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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6422 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6422
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize certain
EPA geographic programs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 4, 2025
Mr. Stauber (for himself and Ms. McDonald Rivet) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize certain
EPA geographic programs, 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 ``American Water Stewardship Act''.
SEC. 2. GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE.
Section 118(c)(7)(J)(i)(VI) of the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act (33 U.S.C. 1268(c)(7)(J)(i)(VI)) is amended by striking ``fiscal
year 2026'' and inserting ``each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031''.
SEC. 3. LONG ISLAND SOUND.
Section 119(h) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33
U.S.C. 1269(h)) is amended by striking ``2023'' and inserting ``2031''.
SEC. 4. COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN RESTORATION.
Section 123(d)(6) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33
U.S.C. 1275(d)(6)) is amended by striking ``and 2021'' and inserting
``through 2031''.
SEC. 5. SAN FRANCISCO BAY RESTORATION PROGRAM.
Section 125 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C.
1276a) is amended--
(1) in the section heading, by striking ``grant''; and
(2) in subsection (e)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Grant
Program'' and inserting ``Program Implementation'';
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ``or other means
to State and local agencies, special districts, and
public or nonprofit agencies'' and inserting
``interagency agreements, contracts, or other funding
mechanisms to Federal, State, and local agencies,
special districts, public or nonprofit agencies, and
other public or private entities''; and
(C) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the
following:
``(2) Maximum amount.--Amounts provided for a project,
activity, or study under this section shall not exceed an
amount that is equal to 75 percent of the total cost of such
project, activity, or study.
``(3) Assistance to non-federal entities.--Not less than 25
percent of the cost of any project, activity, or study carried
out using amounts provided to a non-Federal entity under this
section shall be provided from non-Federal sources.''.
SEC. 6. NATIONAL ESTUARY PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Section 320 of the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act (33 U.S.C. 1330) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(2)(B), by striking ``and Pensacola
and Perdido Bays, Florida'' and inserting ``Pensacola and
Perdido Bays, Florida; and Mississippi Sound, Mississippi'';
and
(2) in subsection (i)(1), in the matter preceding
subparagraph (A), by striking ``2026'' and inserting ``2031''.
(b) Ineligibility With Respect to Fiscal Years 2026 and 2027.--With
respect to the amendment made by subsection (a)(1), the Administrator
of the Environmental Protection Agency may not use for the
implementation of that amendment, including, with respect to
Mississippi Sound, Mississippi, convening a management conference,
developing or carrying out a comprehensive conservation and management
plan, or providing grants under section 320 of the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1330)--
(1) any amounts appropriated to carry out the national
estuary program under that section for fiscal year 2026; or
(2) unless the total amount appropriated to carry out that
program for fiscal year 2027 is at least $850,000 more than the
total amount appropriated to carry out that program for fiscal
year 2024, any amounts appropriated to carry out that program
for fiscal year 2027.
SEC. 7. COASTAL RECREATION WATER QUALITY MONITORING AND NOTIFICATION.
(a) In General.--
(1) Program development and implementation grants.--Section
406 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1346)
is amended--
(A) in subsection (b)--
(i) in paragraph (3)(A)--
(I) in clause (i), by striking
``and'' at the end;
(II) by redesignating clause (ii)
as clause (iii); and
(III) by inserting after clause (i)
the following:
``(ii) in the case of a State that uses
such grant to identify specific sources of
contamination pursuant to paragraph (5), any
data relating to such identified sources of
contamination; and''; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following:
``(5) Identification of specific sources of
contamination.--A State or local government receiving a grant
under this subsection may use such grant to identify specific
sources of contamination for coastal recreation waters adjacent
to beaches or similar points of access that are used by the
public.''; and
(B) in subsection (i), by striking ``2001 through
2005'' and inserting ``2026 through 2031''.
(2) Authorization of appropriations.--Section 8 of the
Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2000
(Public Law 106-284; 114 Stat. 877) is amended by striking
``2001 through 2005'' and inserting ``2026 through 2031''.
(b) Definition of Coastal Recreation Waters.--Section
502(21)(A)(ii) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C.
1362(21)(A)(ii)) is amended by striking ``(including coastal
estuaries)'' and inserting ``(including coastal estuaries, the mouths
of rivers and streams, nearby shallow waters, and waters present on
beaches)''.
(c) Guidance.--In providing guidance to States and local
governments receiving grants under section 406 of the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1346), the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency shall ensure that such guidance
reflects innovations in testing technologies for water contamination.
SEC. 8. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS.
No Federal funds made available for any of fiscal years 2026
through 2031 to carry out section 118, 119, 123, 125, 320, or 406 of
the Federal Water Pollution Control Act may be provided to any non-
Federal entity--
(1) that is domiciled in, headquartered in, or organized
under the laws of, or the principal place of business of which
is located in, a foreign country of concern (as defined in
section 10638 of the Research and Development, Competition, and
Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 19237)); or
(2) that has in place any agreement or partnership with a
foreign country of concern.
SEC. 9. GEOGRAPHIC PROGRAM REPORT.
(a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of
the Senate a report on EPA geographic programs.
(b) Required Evaluation.--In preparing the report required under
subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall include an evaluation,
with respect to each EPA geographic program, of--
(1) the management of funds, including the efficiency and
effectiveness of program operations and the use of Federal
funds;
(2) the progress towards achieving program purposes, goals,
and objectives, including the status of program goals and
objectives and the extent to which the program has demonstrated
measurable outcomes;
(3) obstacles to program success or progress;
(4) the efficacy of coordination with other Federal, State,
Tribal, and local programs and actions, including whether there
is any duplication of efforts among such programs and actions;
and
(5) the ethics policies and practices of the office of the
Environmental Protection Agency responsible for implementing
the program.
(c) Recommendations.--The Comptroller General shall include in the
report required under subsection (a) recommendations, as appropriate,
to improve EPA geographic program efficiency, accountability, and
effectiveness in achieving program purposes, goals, and objectives.
(d) EPA Geographic Program Defined.--In this section, the term
``EPA geographic program'' means--
(1) the Chesapeake Bay Program under section 117 of the
Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1267);
(2) the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative under section
118 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C.
1268);
(3) the Long Island Sound program under section 119 of the
Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1269);
(4) the Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program under
section 120 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33
U.S.C. 1270);
(5) the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program under
section 121 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33
U.S.C. 1273);
(6) the Columbia River Basin Restoration Program under
section 123 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33
U.S.C. 1275);
(7) the San Francisco Bay Restoration Program under section
125 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C.
1276a);
(8) the Puget Sound program under section 126 of the
Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1276b);
(9) the Gulf of America Program carried out by the
Administrator;
(10) the South Florida Program carried out by the
Administrator; or
(11) the Southeast New England Program carried out by the
Administrator.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Discharged
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
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