,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #ajai  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,march #ac1    
#bjbe,ms4 ,cortez ,masto 7for herself   
and ,mrs4 ,hyde-,smith7 introduced the  
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on          
,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry 
,a ,,bill  ,to amend the ,consolidated  
,farm and ,rural ,development ,act to   
establish an emergency preparedness and 
response technical assistance program to
 assist entities that operate rural     
water or wastewater systems in preparing
 for and responding to natural or       
manmade disasters4  #a4 ,short title    
,this ,act may be cited as the ,rural   
,water ,system ,disaster ,preparedness  
and ,assistance ,act4  #b4 ,emergency   
preparedness and response technical     
assistance program ,section #cjf7;a7 of 
the ,consolidated ,farm and ,rural      
,development ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4         
#aibf7;a77 is amended by adding at the  
end the following3  7#bg7 ,emergency    

preparedness and response technical     
assistance program  7,a7 ,in general    
,the ,secretary shall establish an      
emergency preparedness and response     
technical assistance program to provide 
grants to eligible entities to assist   
associations described in paragraph 7#a7
 that operate rural water or wastewater 
systems in preparing for and responding 
to natural or manmade disasters1 as     
determined by the ,secretary4  7,b7     
,eligible entities ,an entity eligible  
to receive a grant under subparagraph   
7,a7 is a nonprofit organization that-- 
7i7 has demonstrated experience         
providing emergency technical assistance
 for disaster preparation1 recovery1 and
 response activities to water and       
wastewater utilities nationwide2 and    
7ii7 has the capacity to deploy         
personnel that possess-- 7,i7 an active 
water or wastewater system operators'   
license2 or  7,,ii7 knowledge of water  
and wastewater utilities necessary to   
carry out activities described in       

subparagraph 7,c74  7,c7 ,eligible      
activities ,an eligible entity that     
receives a grant under subparagraph 7,a7
 shall use the grant-- 7i7 to provide   
onsite personnel and equipment to assist
 with water and wastewater systems in   
the event of a disaster2  7ii7 to       
coordinate with statewide emergency     
response networks to assist with water  
and wastewater systems2  7iii7 to       
facilitate the development of disaster  
action plans between associations       
described in subparagraph 7,a71 units of
 local government1 the ,federal         
,emergency ,management ,agency1 and     
,state emergency management agencies2   
7iv7 to improve resiliency and          
mitigation planning with respect to     
water or wastewater systems2  7v7 to    
provide geographic information system   
mapping of water and wastewater systems2
  7vi7 to prepare or update predisaster 
vulnerability assessments1 emergency    
response plans1 communication protocols1
 or hazard recognition and evaluation   

skills with respect to water and        
wastewater systems2  7vii7 to conduct   
preliminary damage assessments of       
critical infrastructure in the event of 
a disaster2  7viii7 to provide emergency
 services with respect to water and     
wastewater systems to restore service in
 the event of a disaster1 including--   
7,i7 pump and motor evaluation and      
repair2  7,,ii7 water disinfection and  
flushing2  7,,iii7 leak detection2      
7,,iv7 line repair2  7,v7 water main and
 valve location2  7,,vi7 emergency power
 generation2  7,,vii7 bypass pumping2   
7,,viii7 water treatment2 and  7,,ix7   
maintaining safety measures2  7ix7 to   
address outstanding deficiencies focused
 on resolving health-based regulatory1  
operational1 financial1 and managerial  
deficiencies that impact the            
sustainability of water and wastewater  
systems2  7x7 to assist with application
 and reporting requirements for ,federal
 and ,state agencies1 including the     
,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency 

and insurance recovery claims1 with     
respect to water and wastewater systems2
 and  7xi7 to provide for disaster      
preparation1 support1 and response      
activities targeted to disadvantaged    
communities that lack the financial     
resources and human capital necessary to
 adequately address significant health1 
safety1 or sanitary concerns with       
respect to the water and wastewater     
systems of those communities4  7,d7 ,use
 of funds  7i7 ,in general ,an eligible 
entity that receives a grant under      
subparagraph 7,a7 may use the grant for 
salaries1 supplies1 and expenses        
relating to the activities described in 
subparagraph 7,c74  7ii7 ,limitation    
,not more than #be percent of the amount
 of a grant under subparagraph 7,a7 may 
be used to purchase or reimburse the    
rental costs of appropriate emergency   
equipment1 as determined by the         
,secretary4  7,e7 ,restriction ,an      
eligible entity that receives a grant   
under subparagraph 7,a7 may not use the 

grant funds to pay for eligible         
activities for which the eligible entity
 receives other ,federal funds4  7,f7   
,authorization of appropriations ,there 
is authorized to be appropriated to     
carry out this paragraph #bj1jjj1jjj for
 each of fiscal years #bjbe through     
#bjbi4  4