[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7916 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7916

To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to provide grants for nitrate and 
          arsenic reduction projects, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 9, 2024

Mrs. Torres of California (for herself and Mr. Valadao) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to provide grants for nitrate and 
          arsenic reduction 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 ``Removing Nitrate and Arsenic in 
Drinking Water Act''.

SEC. 2. NITRATE AND ARSENIC REDUCTION GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Part E of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 
300j et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 1459G the 
following:

``SEC. 1459H. NITRATE AND ARSENIC REDUCTION GRANT PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Arsenic reduction project.--The term `arsenic 
        reduction project' means a project or activity the primary 
        purpose of which is to reduce the concentration of arsenic in 
        water for human consumption.
            ``(2) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
                    ``(A) a community water system;
                    ``(B) a nontransient noncommunity water system;
                    ``(C) a qualified nonprofit organization with 
                experience in nitrate or arsenic reduction, as 
                determined by the Administrator; and
                    ``(D) a municipality or State, interstate, or 
                intermunicipal agency, including a special-purpose unit 
                of local government.
            ``(3) Nitrate reduction project.--The term `nitrate 
        reduction project' means a project or activity the primary 
        purpose of which is to reduce the concentration of nitrate in 
        water for human consumption.
            ``(4) Low-income.--The term `low-income', with respect to 
        assistance under subsection (b)(4), has such meaning as may be 
        given the term by the Governor of the State in which the 
        eligible entity is located, based upon the affordability 
        criteria established by the State under section 1452(d)(3).
            ``(5) Nontransient noncommunity water system.--The term 
        `nontransient noncommunity water system' means a noncommunity 
        water system that regularly serves at least 25 of the same 
        persons over a 6 month period, or more, per year.
    ``(b) Grant Program.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--Subject to the availability of 
        appropriations, the Administrator shall establish a grant 
        program to provide assistance to eligible entities for nitrate 
        or arsenic reduction projects in the United States.
            ``(2) Precondition.--As a condition of receipt of 
        assistance under this subsection, an eligible entity shall take 
        steps to identify--
                    ``(A) the source of nitrate or arsenic, as 
                applicable, in the public water system that is subject 
                to human consumption; and
                    ``(B) the means by which the proposed nitrate or 
                arsenic reduction project would meaningfully reduce the 
                concentration of nitrate or arsenic in water provided 
                for human consumption by the applicable public water 
                system.
            ``(3) Priority application.--In providing grants under this 
        subsection, the Administrator shall give priority to an 
        eligible entity that the Administrator determines, based on 
        affordability criteria established by the State under section 
        1452(d)(3), to be a disadvantaged community and--
                    ``(A) has not been in compliance with the maximum 
                contaminant level of nitrate or arsenic, as applicable, 
                at any time during the 3-year period preceding the date 
                of submission of the application of such eligible 
                entity; or
                    ``(B) proposes to address nitrate or arsenic 
                levels, as applicable, in water for human consumption 
                at a school, daycare, or other facility that primarily 
                serves children or other vulnerable human subpopulation 
                described in section 1458(a)(1).
            ``(4) Low-income assistance.--An eligible entity may use a 
        grant provided under this subsection to purchase and install 
        treatment technology that reduces the amount of nitrate or 
        arsenic, as applicable, in drinking water, with first priority 
        given to assisting disadvantaged communities based on the 
        affordability criteria established by the applicable State 
        under section 1452(d)(3), low-income homeowners, and landlords 
        or property owners providing housing to low-income renters.
    ``(c) Limitation on Use of Funds.--Not more than 4 percent of funds 
made available for grants under this section may be used to pay the 
administrative costs of the Administrator.
    ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section--
            ``(1) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2025; and
            ``(2) $15,000,000 for each fiscal year thereafter.''.
    (b) Review.--The Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency shall conduct a review on the extent the nitrate and arsenic 
reduction grant program under the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 
300j et seq.), as added by subsection (a), takes into consideration 
equity to improve equity outcomes, including taking into consideration 
the diverse needs of economically disadvantaged and underserved 
populations.
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