,,ii #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #biie ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,december #aj1 #bjad ,mr4 ,brown 7for himself and ,mr4 ,portman7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,environment and ,public ,works ,a ,,bill ,to direct the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency to carry out a pilot program to work with municipalities that are seeking to develop and implement integrated plans to meet wastewater and stormwater obligations under the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,clean ,water ,compliance and ,affordability ,act4 #b4 ,integrated municipal stormwater and wastewater approach framework 7a7 ,in general ,in the first #e fiscal years beginning after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency 7referred to in this section as the ,administrator71 in coordination with appropriate ,state1 local1 and regional authorities1 shall carry out a pilot program under which the ,administrator shall work cooperatively with and facilitate the efforts of eligible municipalities to develop and implement integrated plans to meet wastewater and stormwater obligations of the eligible municipalities under the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #abea et seq47 in a more cost-effective and flexible manner4 7b7 ,framework ,the ,administrator shall carry out the pilot program in a manner that is consistent with the ,integrated ,municipal ,stormwater and ,wastewater ,approach ,framework issued by the ,environmental ,protection ,agency and dated ,may #bjab4 7c7 ,selection of eligible municipalities 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator1 in consultation with ,states that have approved ,national ,pollutant ,discharge ,elimination ,system programs1 shall select not less than #ae eligible municipalities to participate in the pilot program4 7#b7 ,eligible municipality ,an eligible municipality is a county1 city1 town1 township1 or subdivision of a ,state or local government that-- 7,a7 qualifies as a ,national ,pollutant ,discharge ,elimination ,system permit holder or designee2 or 7,b7 is a party to an administrative order1 administrative consent agreement1 or judicial consent decree to comply with the requirements of the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #abea et seq474 7#c7 ,selection factors 7,a7 ,in general ,in selecting the eligible municipalities to participate in the pilot program1 the ,administrator shall give priority to-- 7i7 eligible municipalities that are operating under an administrative order1 administrative consent agreement1 or judicial consent decree to comply with the requirements of the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #abea et seq472 7ii7 eligible municipalities that are affected by affordability constraints in planning and implementing control measures to address wet weather discharges from wastewater and stormwater facilities of the eligible municipalities2 and 7iii7 eligible municipalities with a history of knowledgeable1 detailed1 and comprehensive efforts to develop integrated and adaptive clean water management practices4 7,b7 ,use of adaptive management approaches ,in selecting eligible municipalities to participate in the pilot program1 the ,administrator may give priority to an eligible municipality that is seeking to develop and implement an integrated plan that includes adaptive approaches to account for changed or future uncertain circumstances1 including1 at a minimum-- 7i7 the use of new innovative technical or institutional approaches2 and 7ii7 the ability to adapt the integrated plan in response to new regulatory requirements and reductions in financial capability4 7d7 ,approval of integrated plans 7#a7 ,in general ,in approving the integrated plan of an eligible municipality under the pilot program established under subsection 7a71 the ,administrator shall-- 7,a7 account for the financial capability of the eligible municipality to adequately address the requirements of the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #abea et seq47 that apply to the eligible municipality2 7,b7 prioritize the obligations of the eligible municipality under the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #abea et seq47 according to the most cost-effective and environmentally beneficial outcomes2 7,c7 account for the maintenance1 operational1 and regulatory obligations of the eligible municipality2 and 7,d7 enable the eligible municipality to implement innovative and flexible approaches to meet the obligations of the eligible municipality under the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #abea et seq474 7#b7 ,additional authorities ,in carrying out the pilot program established under subsection 7a71 the ,administrator may1 in full coordination and mutual agreement with an eligible municipality selected to participate in the pilot program-- 7,a7 extend the allowable national pollutant discharge elimination system permit term under section #djb of the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #acdb7 to a maximum of #be years1 and make corresponding changes to any associated implementation schedule2 7,b7 modify the implementation terms of a consent decree entered into by the eligible municipality with the ,administrator pursuant to that ,act2 and 7,c7 provide additional regulatory flexibility under the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #abea et seq47 in approving and implementing an integrated plan that includes adaptive approaches in order to encourage the innovation integral to such approaches4 7e7 ,report to ,congress ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 and each year thereafter for #e years1 the ,administrator shall submit to ,congress a report on the results of the pilot program established under subsection 7a71 including a description of the specific outcomes expected to be achieved that will reduce the costs of complying with the requirements of the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #abea et seq47 for-- 7#a7 eligible municipalities participating in the pilot program2 and 7#b7 eligible municipalities that are similarly situated but not participating in the pilot program4