how current Land and Water Conservation Fund money can be used.
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