However,  activities from these industries have affected the environment in the Basin  and, among other impacts, impaired water quality in some areas to the  point where human health is at risk and historic salmon and steelhead  stocks are at risk or extinct. Various Entities Implemented a Range of Restoration Efforts for Improving Water Quality in the Columbia River Basin from Fiscal Years 2010 through 2016

In response to our survey, various entities—federal and state agencies,  tribes and tribal organizations, and nongovernmental entities—identified a  range of restoration efforts they implemented related to improving water  quality in the Columbia River Basin from fiscal years 2010 through 2016. Entities Used Various Collaborative Approaches for Selected Restoration Efforts

We found that entities’ approaches to collaboration for selected water  quality-related restoration efforts in the Basin from fiscal years 2010  through 2016 varied based on the specific circumstances of the given  effort. Entities Reported Using a Mix of Federal and Nonfederal Sources of Funding to Implement Restoration Efforts, but Total Federal Expenditures Could Not Be Determined

Entities responding to our survey reported that most of the restoration  efforts they implemented in the Basin were supported through a mix of  federal and nonfederal funding sources. EPA and OMB Have Not Yet Implemented Clean Water Act Section 123

EPA and OMB have not yet implemented actions required under Clean  Water Act Section 123, which was enacted in 2016. EPA Has Not Yet Established the Columbia River Basin Restoration Program

According to EPA officials we interviewed, the agency has not yet taken  steps to establish the Columbia River Basin Restoration Program,  including the Columbia River Basin Restoration Working Group, as  directed by Clean Water Act Section 123. In addition, agency officials  told us that they were not currently planning to do so, as the agency has  not received dedicated funding appropriated for this purpose. By developing a  program management plan that includes a schedule of the actions the  entity will take and the resources and funding needed to establish and  implement the program and submitting this plan to the appropriate  congressional authorizing committees as part of the fiscal year 2020  budget process, EPA will have more reasonable assurance that it can  establish the program in a timely manner. OMB Has Not Yet Submitted an Interagency Crosscut Budget on Federal Agencies’ Spending for Environmental Protection and Restoration Efforts in the Columbia River Basin

According to OMB officials we interviewed, the agency has not yet  submitted an interagency crosscut budget or requested that federal  agencies provide information on their budgets and spending for Columbia  River Basin environmental protection and restoration efforts as directed  by Clean Water Act Section 123. Furthermore, EPA does not have a  program management plan for this effort. Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

This report examines (1) restoration efforts to improve water quality in the  Columbia River Basin from fiscal years 2010 through 2016; (2)  approaches to collaboration that entities have used for selected efforts,  including factors they identified that enabled or hindered collaboration in  the Basin; (3) the sources of funding and federal funding expenditures;  and, (4) the extent to which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) have implemented  Clean Water Act Section 123. We  also requested documentation from and conducted interviews with  knowledgeable officials at EPA and OMB.
Why GAO Did This Study

The Basin is one of the nation's largest watersheds and extends mainly through four Western states and into Canada. Activities such as power generation and agricultural practices have impaired water quality in some areas, so that human health is at risk and certain species, such as salmon, are threatened or extinct. In December 2016, Congress amended the Clean Water Act by adding Section 123, which requires EPA and OMB to take actions related to restoration efforts in the Basin.
GAO was asked to review restoration efforts in the Basin. This report examines (1) efforts to improve water quality in the Basin from fiscal years 2010 through 2016; (2) approaches to collaboration that entities have used for selected efforts; (3) sources of funding and federal funding expenditures; and (4) the extent to which EPA and OMB have implemented Clean Water Act Section 123. GAO reviewed documentation, including laws, policies, and budget information; surveyed federal, state, tribal, and nongovernmental entities that GAO determined had participated in restoration efforts; and conducted interviews with officials from most of these entities.

What GAO Found

Various entities, including federal and state agencies and tribes, implemented restoration efforts to improve water quality in the Columbia River Basin from fiscal years 2010 through 2016, according to GAO survey results. Entities implemented a range of restoration efforts. Efforts included activities to improve surface water quality and restore and protect habitat. For example, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho implemented projects on the Kootenai River to restore and maintain conditions that support all life stages of native fish.
Entities used various collaborative approaches . Entities' approaches to collaboration for selected water quality-related efforts in the Basin varied. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sought various entities' voluntary involvement to coordinate toxics reduction efforts in the Basin.
Total federal expenditures could not be determined . Entities reported using a mix of federal and nonfederal funding sources for restoration efforts in the Basin, but total federal expenditures could not be determined, in part because there is no federal funding dedicated to restoring the Basin.
EPA and Office of Management and Budget ( OMB) have not yet implemented Section 123. According to EPA officials, the agency has not yet taken steps to establish the Columbia River Basin Restoration Program, as required by the Clean Water Act Section 123. EPA officials told GAO they have not received dedicated funding appropriated for this purpose; however, EPA has not yet requested funding to implement the program or identified needed resources. By developing a program management plan that identifies actions and resources needed, EPA would have more reasonable assurance that it can establish the program in a timely manner. Also, an interagency crosscut budget has not been submitted. According to OMB officials, they have had internal conversations on the approach to develop the budget but have not requested information from agencies. A crosscut budget would help ensure Congress is better informed as it considers funding for Basin restoration efforts.

What GAO Recommends

GAO is making three recommendations, including that EPA develop a program management plan for implementing the Columbia River Basin Restoration Program and that OMB compile and submit an interagency crosscut budget. EPA agreed with its recommendation. OMB did not comment, and GAO maintains its recommendations are valid.