[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 104 (Tuesday, June 15, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2765-H2766]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       LOCAL WATER PROTECTION ACT

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2008) to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to 
reauthorize certain programs relating to nonpoint source management, 
and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2008

       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 ``Local Water Protection 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. NONPOINT SOURCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS.

       Section 319(j) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act 
     (33 U.S.C. 1329(j)) is amended by striking ``subsections (h) 
     and (i) not to exceed'' and all that follows through ``fiscal 
     year 1991'' and inserting ``subsections (h) and (i) 
     $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) and the gentleman from North 
Carolina (Mr. Rouzer) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia.


                             General Leave

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.R. 2008.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2008. H.R. 2008 is a 
bipartisan bill to reauthorize appropriations for the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency's Nonpoint Source Management grants 
program. I would like to thank my colleagues, Ms. Craig from Minnesota 
and Mr. Mast from Florida, for introducing this bill.
  Nonpoint sources of water pollution come from many diffuse sources, 
including runoff from farms, managed forests, and urban areas. This 
runoff can carry pollutants, such as fertilizers and sediment from 
fields and lawns, toxins from abandoned mines, and oils and heavy 
metals from roads into lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water. 
Nationally, some 55 percent of assessed rivers and streams currently do 
not meet State water quality standards.
  The Clean Water Act was enacted in 1972 to restore and maintain the 
chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation's waters. In 
1987, the Clean Water Act was amended to add section 319 to create a 
non-regulatory program through which EPA administers annual grants to 
help States develop and implement their own programs for managing 
nonpoint sources of water pollution.
  Under EPA's 319 program, States retain the primary role for 
addressing nonpoint source water pollution, which they do largely 
through voluntary means and financial incentives. However, according to 
the General Accounting Office, the extent of the available incentives 
has declined in recent years, as grants to States under the section 319 
program have declined by more than 30 percent from a high of about $240 
million annually in fiscal year 2004.
  The section 319 program was initially authorized at $70 million 
annually in fiscal year 1988, and its authorization level steadily 
increased to $130 million in fiscal year 1991, the last year of 
authorization for this program.
  Since that time, the section 319 program has continued to receive 
funds through the annual appropriation for EPA. In fiscal year 2021, 
the section 319 program received a Federal appropriation of $177 
million, and the President's fiscal year 2022 budget request proposes 
an increase in funding for the program to $180 million.
  H.R. 2008 would authorize $200 million annually for the section 319 
program through 2026. This would be a modest increase of the current 
appropriated level for this popular program, but less than the historic 
peak appropriation for this program in the early 2000s.
  Again, I thank Ms. Craig and Mr. Mast for leading this bipartisan 
bill. This legislation passed out of committee with bipartisan support 
and is a good bill for a valuable program.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROUZER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, H.R. 2008 reauthorizes the Environmental Protection 
Agency's section 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution Control program under 
the Clean Water Act.
  Reauthorizing this program reinforces the Federal leadership that 
helps our State and local partners in their efforts to control nonpoint 
source pollution.
  For example, my home State of North Carolina typically receives $1 
million for competitive grant funding for watershed restoration 
projects. This money is put to good use conducting watershed 
restoration projects like stormwater and agricultural best management 
practices and restoration of impaired streams affected by nonpoint 
source pollution.
  In my district, some of these grant funds are being used to reduce 
stormwater runoff volume on the campus of UNC-Wilmington.
  Madam Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to 
the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Craig).
  Ms. CRAIG. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2008, the Local 
Water Protection Act.
  Madam Speaker, in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, we take water quality 
very seriously. Not only are our lakes and waterways critical for 
transporting agriculture goods, but they are at the core of Minnesota's 
natural beauty and tourism economy.
  That is why I was so proud to introduce the bipartisan Local Water 
Protection Act to reauthorize funding for pollution mitigation efforts 
in our communities.
  From 1987 to 1991, Congress authorized funds each year for the 
Environmental Protection Agency's Nonpoint Source Management grants 
program, which provides grants to State and local governments to reduce 
water pollution.
  Our Local Water Protection Act would reauthorize funding for this 
important task with $200 million annually to help protect our lakes, 
rivers, and streams, and protect them for future generations.
  This program would give State and local governments the authority to 
create locally-focused, voluntary conservation programs that are 
tailor-made for their own communities. And recent history in my home 
district demonstrates that these programs are incredibly effective.
  In fact, the Goodhue County Soil and Water Conservation District is 
currently working to reduce pollutants in the Mississippi River-Lake 
Pepin watershed by 20 percent. And I would add, I was out there on Lake 
Pepin just this last weekend with some great folks.
  In Wabasha County, these projects provided low-interest loans to 
improve residential infrastructure and help farmers come into 
compliance with pollution standards.
  And the South Washington Watershed District integrated a stormwater 
reuse plan that is estimated to reduce potable water usage by more than 
40 million gallons annually. There is no doubt that these programs can 
be effective, and there is no good reason why we shouldn't prioritize 
them.
  As we look toward preserving our environment, I urge my colleagues to 
support this bipartisan legislation, and I thank my colleague, the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mast) for introducing the bill with me.
  Madam Speaker, thank you so much, and I urge my colleagues to support 
this piece of legislation.
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROUZER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

[[Page H2766]]

  Madam Speaker, in closing, the Section 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution 
Control program has benefited water bodies all across the country and 
reauthorizing this program will reinforce this successful cooperative 
Federal, State, and local partnership to control nonpoint sources of 
pollution around the country.
  Madam Speaker, I urge support of this important legislation, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2008.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

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