S. 2771 — Introduced in Senate

II 115th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2771 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 26, 2018 Mr. Booker (for himself, Mrs. Capito, and Mr. Jones) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works A BILL To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to provide grants for the construction, refurbishing, and servicing of individual household decentralized wastewater systems to individuals with low or moderate income. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Residential Decentralized Wastewater System Improvement Act. 2. Grants for construction, refurbishing, and servicing of individual household decentralized wastewater systems for individuals with low or moderate income 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: 222. Grants for construction, refurbishing, and servicing of individual household decentralized wastewater systems for individuals with low or moderate income (a) Definition of eligible individual In this section, the term eligible individual means a member of a household, the members of which have a combined income (for the most recent 12-month period for which information is available) equal to not more than 60 percent of the median nonmetropolitan household income for the State or territory in which the household is located, according to the most recent decennial census. (b) Grant program (1) In general The Administrator shall establish a program under which the Administrator shall provide grants to private nonprofit organizations for the purpose of providing subgrants to eligible individuals, in accordance with subsection (c). (2) Application To be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, a private nonprofit organization shall submit to the Administrator an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Administrator determines to be appropriate. (3) Priority In awarding grants under this subsection, the Administrator shall give priority to applicants that have substantial expertise and experience in promoting the safe and effective use of individual household decentralized wastewater systems. (4) Administrative expenses A private nonprofit organization may use amounts provided under this subsection to pay the administrative expenses associated with the provision of subgrants under subsection (c), as the Administrator determines to be appropriate. (c) Subgrants (1) In general Subject to paragraph (2), a private nonprofit organization shall use a grant provided under subsection (b) to provide subgrants to eligible individuals for the construction, refurbishing, and servicing of individual household decentralized wastewater systems. (2) Public utility connection available (A) In general In any case in which an eligible individual who submits to a private nonprofit organization an application for a subgrant under this subsection resides in a household that could be connected to an available public wastewater utility, the private nonprofit organization shall conduct a cost analysis to determine whether establishing such a connection would be a more cost-effective use of subgrant funds, as compared to the eligible uses described in paragraph (1). (B) Use of funds If a cost analysis under subparagraph (A) demonstrates that the connection of the applicable household to a public wastewater utility is more cost-effective than the eligible uses described in paragraph (1) with respect to the household, the eligible individual may use a subgrant provided under this subsection to establish the connection. (3) Application To be eligible to receive a subgrant under this subsection, an eligible individual shall submit to the private nonprofit organization serving the area in which the individual household decentralized wastewater system of the eligible individuals is, or is proposed to be, located an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the private nonprofit organization determines to be appropriate. (4) Priority In awarding subgrants under this subsection, a private nonprofit organization shall give priority to any eligible individual who does not have access to a sanitary sewage disposal system. (5) Maximum amount The amount of a subgrant provided under this subsection shall not exceed $20,000. (d) Report Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report describing the results of the program under this section with respect to the prevalence throughout the United States of low- and moderate-income households without access to a sanitary sewage disposal system. (e) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator such sums as are necessary to carry out this section. .