[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2727 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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115th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2727
To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to
establish a discretionary grant program for drinking water and
wastewater infrastructure projects, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 23, 2018
Mrs. Gillibrand introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to
establish a discretionary grant program for drinking water and
wastewater infrastructure projects, 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 ``Protecting Infrastructure and
Promoting the Economy Act'' or the ``PIPE Act''.
SEC. 2. DRINKING WATER AND WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE DISCRETIONARY
GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(2) Program.--The term ``program'' means the drinking water
and wastewater infrastructure discretionary grant program
established under subsection (b).
(b) Establishment of Program.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall establish a drinking
water and wastewater discretionary grant program to provide grants on a
competitive basis to eligible entities for investments in drinking
water and wastewater infrastructure projects.
(c) Eligible Entities.--An entity eligible to receive a grant under
the program is--
(1) a State;
(2) a unit of local government;
(3) a federally recognized Indian Tribe; or
(4) a public or nonprofit water utility.
(d) Eligible Projects.--A project eligible to be carried out with
funds under the program includes--
(1) one or more activities that are eligible for assistance
under section 603(c) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act
(33 U.S.C. 1383(c));
(2) one or more activities described in section 1452(a)(2)
of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-12(a)(2)); and
(3) any other drinking water infrastructure project or
wastewater infrastructure project that meets the criteria
established by the Administrator under subsection (f)(1)(A).
(e) Application.--
(1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
the program, an eligible entity shall submit to the
Administrator an application in such manner and containing such
information as the Administrator may require.
(2) Bundling of projects.--An eligible entity may include
more than 1 project in a single application.
(3) Deadline.--An application shall be submitted to the
Administrator not later than 180 days after the date on which
the notice of funding opportunity and the selection criteria
are issued under subsection (f)(1)(B).
(f) Selection.--
(1) Criteria.--
(A) In general.--The Administrator shall establish
criteria in accordance with this subsection to use in
selecting projects to receive a grant under the
program.
(B) Publication.--Not later than 60 days after the
date on which funds are made available to carry out the
program for each fiscal year, the Administrator shall--
(i) issue a notice of funding opportunity
for the program; and
(ii) include in the notice the selection
criteria established under subparagraph (A).
(2) Priority.--In selecting projects to receive a grant
under the program, the Administrator shall give priority to
projects for which the grant would help fill a gap in the
overall funding or financing necessary to complete the project.
(3) Geographical distribution.--For each fiscal year, in
providing grants under the program, the Administrator shall
ensure that the funds are distributed--
(A) on an equitable geographical basis; and
(B) in a manner that balances the needs of urban,
suburban, and rural communities.
(4) Deadline.--Not later than 1 year after the date on
which funds are made available to carry out the program for
each fiscal year, the Administrator shall select projects to
receive grants under the program.
(g) Requirements.--
(1) Total state limit.--For each fiscal year, the total
amount provided under the program for projects in a single
State shall not exceed 20 percent of the total amount made
available to carry out the program.
(2) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of a
project carried out with a grant under the program shall not
exceed 100 percent.
(h) Regulations.--The Administrator may promulgate such regulations
as may be necessary to carry out this section.
(i) Reports.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Administrator shall submit to Congress and make publicly
available a report on the implementation of the program.
(j) Funding.--
(1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $500,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2018 through 2027.
(2) Availability.--Funds made available to carry out this
section shall be available until expended.
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