HR 4961
Public Utility Remediation and Enhancement for Water Act
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Bill overview
This bill aims to improve water quality by providing grants to public water systems. It directs the Environmental Protection Agency to create a program that supports the treatment of emerging contaminants, such as PFAS chemicals, in wastewater. The grants can be used for planning, designing, and building new treatment works or for complying with existing regulations related to these contaminants. The bill also establishes funding levels for this program.
Key provisions
- Establishes a grant program for public water systems.
- Focuses on funding the treatment of emerging contaminants like PFAS and other identified substances.
- Requires a minimum 75% federal contribution for grant funds.
- Allows for non-federal contributions, including loans from state revolving funds.
- Aligns grant activities with state revolving fund requirements, with some exceptions.
- Authorizes appropriations of $200 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2028.
Who is affected
- Publicly owned treatment works (POTWs)
- Environmental Protection Agency
- State water pollution control agencies
- Water utilities
- Communities that rely on public water systems
Notable changes
- Introduces a dedicated grant program for emerging contaminants.
- Specifies funding levels for the program.
- Clarifies the role of state revolving funds in supporting grant activities.
Sponsors
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Primary sponsor
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 4961
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a program to provide grants to owners and operators of publicly owned treatment works for use complying with requirements regarding the treatment of emerging contaminants, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the Public Utility Remediation and Enhancement for Water Act
.
Title II of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1281 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
complying with the requirements of a pretreatment standard or an effluent limitation under this Act that relates to the introduction or discharge of a perfluoroalkyl substance, a polyfluoroalkyl substance, or any other emerging contaminant, as identified by the Administrator.
For the purposes of this subsection, the Administrator may not determine that a requirement of title VI relating to the application of section 513 or 608 are inconsistent with the purposes of this section.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator to carry out this section $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2028.