II 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2727 

To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to 

establish a discretionary grant program for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 23, 2018 

Mrs. GILLIBRAND introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works 

A BILL 

To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a discretionary grant program 

for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure 

projects, 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 ‘‘Protecting Infrastruc5 ture and Promoting the Economy Act’’ or the ‘‘PIPE 

6 Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. DRINKING WATER AND WASTEWATER INFRASTRUC2 TURE DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROGRAM. 

3 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

4 (1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis5 trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ6 mental Protection Agency. 

7 (2) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘program’’ means 

8 the drinking water and wastewater infrastructure 

9 discretionary grant program established under sub10 section (b). 

11 (b) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.—Not later than 

12 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Admin13 istrator shall establish a drinking water and wastewater 

14 discretionary grant program to provide grants on a com15 petitive basis to eligible entities for investments in drink16 ing water and wastewater infrastructure projects. 

17 (c) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—An entity eligible to re18 ceive a grant under the program is— 

19 (1) a State; 

20 (2) a unit of local government; 

21 (3) a federally recognized Indian Tribe; or 

22 (4) a public or nonprofit water utility. 

23 (d) ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.—A project eligible to be 

24 carried out with funds under the program includes— 


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1 (1) one or more activities that are eligible for 

2 assistance under section 603(c) of the Federal 

3 Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1383(c)); 

4 (2) one or more activities described in section 

5 1452(a)(2) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 

6 U.S.C. 300j–12(a)(2)); and 

7 (3) any other drinking water infrastructure 

8 project or wastewater infrastructure project that 

9 meets the criteria established by the Administrator 

10 under subsection (f)(1)(A). 

11 (e) APPLICATION.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive a 

13 grant under the program, an eligible entity shall 

14 submit to the Administrator an application in such 

15 manner and containing such information as the Ad16 ministrator may require. 

17 (2) BUNDLING OF PROJECTS.—An eligible enti18 ty may include more than 1 project in a single appli19 cation. 

20 (3) DEADLINE.—An application shall be sub21 mitted to the Administrator not later than 180 days 

22 after the date on which the notice of funding oppor23 tunity and the selection criteria are issued under 

24 subsection (f)(1)(B). 

25 (f) SELECTION.— 


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1 (1) CRITERIA.— 

2 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator 

3 shall establish criteria in accordance with this 

4 subsection to use in selecting projects to receive 

5 a grant under the program. 

6 (B) PUBLICATION.—Not later than 60 

7 days after the date on which funds are made 

8 available to carry out the program for each fis9 cal year, the Administrator shall— 

10 (i) issue a notice of funding oppor11 tunity for the program; and 

12 (ii) include in the notice the selection 

13 criteria established under subparagraph 

14 (A). 

15 (2) PRIORITY.—In selecting projects to receive 

16 a grant under the program, the Administrator shall 

17 give priority to projects for which the grant would 

18 help fill a gap in the overall funding or financing 

19 necessary to complete the project. 

20 (3) GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.—For each 

21 fiscal year, in providing grants under the program, 

22 the Administrator shall ensure that the funds are 

23 distributed— 

24 (A) on an equitable geographical basis; and 


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1 (B) in a manner that balances the needs of 

2 urban, suburban, and rural communities. 

3 (4) DEADLINE.—Not later than 1 year after 

4 the date on which funds are made available to carry 

5 out the program for each fiscal year, the Adminis6 trator shall select projects to receive grants under 

7 the program. 

8 (g) REQUIREMENTS.— 

9 (1) TOTAL STATE LIMIT.—For each fiscal year, 

10 the total amount provided under the program for 

11 projects in a single State shall not exceed 20 percent 

12 of the total amount made available to carry out the 

13 program. 

14 (2) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of 

15 the cost of a project carried out with a grant under 

16 the program shall not exceed 100 percent. 

17 (h) REGULATIONS.—The Administrator may promul18 gate such regulations as may be necessary to carry out 

19 this section. 

20 (i) REPORTS.—Not later than 2 years after the date 

21 of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit 

22 to Congress and make publicly available a report on the 

23 implementation of the program. 

24 (j) FUNDING.— 


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1 (1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

2 There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 

3 this section $500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

4 2018 through 2027. 

5 (2) AVAILABILITY.—Funds made available to 

6 carry out this section shall be available until ex7 pended. 

Æ 


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