HR 5762119th CongressIn Committee

New York-New Jersey Watershed Protection Act of 2025

Introduced: Oct 14, 2025

Sponsor: Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20] (D-New York)

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

This bill, the New York-New Jersey Watershed Protection Act of 2025, would create a nonregulatory program within the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service to coordinate and fund restoration and protection activities across the New York-North Jersey watershed. The program aims to improve water quality, habitat for fish and wildlife, climate resilience, and public access, with a strong emphasis on environmental justice. It would rely on already-approved plans and regional partnerships (such as the Harbor & Estuary Program and Hudson River restoration efforts) and would implement a grant program to fund collaborative restoration projects across federal, state, tribal, local, and nonprofit partners. The measure would also authorize funding (through 2031), set cost-sharing rules, and require regular reporting, while capping federal land holdings acquired under the act and sunsetting the program in 2031. In short, the bill seeks to align and finance cross-jurisdictional restoration work in the watershed, promote green infrastructure and natural climate solutions, build local capacity, and prioritize communities facing environmental injustice, all under a coordinated federal framework that supports partnerships and reporting rather than new regulations on land or operations.

Key Points

1Establishment and scope
2- Creates the New York-New Jersey Watershed Restoration Program as a nonregulatory federal program led by the Secretary (Interior, via the Fish and Wildlife Service) to coordinate and fund restoration across the watershed.
3- Defines the watershed to include all land draining into the New York-New Jersey Harbor, its waters, and associated estuaries; references approved regional plans as part of approved strategies.
4Purposes and activities
5- Aims to: coordinate restoration among federal, state, local, tribal, and regional entities; improve water quality and habitat; promote natural climate solutions and green infrastructure; engage environmentally burdened communities; build scientific capacity; conduct planning for green infrastructure; monitor environmental quality; and enhance public recreation near watersheds’ rivers and shorelines.
6Approved plans and consultation
7- The program will rely on and integrate existing approved plans (e.g., Harbor & Estuary Program Action Agenda, Hudson River restoration plans, Mohawk River plans, etc.) and will be developed with broad consultation including governors, federal agencies, state wildlife/agriculture agencies, and environmental organizations, with attention to environmental justice groups.
8Grant program and administration
9- Establishes a voluntary New York-New Jersey Watershed Restoration Grant Program to award competitive matching grants to governments, nonprofits, higher education, and other eligible entities to carry out coordinated restoration activities.
10- Grants have criteria to advance the watershed-wide strategy, prioritize priority actions, and build organizational capacity.
11Funding and cost-sharing
12- Authorized funds: $20 million per year from 2026–2031, with up to 5% for administrative costs.
13- Grant funding rules: at least 75% of annual funds must go toward the grant program and related technical assistance.
14- Federal/non-federal cost sharing: Federal share generally up to 50%; small, rural, or disadvantaged communities may receive up to 90% federal share (potentially up to 100% if financial hardship is shown); non-federal share up to 50% and may be cash or in-kind.
15Administration and oversight
16- The grant program can be administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) or a similar organization; funds used by the Foundation may be advanced and invested for grant administration and public-private partnerships, with compliance tied to the NFWF Establishment Act.
17Reporting and sunset
18- Requires a congressional report within 180 days of enactment and annual reporting on program implementation and funded activities.
19- Prohibits federal ownership of land acquired under the act unless transferred to a qualifying entity.
20- Sunset: The act ceases to have force on October 1, 2031.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Residents and communities within the New York-New Jersey Watershed, particularly environmental justice communities, as well as wildlife and aquatic habitats in the watershed.Secondary group/area affected- State and local governments, regional planning organizations, tribes, nonprofit environmental groups, institutions of higher education, and private landowners who participate in restoration projects or partner through the grant program.Additional impacts- Federal agencies (EPA, NOAA, USDA, NPS, etc.) and New York and New Jersey state agencies (e.g., DEC, NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife) will participate in coordination and planning.- Potential for expanded use of green infrastructure, living shorelines, and climate-resilience projects.- Increased capacity-building, monitoring, and data collection to track progress toward stated restoration and protection goals.- Administrative and governance implications include reliance on a grant-management intermediary (NFWF or similar) and a defined sunset, which could affect long-term continuity and planning beyond 2031.

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