[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3012 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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115th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3012
To establish an innovative water technology grant program and to amend
the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act
to encourage the use of innovative water technology, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 6, 2018
Ms. Baldwin introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish an innovative water technology grant program and to amend
the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act
to encourage the use of innovative water technology, and for other
purposes.
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 ``Water Technology Acceleration Act''.
SEC. 2. INNOVATIVE WATER TECHNOLOGY GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a public utility, including publicly owned
treatment works and clean water systems;
(B) a unit of local government, including a
municipality or a joint powers authority;
(C) a private entity, including a farmer or
manufacturer;
(D) an institution of higher education;
(E) a research institution or foundation;
(F) a State;
(G) a regional organization; or
(H) a nonprofit organization.
(b) Grant Program Authorized.--The Administrator shall carry out a
grant program for the purposes described in subsection (c) to
accelerate the development of innovative water technologies that
address pressing water challenges.
(c) Grants.--In carrying out the program under subsection (b), the
Administrator shall make to eligible entities grants that--
(1) finance projects to develop, deploy, test, and improve
emerging water technologies;
(2) fund entities that provide technical assistance to
deploy innovative water technologies more broadly, especially--
(A) to increase adoption of innovative water
technologies in--
(i) municipal drinking water and wastewater
treatment systems;
(ii) areas served by private wells; or
(iii) water supply systems in arid areas
that are experiencing, or have recently
experienced, prolonged drought conditions; and
(B) in a manner that reduces ratepayer or community
costs over time, including the cost of future capital
investments; or
(3) support technologies that, as determined by the
Administrator--
(A) improve water quality of a water source;
(B) improve the safety and security of a drinking
water delivery system;
(C) minimize contamination of drinking water and
drinking water sources, including contamination by
lead, bacteria, chlorides, and nitrates;
(D) improve the quality and timeliness and decrease
the cost of drinking water quality tests, especially
technologies that can be deployed within water systems
and at individual faucets to provide accurate real-time
tests of water quality, especially with respect to
lead, bacteria, and nitrate content;
(E) increase water supplies in arid areas that are
experiencing, or have recently experienced, prolonged
drought conditions;
(F) treat edge-of-field runoff to improve water
quality;
(G) treat agricultural, municipal, and industrial
wastewater;
(H) recycle or reuse water;
(I) manage urban stormwater runoff;
(J) reduce sewer or stormwater overflows;
(K) conserve water;
(L) improve water quality by reducing salinity;
(M) mitigate air quality impacts associated with
declining water resources;
(N) address treatment byproduct and brine disposal
alternatives; or
(O) address urgent water quality and human health
needs.
(d) Priority Funding.--In making grants under this section, the
Administrator shall give priority to projects that have the potential--
(1) to provide substantial cost savings across a sector;
(2) to significantly improve human health or the
environment; or
(3) to provide additional water supplies with minimal
environmental impact.
(e) Cost-Sharing.--The Federal share of the cost of activities
carried out using a grant under this section shall be not more than 65
percent.
(f) Limitation.--The maximum amount of a grant under this section
shall be $5,000,000.
(g) Report.--Each year, the Administrator shall submit to Congress
and make publicly available on the website of the Administrator a
report that describes any advancements during the previous year in
development of innovative water technologies made as a result of
funding provided under this section.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each fiscal
year.
(i) Funding.--Out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated, the Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer to the
Administrator to provide grants to eligible entities under this section
$10,000,000, to remain available until expended.
SEC. 3. INNOVATION IN DRINKING WATER STATE REVOLVING LOAN FUNDS.
Section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-12) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (d)--
(A) by striking the heading and inserting
``Additional Assistance.--'';
(B) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``Notwithstanding'' and
inserting the following:
``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding''; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) Innovative water technology.--Notwithstanding
any other provision of this section, in the case of a
State that makes a loan under subsection (a)(2) to
carry out an eligible activity through the use of an
innovative water technology (including technologies to
improve water treatment to ensure compliance with this
title and technologies to identify and mitigate sources
of drinking water contamination, including lead
contamination), the State may provide additional
subsidization, including forgiveness of principal that
is not more than 50 percent of the cost of the portion
of the project associated with the innovative
technology.'';
(C) in paragraph (2)--
(i) by striking ``For each fiscal year''
and inserting the following:
``(A) In general.--For each fiscal year''; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) Innovative water technology.--For each fiscal
year, not more than 20 percent of the loan subsidies
that may be made by a State under paragraph (1) may be
used to provide additional subsidization under
subparagraph (B) of that paragraph.''; and
(D) in paragraph (3), in the first sentence, by
inserting ``, or portion of a service area,'' after
``service area''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(s) Technical Assistance.--The Administrator may provide
technical assistance to facilitate and encourage the provision of
financial assistance for the deployment of innovative water
technologies.
``(t) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of
the Water Technology Acceleration Act, and not less frequently than
every 5 years thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a
report that describes--
``(1) the amount of financial assistance provided by State
loan funds to deploy innovative water technologies;
``(2) the barriers impacting greater use of innovative
water technologies; and
``(3) the cost-saving potential to cities and future
infrastructure investments from emerging technologies.''.
SEC. 4. INNOVATION IN STATE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL REVOLVING LOAN
FUNDS.
(a) In General.--Section 603(i)(1)(B) of the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1383(i)(1)(B)) is amended--
(1) in clause (iii), by striking ``or'' at the end;
(2) in clause (iv), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; or''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(v) to encourage the use of innovative
water technologies related to any of the issues
identified in clauses (i) through (iv) or, as
determined by the State, any other eligible
project and activity eligible for assistance
under subsection (c)''.
(b) Innovative Water Technologies.--Section 603 of the Federal
Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1383) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``(j) Technical Assistance.--The Administrator may provide
technical assistance to facilitate and encourage the provision of
financial assistance for innovative water technologies.
``(k) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of
the Water Technology Acceleration Act, and not less frequently than
every 5 years thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a
report that describes--
``(1) the amount of financial assistance provided by State
water pollution control revolving funds to deploy innovative
water technologies;
``(2) the barriers impacting greater use of innovative
water technologies; and
``(3) the cost-saving potential to cities and future
infrastructure investments from emerging technologies.''.
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