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106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 5310

To authorize appropriations to promote innovation and technology transfer

in wastewater discharge reduction and water conservation, and for other

purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SEPTEMBER 26, 2000

Ms. WOOLSEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

A BILL

To authorize appropriations to promote innovation and technology transfer in wastewater discharge reduction and

water conservation, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Industrial Conserva5 tion and Efficiency Water Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. WASTEWATER DISCHARGE REDUCTION AND WATER

7 CONSERVATION PROGRAM.

8 Not later than January 1, 2001, the Administrator

9 of the Environmental Protection Agency shall establish a
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1 program to provide assistance to municipal entities, in2 cluding publicly owned treatment works, and non govern3 mental organizations and associations, including water4 shed groups sponsored by governmental entities, whose

5 mission relates to water conservation and efficiency. The

6 assistance may only be used to support non-Federal vol7 untary programs that seek to promote new technologies

8 and processes to reduce the use of water and the discharge

9 of wastewater from commercial and industrial entities.

10 SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE.

11 Assistance provided under this Act shall include—

12 (1) technical and planning assistance, which

13 shall include, but not be limited to, studies, waste14 water audits, modeling, data collection, surveys,

15 preconstruction, engineering, and design assistance;

16 (2) financial assistance (including the provision

17 of direct grants to municipal entities, loan guaran18 tees, and the establishment of locally based revolving

19 loan programs through commercial lending institu20 tions), which will reduce the cost of improvements

21 (including the cost of capital improvements) that will

22 lead to reductions in wastewater discharges and

23 water usage by commercial and industrial entities;

24 and
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1 (3) non-Federal program development, which

2 shall include funding for a period of up to 2 years

3 for personnel to assist in the development and imple4 mentation of a program that meets the goals of this

5 Act.

6 SEC. 4. SELECTION CRITERIA.

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Envi8 ronmental Protection Agency shall select proposals to be

9 funded under this Act on the basis of one or more of the

10 following:

11 (1) Reductions in the discharge of wastewater

12 from commercial and industrial entities.

13 (2) Cost-effectiveness.

14 (3) Energy efficiency.

15 (4) Other environmental and economic benefits,

16 including brownfields cleanup and redevelopment,

17 job retention, and economic revitalization.

18 (5) Reductions in the demand for water.

19 (6) Technical feasibility and ability to replicate

20 at other locations.

21 (7) Technology transfer plan for distributing

22 the results of the proposal to be funded.

23 (8) Relationship to other efforts to reduce water

24 pollution.
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1 (b) GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY.—In selecting proposals

2 to be funded under this Act, the Administrator shall make

3 every effort to ensure geographic diversity in those pro4 posals funded.

5 SEC. 5. ELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN TREATMENT WORKS.

6 A treatment works shall be treated as a publicly

7 owned treatment works for purposes of this Act if the

8 treatment works, without regard to ownership, would be

9 considered a publicly owned treatment works under the

10 Federal Water Pollution Control Act and is principally

11 treating municipal wastewater or domestic sewage.

12 SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

13 There are authorized to be appropriated to the Ad14 ministrator of the Environmental Protection Agency for

15 carrying out this Act $25,000,000 for each of the fiscal

16 years 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005. Such funds

17 shall remain available until expended.

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