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[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1982 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        S.1982

                     One Hundred Sixteenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America

                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

           Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday,
            the third day of January, two thousand and twenty

                                 An Act

 
   To improve efforts to combat marine debris, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Save Our Seas 2.0 
Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.

                    TITLE I--COMBATING MARINE DEBRIS

             Subtitle A--Amendments to the Marine Debris Act

Sec. 101. Amendments to the Marine Debris Act.

                  Subtitle B--Marine Debris Foundation

Sec. 111. Establishment and purposes of Foundation.
Sec. 112. Board of Directors of the Foundation.
Sec. 113. Rights and obligations of the Foundation.
Sec. 114. Administrative services and support.
Sec. 115. Volunteer status.
Sec. 116. Report requirements; petition of attorney general for 
          equitable relief.
Sec. 117. United States release from liability.
Sec. 118. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 119. Termination of authority.

         Subtitle C--Genius Prize for Save Our Seas Innovations

Sec. 121. Definitions.
Sec. 122. Genius Prize for Save Our Seas Innovations.
Sec. 123. Agreement with the Marine Debris Foundation.
Sec. 124. Judges.
Sec. 125. Report to Congress.
Sec. 126. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 127. Termination of authority.

            Subtitle D--Studies, Pilot Projects, and Reports

Sec. 131. Report on opportunities for innovative uses of plastic waste.
Sec. 132. Report on microfiber pollution.
Sec. 133. Study on United States plastic pollution data.
Sec. 134. Study on mass balance methodologies to certify circular 
          polymers.
Sec. 135. Report on sources and impacts of derelict fishing gear.
Sec. 136. Expansion of derelict vessel recycling.
Sec. 137. Incentive for fishermen to collect and dispose of plastic 
          found at sea.

      TITLE II--ENHANCED GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT TO COMBAT MARINE DEBRIS

Sec. 201. Statement of policy on international cooperation to combat 
          marine debris.
Sec. 202. Prioritization of efforts and assistance to combat marine 
          debris and improve plastic waste management.
Sec. 203. United States leadership in international fora.
Sec. 204. Enhancing international outreach and partnership of United 
          States agencies involved in marine debris activities.
Sec. 205. Negotiation of new international agreements.
Sec. 206. Consideration of marine debris in negotiating international 
          agreements.

  TITLE III--IMPROVING DOMESTIC INFRASTRUCTURE TO PREVENT MARINE DEBRIS

Sec. 301. Strategy for improving post-consumer materials management and 
          water management.
Sec. 302. Grant programs.
Sec. 303. Study on repurposing plastic waste in infrastructure.
Sec. 304. Study on effects of microplastics in food supplies and sources 
          of drinking water.
Sec. 305. Report on eliminating barriers to increase the collection of 
          recyclable materials.
Sec. 306. Report on economic incentives to spur development of new end-
          use markets for recycled plastics.
Sec. 307. Report on minimizing the creation of new plastic waste.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
    In this Act:
        (1) Circular economy.--The term ``circular economy'' means an 
    economy that uses a systems-focused approach and involves 
    industrial processes and economic activities that--
            (A) are restorative or regenerative by design;
            (B) enable resources used in such processes and activities 
        to maintain their highest values for as long as possible; and
            (C) aim for the elimination of waste through the superior 
        design of materials, products, and systems (including business 
        models).
        (2) EPA administrator.--The term ``EPA Administrator'' means 
    the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
        (3) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the meaning 
    given the term ``Indian tribe'' in section 4 of the Indian Self-
    Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304), 
    without regard to capitalization.
        (4) Interagency marine debris coordinating committee.--The term 
    ``Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee'' means the 
    Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee established under 
    section 5 of the Marine Debris Act (33 U.S.C. 1954).
        (5) Marine debris.--The term ``marine debris'' has the meaning 
    given that term in section 7 of the Marine Debris Act (33 U.S.C. 
    1956).
        (6) Marine debris event.--The term ``marine debris event'' 
    means an event or related events that affects or may imminently 
    affect the United States involving--
            (A) marine debris caused by a natural event, including a 
        tsunami, flood, landslide, hurricane, or other natural source;
            (B) distinct, nonrecurring marine debris, including 
        derelict vessel groundings and container spills, that have 
        immediate or long-term impacts on habitats with high 
        ecological, economic, or human-use values; or
            (C) marine debris caused by an intentional or grossly 
        negligent act or acts that causes substantial economic or 
        environmental harm.
        (7) Non-federal funds.--The term ``non-Federal funds'' means 
    funds provided by--
            (A) a State;
            (B) an Indian Tribe;
            (C) a territory of the United States;
            (D) one or more units of local governments or Tribal 
        organizations (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304));
            (E) a foreign government;
            (F) a private for-profit entity;
            (G) a nonprofit organization; or
            (H) a private individual.
        (8) Nonprofit organization.--The term ``nonprofit 
    organization'' means an organization that is described in section 
    501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax 
    under section 501(a) of such Code.
        (9) Post-consumer materials management.--The term ``post-
    consumer materials management'' means the systems, operation, 
    supervision, and long-term management of processes and equipment 
    used for post-use material (including packaging, goods, products, 
    and other materials), including--
            (A) collection;
            (B) transport;
            (C) safe disposal of waste that cannot be recovered, 
        reused, recycled, repaired, or refurbished; and
            (D) systems and processes related to post-use materials 
        that can be recovered, reused, recycled, repaired, or 
        refurbished.
        (10) State.--The term ``State'' means--
            (A) a State;
            (B) an Indian Tribe;
            (C) the District of Columbia;
            (D) a territory or possession of the United States; or
            (E) any political subdivision of an entity described in 
        subparagraphs (A) through (D).
        (11) Under secretary.--The term ``Under Secretary'' means the 
    Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and 
    Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
    Administration.

                    TITLE I--COMBATING MARINE DEBRIS
            Subtitle A--Amendments to the Marine Debris Act

    SEC. 101. AMENDMENTS TO THE MARINE DEBRIS ACT.
    The Marine Debris Act (33 U.S.C. 1951 et seq.) is amended--
        (1) in section 2 by striking ``marine environment,'' and 
    inserting ``marine environment (including waters in the 
    jurisdiction of the United States, the high seas, and waters in the 
    jurisdiction of other countries),'';
        (2) in section 9(a)--
            (A) by striking ``$10,000,000'' and inserting 
        ``$15,000,000''; and
            (B) by striking ``5 percent'' and inserting ``7 percent''; 
        and
        (3) by adding at the end the following:
  ``SEC. 10. PRIORITIZATION OF MARINE DEBRIS IN EXISTING INNOVATION AND 
      ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMS.
    ``In carrying out any relevant innovation and entrepreneurship 
programs that improve the innovation, effectiveness, and efficiency of 
the Marine Debris Program established under section 3 without 
undermining the purpose for which such program was established, the 
Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Energy, the Administrator of 
the Environmental Protection Agency, and the heads of other relevant 
Federal agencies, shall prioritize efforts to combat marine debris, 
including by--
        ``(1) increasing innovation in methods and the effectiveness of 
    efforts to identify, determine sources of, assess, prevent, reduce, 
    and remove marine debris; and
        ``(2) addressing the impacts of marine debris on--
            ``(A) the economy of the United States;
            ``(B) the marine environment; and
            ``(C) navigation safety.''.

                  Subtitle B--Marine Debris Foundation

    SEC. 111. ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSES OF FOUNDATION.
    (a) Establishment.--There is established the Marine Debris 
Foundation (in this title referred to as the ``Foundation''). The 
Foundation is a charitable and nonprofit organization and is not an 
agency or establishment of the United States.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Foundation are--
        (1) to encourage, accept, and administer private gifts of 
    property for the benefit of, or in connection with, the activities 
    and services of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
    under the Marine Debris Program established under section 3 of the 
    Marine Debris Act (33 U.S.C. 1952), and other relevant programs and 
    agencies;
        (2) to undertake and conduct such other activities as will 
    augment efforts of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
    Administration to assess, prevent, reduce, and remove marine debris 
    and address the adverse impacts of marine debris on the economy of 
    the United States, the marine environment, and navigation safety;
        (3) to participate with, and otherwise assist, State, local, 
    and Tribal governments, foreign governments, entities, and 
    individuals in undertaking and conducting activities to assess, 
    prevent, reduce, and remove marine debris and address the adverse 
    impacts of marine debris and its root causes on the economy of the 
    United States, the marine environment (including waters in the 
    jurisdiction of the United States, the high seas, and waters in the 
    jurisdiction of other countries), and navigation safety;
        (4) subject to an agreement with the Secretary of Commerce, 
    administer the Genius Prize for Save Our Seas Innovation as 
    described in title II; and
        (5) to support other Federal actions to reduce marine debris.
    SEC. 112. BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE FOUNDATION.
    (a) Establishment and Membership.--
        (1) In general.--The Foundation shall have a governing Board of 
    Directors (in this title referred to as the ``Board''), which shall 
    consist of the Under Secretary and 12 additional Directors 
    appointed in accordance with subsection (b) from among individuals 
    who are United States citizens.
        (2) Representation of diverse points of view.--To the maximum 
    extent practicable, the membership of the Board shall represent 
    diverse points of view relating to the assessment, prevention, 
    reduction, and removal of marine debris.
        (3) Not federal employees.--Appointment as a Director of the 
    Foundation shall not constitute employment by, or the holding of an 
    office of, the United States for the purpose of any Federal law.
    (b) Appointment and Terms.--
        (1) Appointment.--Subject to paragraph (2), after consulting 
    with the EPA Administrator, the Director of the United States Fish 
    and Wildlife Service, the Assistant Secretary of State for the 
    Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific 
    Affairs, and the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
    International Development, and considering the recommendations 
    submitted by the Board, the Under Secretary shall appoint 12 
    Directors who meet the criteria established by subsection (a), of 
    whom--
            (A) at least 4 shall be educated or experienced in the 
        assessment, prevention, reduction, or removal of marine debris, 
        which may include an individual with expertise in post-consumer 
        materials management or a circular economy;
            (B) at least 2 shall be educated or experienced in the 
        assessment, prevention, reduction, or removal of marine debris 
        outside the United States;
            (C) at least 2 shall be educated or experienced in ocean 
        and coastal resource conservation science or policy; and
            (D) at least 2 shall be educated or experienced in 
        international trade or foreign policy.
        (2) Terms.--
            (A) In general.--Any Director appointed after the initial 
        appointments are made under subparagraph (B) (other than the 
        Under Secretary), shall be appointed for a term of 6 years.
            (B) Initial appointments to new member positions.--Of the 
        Directors appointed by the Under Secretary under paragraph (1), 
        the Under Secretary shall appoint, not later than 180 days 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act--
                (i) 4 Directors for a term of 6 years;
                (ii) 4 Directors for a term of 4 years; and
                (iii) 4 Directors for a term of 2 years.
        (3) Vacancies.--
            (A) In general.--The Under Secretary shall fill a vacancy 
        on the Board.
            (B) Term of appointments to fill unexpired terms.--An 
        individual appointed to fill a vacancy that occurs before the 
        expiration of the term of a Director shall be appointed for the 
        remainder of the term.
        (4) Reappointment.--An individual shall not serve more than 2 
    consecutive terms as a Director, excluding any term of less than 6 
    years.
        (5) Consultation before removal.--The Under Secretary may 
    remove a Director from the Board only after consultation with the 
    Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Oceans and 
    International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, the Director of 
    the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the EPA 
    Administrator.
    (c) Chairman.--The Chairman shall be elected by the Board from its 
members for a 2-year term.
    (d) Quorum.--A majority of the current membership of the Board 
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
    (e) Meetings.--The Board shall meet at the call of the Chairman at 
least once a year. If a Director misses 3 consecutive regularly 
scheduled meetings, that individual may be removed from the Board and 
that vacancy filled in accordance with subsection (b).
    (f) Reimbursement of Expenses.--Members of the Board shall serve 
without pay, but may be reimbursed for the actual and necessary 
traveling and subsistence expenses incurred by them in the performance 
of the duties of the Foundation.
    (g) General Powers.--
        (1) In general.--The Board may complete the organization of the 
    Foundation by--
            (A) appointing officers and employees;
            (B) adopting a constitution and bylaws consistent with the 
        purposes of the Foundation and the provisions of this title; 
        and
            (C) undertaking of other such acts as may be necessary to 
        carry out the provisions of this title.
        (2) Limitations on appointment.--The following limitations 
    apply with respect to the appointment of officers and employees of 
    the Foundation:
            (A) Officers and employees may not be appointed until the 
        Foundation has sufficient funds to pay them for their service. 
        Officers and employees of the Foundation shall be appointed 
        without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States 
        Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, and 
        may be paid without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and 
        subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to 
        classification and General Schedule pay rates.
            (B) The first officer or employee appointed by the Board 
        shall be the Secretary of the Board who--
                (i) shall serve, at the direction of the Board, as its 
            chief operating officer; and
                (ii) shall be knowledgeable and experienced in matters 
            relating to the assessment, prevention, reduction, and 
            removal of marine debris.
    SEC. 113. RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE FOUNDATION.
    (a) In General.--The Foundation--
        (1) shall have perpetual succession;
        (2) may conduct business throughout the several States, 
    territories, and possessions of the United States and abroad; and
        (3) shall at all times maintain a designated agent authorized 
    to accept service of process for the Foundation.
    (b) Service of Process.--The serving of notice to, or service of 
process upon, the agent required under subsection (a)(3), or mailed to 
the business address of such agent, shall be deemed as service upon or 
notice to the Foundation.
    (c) Powers.--
        (1) In general.--To carry out its purposes under section 111, 
    the Foundation shall have, in addition to the powers otherwise 
    given it under this title, the usual powers of a corporation acting 
    as a trustee in the District of Columbia, including the power--
            (A) to accept, receive, solicit, hold, administer, and use 
        any gift, devise, or bequest, either absolutely or in trust, of 
        real or personal property or any income therefrom or other 
        interest therein;
            (B) to acquire by purchase or exchange any real or personal 
        property or interest therein;
            (C) to invest any funds provided to the Foundation by the 
        Federal Government in obligations of the United States or in 
        obligations or securities that are guaranteed or insured by the 
        United States;
            (D) to deposit any funds provided to the Foundation by the 
        Federal Government into accounts that are insured by an agency 
        or instrumentality of the United States;
            (E) to make use of any interest or investment income that 
        accrues as a consequence of actions taken under subparagraph 
        (C) or (D) to carry out the purposes of the Foundation;
            (F) to use Federal funds to make payments under cooperative 
        agreements to provide substantial long-term benefits for the 
        assessment, prevention, reduction, and removal of marine 
        debris;
            (G) unless otherwise required by the instrument of 
        transfer, to sell, donate, lease, invest, reinvest, retain or 
        otherwise dispose of any property or income therefrom;
            (H) to borrow money and issue bonds, debentures, or other 
        debt instruments;
            (I) to sue and be sued, and complain and defend itself in 
        any court of competent jurisdiction, except that the Directors 
        of the Foundation shall not be personally liable, except for 
        gross negligence;
            (J) to enter into contracts or other arrangements with, or 
        provide financial assistance to, public agencies and private 
        organizations and persons and to make such payments as may be 
        necessary to carry out its functions; and
            (K) to do any and all acts necessary and proper to carry 
        out the purposes of the Foundation.
        (2) Non-federal contributions to the fund.--A gift, devise, or 
    bequest may be accepted by the Foundation without regard to whether 
    the gift, devise, or bequest is encumbered, restricted, or subject 
    to beneficial interests of private persons if any current or future 
    interest in the gift, devise, or bequest is for the benefit of the 
    Foundation.
    (d) Notice to Members of Congress.--The Foundation may not make a 
grant of Federal funds in an amount greater than $100,000 unless, by 
not later than 15 days before the grant is made, the Foundation 
provides notice of the grant to the Member of Congress for the 
congressional district in which the project to be funded with the grant 
will be carried out.
    (e) Coordination of International Efforts.--Any efforts of the 
Foundation carried out in a foreign country, and any grants provided to 
an individual or entity in a foreign country, shall be made only with 
the concurrence of the Secretary of State, in consultation, as 
appropriate, with the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
International Development.
    (f) Consultation With NOAA.--The Foundation shall consult with the 
Under Secretary during the planning of any restoration or remediation 
action using funds resulting from judgments or settlements relating to 
the damage to trust resources of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration.
    SEC. 114. ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND SUPPORT.
    (a) Provision of Services.--The Under Secretary may provide 
personnel, facilities, and other administrative services to the 
Foundation, including reimbursement of expenses, not to exceed the 
current Federal Government per diem rates, for a period of up to 5 
years beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (b) Reimbursement.--The Under Secretary shall require reimbursement 
from the Foundation for any administrative service provided under 
subsection (a). The Under Secretary shall deposit any reimbursement 
received under this subsection into the Treasury to the credit of the 
appropriations then current and chargeable for the cost of providing 
such services.
    SEC. 115. VOLUNTEER STATUS.
    The Secretary of Commerce may accept, without regard to the civil 
service classification laws, rules, or regulations, the services of the 
Foundation, the Board, and the officers and employees of the Board, 
without compensation from the Department of Commerce, as volunteers in 
the performance of the functions authorized in this title.
    SEC. 116. REPORT REQUIREMENTS; PETITION OF ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR 
      EQUITABLE RELIEF.
    (a) Report.--The Foundation shall, as soon as practicable after the 
end of each fiscal year, transmit to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Natural 
Resources, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a 
report--
        (1) describing the proceedings and activities of the Foundation 
    during that fiscal year, including a full and complete statement of 
    its receipts, expenditures, and investments; and
        (2) including a detailed statement of the recipient, amount, 
    and purpose of each grant made by the Foundation in the fiscal 
    year.
    (b) Relief With Respect to Certain Foundation Acts or Failure to 
Act.--If the Foundation--
        (1) engages in, or threatens to engage in, any act, practice, 
    or policy that is inconsistent with its purposes set forth in 
    section 111(b); or
        (2) refuses, fails, or neglects to discharge its obligations 
    under this title, or threatens to do so,
the Attorney General may petition in the United States District Court 
for the District of Columbia for such equitable relief as may be 
necessary or appropriate.
    SEC. 117. UNITED STATES RELEASE FROM LIABILITY.
    The United States shall not be liable for any debts, defaults, 
acts, or omissions of the Foundation nor shall the full faith and 
credit of the United States extend to any obligation of the Foundation.
    SEC. 118. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
    (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--
        (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
    Department of Commerce to carry out this title $10,000,000 for each 
    of fiscal years 2021 through 2024.
        (2) Use of appropriated funds.--Subject to paragraph (3), 
    amounts made available under paragraph (1) shall be provided to the 
    Foundation to match contributions (whether in currency, services, 
    or property) made to the Foundation, or to a recipient of a grant 
    provided by the Foundation, by private persons and State and local 
    government agencies.
        (3) Prohibition on use for administrative expenses.--
            (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), no 
        Federal funds made available under paragraph (1) may be used by 
        the Foundation for administrative expenses of the Foundation, 
        including for salaries, travel and transportation expenses, and 
        other overhead expenses.
            (B) Exception.--The Secretary may allow the use of Federal 
        funds made available under paragraph (1) to pay for salaries 
        during the 18-month period beginning on the date of the 
        enactment of this Act.
    (b) Additional Authorization.--
        (1) In general.--In addition to the amounts made available 
    under subsection (a), the Foundation may accept Federal funds from 
    a Federal agency under any other Federal law for use by the 
    Foundation to further the assessment, prevention, reduction, and 
    removal of marine debris in accordance with the requirements of 
    this title.
        (2) Use of funds accepted from federal agencies.--Federal funds 
    provided to the Foundation under paragraph (1) shall be used by the 
    Foundation for matching, in whole or in part, contributions 
    (whether in currency, services, or property) made to the Foundation 
    by private persons and State and local government agencies.
    (c) Prohibition on Use of Grant Amounts for Litigation and Lobbying 
Expenses.--Amounts provided as a grant by the Foundation shall not be 
used for--
        (1) any expense related to litigation consistent with Federal-
    wide cost principles; or
        (2) any activity the purpose of which is to influence 
    legislation pending before Congress consistent with Federal-wide 
    cost principles.
    SEC. 119. TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.
    The authority of the Foundation under this subtitle shall terminate 
on the date that is 10 years after the establishment of the Foundation, 
unless the Foundation is reauthorized by an Act of Congress.

         Subtitle C--Genius Prize for Save Our Seas Innovations

    SEC. 121. DEFINITIONS.
    In this subtitle:
        (1) Prize competition.--The term ``prize competition'' means 
    the competition for the award of the Genius Prize for Save Our Seas 
    Innovations established under section 122.
        (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
    Commerce.
    SEC. 122. GENIUS PRIZE FOR SAVE OUR SEAS INNOVATIONS.
    (a) In General.--
        (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
    enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish under section 
    24 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 
    U.S.C. 3719) a prize competition--
            (A) to encourage technological innovation with the 
        potential to reduce plastic waste, and associated and potential 
        pollution, and thereby prevent marine debris; and
            (B) to award 1 or more prizes biennially for projects that 
        advance human understanding and innovation in removing and 
        preventing plastic waste, in one of the categories described in 
        paragraph (2).
        (2) Categories for projects.--The categories for projects are:
            (A) Advancements in materials used in packaging and other 
        products that, if such products enter the coastal or ocean 
        environment, will fully degrade without harming the 
        environment, wildlife, or human health.
            (B) Innovations in production and packaging design that 
        reduce the use of raw materials, increase recycled content, 
        encourage reusability and recyclability, and promote a circular 
        economy.
            (C) Improvements in marine debris detection, monitoring, 
        and cleanup technologies and processes.
            (D) Improvements or improved strategies to increase solid 
        waste collection, processing, sorting, recycling, or reuse.
            (E) New designs or strategies to reduce overall packaging 
        needs and promote reuse.
    (b) Designation.--The prize competition established under 
subsection (a) shall be known as the ``Genius Prize for Save Our Seas 
Innovations''.
    (c) Prioritization.--In selecting awards for the prize competition, 
priority shall be given to projects that--
        (1) have a strategy, submitted with the application or 
    proposal, to move the new technology, process, design, material, or 
    other product supported by the prize to market-scale deployment;
        (2) support the concept of a circular economy; and
        (3) promote development of materials that--
            (A) can fully degrade in the ocean without harming the 
        environment, wildlife, or human health; and
            (B) are to be used in fishing gear or other maritime 
        products that have an increased likelihood of entering the 
        coastal or ocean environment as unintentional waste.
    SEC. 123. AGREEMENT WITH THE MARINE DEBRIS FOUNDATION.
    (a) In General.--The Secretary may offer to enter into an 
agreement, which may include a grant or cooperative agreement, under 
which the Marine Debris Foundation established under title I may 
administer the prize competition.
    (b) Requirements.--An agreement entered into under subsection (a) 
shall comply with the following requirements:
        (1) Duties.--The Marine Debris Foundation shall--
            (A) advertise the prize competition;
            (B) solicit prize competition participants;
            (C) administer funds relating to the prize competition;
            (D) receive Federal and non-Federal funds--
                (i) to administer the prize competition; and
                (ii) to award a cash prize;
            (E) carry out activities to generate contributions of non-
        Federal funds to offset, in whole or in part--
                (i) the administrative costs of the prize competition; 
            and
                (ii) the costs of a cash prize;
            (F) in the design and award of the prize, consult, as 
        appropriate with experts from--
                (i) Federal agencies with jurisdiction over the 
            prevention of marine debris or the promotion of innovative 
            materials;
                (ii) State agencies with jurisdiction over the 
            prevention of marine debris or the promotion of innovative 
            materials;
                (iii) State, regional, or local conservation or post-
            consumer materials management organizations, the mission of 
            which relates to the prevention of marine debris or the 
            promotion of innovative materials;
                (iv) conservation groups, technology companies, 
            research institutions, scientists (including those with 
            expertise in marine environments) institutions of higher 
            education, industry, or individual stakeholders with an 
            interest in the prevention of marine debris or the 
            promotion of innovative materials;
                (v) experts in the area of standards development 
            regarding the degradation, breakdown, or recycling of 
            polymers; and
                (vi) other relevant experts of the Board's choosing;
            (G) in consultation with, and subject to final approval by, 
        the Secretary, develop criteria for the selection of prize 
        competition winners;
            (H) provide advice and consultation to the Secretary on the 
        selection of judges under section 124 based on criteria 
        developed in consultation with, and subject to the final 
        approval of, the Secretary;
            (I) announce 1 or more annual winners of the prize 
        competition;
            (J) subject to paragraph (2), award 1 or more cash prizes 
        biennially of not less than $100,000; and
            (K) protect against unauthorized use or disclosure by the 
        Marine Debris Foundation of any trade secret or confidential 
        business information of a prize competition participant.
        (2) Additional cash prizes.--The Marine Debris Foundation may 
    award more than 1 cash prize in a year--
            (A) if the initial cash prize referred to in paragraph 
        (1)(J) and any additional cash prizes are awarded using only 
        non-Federal funds; and
            (B) consisting of an amount determined by the Under 
        Secretary after the Secretary is notified by the Marine Debris 
        Foundation that non-Federal funds are available for an 
        additional cash prize.
        (3) Solicitation of funds.--The Marine Debris Foundation--
            (A) may request and accept Federal funds and non-Federal 
        funds for a cash prize or administration of the prize 
        competition;
            (B) may accept a contribution for a cash prize in exchange 
        for the right to name the prize; and
            (C) shall not give special consideration to any Federal 
        agency or non-Federal entity in exchange for a donation for a 
        cash prize awarded under this section.
    SEC. 124. JUDGES.
    (a) Appointment.--The Secretary shall appoint not fewer than 3 
judges who shall, except as provided in subsection (b), select the 1 or 
more annual winners of the prize competition.
    (b) Determination by the Secretary.--The judges appointed under 
subsection (a) shall not select any annual winner of the prize 
competition if the Secretary makes a determination that, in any fiscal 
year, none of the technological advancements entered into the prize 
competition merits an award.
    SEC. 125. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
    Not later than 60 days after the date on which a cash prize is 
awarded under this title, the Secretary shall post on a publicly 
available website a report on the prize competition that includes--
        (1) if the Secretary has entered into an agreement under 
    section 123, a statement by the Marine Debris Foundation that 
    describes the activities carried out by the Marine Debris 
    Foundation relating to the duties described in section 123; and
        (2) a statement by 1 or more of the judges appointed under 
    section 124 that explains the basis on which the winner of the cash 
    prize was selected.
    SEC. 126. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
    Of the amounts authorized under section 118(a), the Secretary of 
Commerce shall use up to $1,000,000 to carry out this subtitle.
    SEC. 127. TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.
    The prize program will terminate after 5 prize competition cycles 
have been completed.

            Subtitle D--Studies, Pilot Projects, and Reports

    SEC. 131. REPORT ON OPPORTUNITIES FOR INNOVATIVE USES OF PLASTIC 
      WASTE.
    Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee shall submit to 
Congress a report on innovative uses for plastic waste in consumer 
products.
    SEC. 132. REPORT ON MICROFIBER POLLUTION.
    Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee shall submit to 
Congress a report on microfiber pollution that includes--
        (1) a definition of microfiber;
        (2) an assessment of the sources, prevalence, and causes of 
    microfiber pollution;
        (3) a recommendation for a standardized methodology to measure 
    and estimate the prevalence of microfiber pollution;
        (4) recommendations for reducing microfiber pollution; and
        (5) a plan for how Federal agencies, in partnership with other 
    stakeholders, can lead on opportunities to reduce microfiber 
    pollution during the 5-year period beginning on such date of 
    enactment.
    SEC. 133. STUDY ON UNITED STATES PLASTIC POLLUTION DATA.
    (a) In General.--The Under Secretary, in consultation with the EPA 
Administrator and the Secretary of the Interior, shall seek to enter 
into an arrangement with the National Academies of Sciences, 
Engineering, and Medicine under which the National Academies will 
undertake a multifaceted study that includes the following:
        (1) An evaluation of United States contributions to global 
    ocean plastic waste, including types, sources, and geographic 
    variations.
        (2) An assessment of the prevalence of marine debris and 
    mismanaged plastic waste in saltwater and freshwater United States 
    navigable waterways and tributaries.
        (3) An examination of the import and export of plastic waste to 
    and from the United States, including the destinations of the 
    exported plastic waste and the waste management infrastructure and 
    environmental conditions of these locations.
        (4) Potential means to reduce United States contributions to 
    global ocean plastic waste.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
report on the study conducted under subsection (a) that includes--
        (1) the findings of the National Academies;
        (2) recommendations on knowledge gaps that warrant further 
    scientific inquiry; and
        (3) recommendations on the potential value of a national marine 
    debris tracking and monitoring system and how such a system might 
    be designed and implemented.
    SEC. 134. STUDY ON MASS BALANCE METHODOLOGIES TO CERTIFY CIRCULAR 
      POLYMERS.
    (a) In General.--The National Institute of Standards and Technology 
shall conduct a study of available mass balance methodologies that are 
or could be readily standardized to certify circular polymers.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Institute shall submit to Congress a report on the study 
conducted under subsection (a) that includes--
        (1) an identification and assessment of existing mass balance 
    methodologies, standards, and certification systems that are or may 
    be applicable to supply chain sustainability of polymers, 
    considering the full life cycle of the polymer, and including an 
    examination of--
            (A) the International Sustainability and Carbon 
        Certification; and
            (B) the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials;
        (2) an assessment of the environmental impacts of the full 
    lifecycle of circular polymers, including impacts on climate 
    change; and
        (3) an assessment of any legal or regulatory barriers to 
    developing a standard and certification system for circular 
    polymers.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
        (1) Circular polymers.--The term ``circular polymers'' means 
    polymers that can be reused multiple times or converted into a new, 
    higher-quality product.
        (2) Mass balance methodology.--The term ``mass balance 
    methodology'' means the method of chain of custody accounting 
    designed to track the exact total amount of certain content in 
    products or materials through the production system and to ensure 
    an appropriate allocation of this content in the finished goods 
    based on auditable bookkeeping.
    SEC. 135. REPORT ON SOURCES AND IMPACTS OF DERELICT FISHING GEAR.
    Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Under Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that includes--
        (1) an analysis of the scale of fishing gear losses by domestic 
    and foreign fisheries, including--
            (A) how the amount of gear lost varies among--
                (i) domestic and foreign fisheries;
                (ii) types of fishing gear; and
                (iii) methods of fishing;
            (B) how lost fishing gear is transported by ocean currents; 
        and
            (C) common reasons fishing gear is lost;
        (2) an evaluation of the ecological, human health, and maritime 
    safety impacts of derelict fishing gear, and how those impacts vary 
    across--
            (A) types of fishing gear;
            (B) materials used to construct fishing gear; and
            (C) geographic location;
        (3) recommendations on management measures--
            (A) to prevent fishing gear losses; and
            (B) to reduce the impacts of lost fishing gear;
        (4) an assessment of the cost of implementing such management 
    measures; and
        (5) an assessment of the impact of fishing gear loss 
    attributable to foreign countries.
    SEC. 136. EXPANSION OF DERELICT VESSEL RECYCLING.
    Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Under Secretary and the EPA Administrator shall jointly conduct a 
study to determine the feasibility of developing a nationwide derelict 
vessel recycling program--
        (1) using as a model the fiberglass boat recycling program from 
    the pilot project in Rhode Island led by Rhode Island Sea Grant and 
    its partners; and
        (2) including, if possible, recycling of vessels made from 
    materials other than fiberglass.
    SEC. 137. INCENTIVE FOR FISHERMEN TO COLLECT AND DISPOSE OF PLASTIC 
      FOUND AT SEA.
    (a) In General.--The Under Secretary shall establish a pilot 
program to assess the feasibility and advisability of providing 
incentives, such as grants, to fishermen based in the United States who 
incidentally capture marine debris while at sea--
        (1) to track or keep the debris on board; and
        (2) to dispose of the debris properly on land.
    (b) Support for Collection and Removal of Derelict Gear.--The Under 
Secretary shall encourage United States efforts, such as the Fishing 
for Energy net disposal program, that support--
        (1) collection and removal of derelict fishing gear and other 
    fishing waste;
        (2) disposal or recycling of such gear and waste; and
        (3) prevention of the loss of such gear.

      TITLE II--ENHANCED GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT TO COMBAT MARINE DEBRIS

    SEC. 201. STATEMENT OF POLICY ON INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION TO 
      COMBAT MARINE DEBRIS.
    It is the policy of the United States to partner, consult, and 
coordinate with foreign governments (at the national and subnational 
levels), civil society, international organizations, international 
financial institutions, subnational coastal communities, commercial and 
recreational fishing industry leaders, and the private sector, in a 
concerted effort--
        (1) to increase knowledge and raise awareness about--
            (A) the linkages between the sources of plastic waste, 
        mismanaged waste and post-consumer materials, and marine 
        debris; and
            (B) the upstream and downstream causes and effects of 
        plastic waste, mismanaged waste and post-consumer materials, 
        and marine debris on marine environments, marine wildlife, 
        human health, and economic development;
        (2) to support--
            (A) strengthening systems for reducing the generation of 
        plastic waste and recovering, managing, reusing, and recycling 
        plastic waste, marine debris, and microfiber pollution in the 
        world's oceans, emphasizing upstream post-consumer materials 
        management solutions--
                (i) to decrease plastic waste at its source; and
                (ii) to prevent leakage of plastic waste into the 
            environment;
            (B) advancing the utilization and availability of safe and 
        affordable reusable alternatives to disposable plastic products 
        in commerce, to the extent practicable, and with consideration 
        for the potential impacts of such alternatives, and other 
        efforts to prevent marine debris;
            (C) deployment of and access to advanced technologies to 
        capture value from post-consumer materials and municipal solid 
        waste streams through mechanical and other recycling systems;
            (D) access to information on best practices in post-
        consumer materials management, options for post-consumer 
        materials management systems financing, and options for 
        participating in public-private partnerships; and
            (E) implementation of management measures to reduce 
        derelict fishing gear, the loss of fishing gear, and other 
        sources of pollution generated from marine activities and to 
        increase proper disposal and recycling of fishing gear; and
        (3) to work cooperatively with international partners--
            (A) on establishing--
                (i) measurable targets for reducing marine debris, lost 
            fishing gear, and plastic waste from all sources; and
                (ii) action plans to achieve those targets with a 
            mechanism to provide regular reporting;
            (B) to promote consumer education, awareness, and outreach 
        to prevent marine debris;
            (C) to reduce marine debris by improving advance planning 
        for marine debris events and responses to such events; and
            (D) to share best practices in post-consumer materials 
        management systems to prevent the entry of plastic waste into 
        the environment.
    SEC. 202. PRIORITIZATION OF EFFORTS AND ASSISTANCE TO COMBAT MARINE 
      DEBRIS AND IMPROVE PLASTIC WASTE MANAGEMENT.
    (a) In General.--The Secretary of State shall, in coordination with 
the Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
Development, as appropriate, and the officials specified in subsection 
(b)--
        (1) lead and coordinate efforts to implement the policy 
    described in section 201; and
        (2) develop strategies and implement programs that prioritize 
    engagement and cooperation with foreign governments, subnational 
    and local stakeholders, and the private sector to expedite efforts 
    and assistance in foreign countries--
            (A) to partner with, encourage, advise and facilitate 
        national and subnational governments on the development and 
        execution, where practicable, of national projects, programs 
        and initiatives to--
                (i) improve the capacity, security, and standards of 
            operations of post-consumer materials management systems;
                (ii) monitor and track how well post-consumer materials 
            management systems are functioning nationwide, based on 
            uniform and transparent standards developed in cooperation 
            with municipal, industrial, and civil society stakeholders;
                (iii) identify the operational challenges of post-
            consumer materials management systems and develop policy 
            and programmatic solutions;
                (iv) end intentional or unintentional incentives for 
            municipalities, industries, and individuals to improperly 
            dispose of plastic waste; and
                (v) conduct outreach campaigns to raise public 
            awareness of the importance of proper waste disposal and 
            the reduction of plastic waste;
            (B) to facilitate the involvement of municipalities and 
        industries in improving solid waste reduction, collection, 
        disposal, and reuse and recycling projects, programs, and 
        initiatives;
            (C) to partner with and provide technical assistance to 
        investors, and national and local institutions, including 
        private sector actors, to develop new business opportunities 
        and solutions to specifically reduce plastic waste and expand 
        solid waste and post-consumer materials management best 
        practices in foreign countries by--
                (i) maximizing the number of people and businesses, in 
            both rural and urban communities, receiving reliable solid 
            waste and post-consumer materials management services;
                (ii) improving and expanding the capacity of foreign 
            industries to responsibly employ post-consumer materials 
            management practices;
                (iii) improving and expanding the capacity and 
            transparency of tracking mechanisms for marine debris to 
            reduce the impacts on the marine environment;
                (iv) eliminating incentives that undermine responsible 
            post-consumer materials management practices and lead to 
            improper waste disposal practices and leakage;
                (v) building the capacity of countries--

                    (I) to reduce, monitor, regulate, and manage waste, 
                post-consumer materials and plastic waste, and 
                pollution appropriately and transparently, including 
                imports of plastic waste from the United States and 
                other countries;
                    (II) to encourage private investment in post-
                consumer materials management and reduction; and
                    (III) to encourage private investment, grow 
                opportunities, and develop markets for recyclable, 
                reusable, and repurposed plastic waste and post-
                consumer materials, and products with high levels of 
                recycled plastic content, at both national and local 
                levels; and

                (vi) promoting safe and affordable reusable 
            alternatives to disposable plastic products, to the extent 
            practicable; and
            (D) to research, identify, and facilitate opportunities to 
        promote collection and proper disposal of damaged or derelict 
        fishing gear.
    (b) Officials Specified.--The officials specified in this 
subsection are the following:
        (1) The United States Trade Representative.
        (2) The Under Secretary.
        (3) The EPA Administrator.
        (4) The Director of the Trade and Development Agency.
        (5) The President and the Board of Directors of the Overseas 
    Private Investment Corporation or the Chief Executive Officer and 
    the Board of Directors of the United States International 
    Development Finance Corporation, as appropriate.
        (6) The Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Directors of 
    the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
        (7) The Commandant of the Coast Guard, with respect to 
    pollution from ships.
        (8) The heads of such other agencies as the Secretary of State 
    considers appropriate.
    (c) Prioritization.--In carrying out subsection (a), the officials 
specified in subsection (b) shall prioritize assistance to countries 
with, and regional organizations in regions with--
        (1) rapidly developing economies; and
        (2) rivers and coastal areas that are the most severe sources 
    of marine debris, as identified by the best available science.
    (d) Effectiveness Measurement.--In prioritizing and expediting 
efforts and assistance under this section, the officials specified in 
subsection (b) shall use clear, accountable, and metric-based targets 
to measure the effectiveness of guarantees and assistance in achieving 
the policy described in section 201.
    (e) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed 
to authorize the modification of or the imposition of limits on the 
portfolios of any agency or institution led by an official specified in 
subsection (b).
    SEC. 203. UNITED STATES LEADERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL FORA.
    In implementing the policy described in section 201, the President 
shall direct the United States representatives to appropriate 
international bodies and conferences (including the United Nations 
Environment Programme, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the 
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Group of 7, the Group of 20, the 
Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), and the 
Our Ocean Conference) to use the voice, vote, and influence of the 
United States, consistent with the broad foreign policy goals of the 
United States, to advocate that each such body--
        (1) commit to significantly increasing efforts to promote 
    investment in well-designed post-consumer materials management and 
    plastic waste elimination and mitigation projects and services that 
    increase access to safe post-consumer materials management and 
    mitigation services, in partnership with the private sector and 
    consistent with the constraints of other countries;
        (2) address the post-consumer materials management needs of 
    individuals and communities where access to municipal post-consumer 
    materials management services is historically impractical or cost-
    prohibitive;
        (3) enhance coordination with the private sector--
            (A) to increase access to solid waste and post-consumer 
        materials management services;
            (B) to utilize safe and affordable alternatives to 
        disposable plastic products, to the extent practicable;
            (C) to encourage and incentivize the use of recycled 
        content; and
            (D) to grow economic opportunities and develop markets for 
        recyclable, compostable, reusable, and repurposed plastic waste 
        materials and post-consumer materials and other efforts that 
        support the circular economy;
        (4) provide technical assistance to foreign regulatory 
    authorities and governments to remove unnecessary barriers to 
    investment in otherwise commercially-viable projects related to--
            (A) post-consumer materials management;
            (B) the use of safe and affordable alternatives to 
        disposable plastic products; or
            (C) beneficial reuse of solid waste, plastic waste, post-
        consumer materials, plastic products, and refuse;
        (5) use clear, accountable, and metric-based targets to measure 
    the effectiveness of such projects; and
        (6) engage international partners in an existing multilateral 
    forum (or, if necessary, establish through an international 
    agreement a new multilateral forum) to improve global cooperation 
    on--
            (A) creating tangible metrics for evaluating efforts to 
        reduce plastic waste and marine debris;
            (B) developing and implementing best practices at the 
        national and subnational levels of foreign countries, 
        particularly countries with little to no solid waste or post-
        consumer materials management systems, facilities, or policies 
        in place for--
                (i) collecting, disposing, recycling, and reusing 
            plastic waste and post-consumer materials, including 
            building capacity for improving post-consumer materials 
            management; and
                (ii) integrating alternatives to disposable plastic 
            products, to the extent practicable;
            (C) encouraging the development of standards and practices, 
        and increasing recycled content percentage requirements for 
        disposable plastic products;
            (D) integrating tracking and monitoring systems into post-
        consumer materials management systems;
            (E) fostering research to improve scientific understanding 
        of--
                (i) how microfibers and microplastics may affect marine 
            ecosystems, human health and safety, and maritime 
            activities;
                (ii) changes in the amount and regional concentrations 
            of plastic waste in the ocean, based on scientific modeling 
            and forecasting;
                (iii) the role rivers, streams, and other inland 
            waterways play in serving as conduits for mismanaged waste 
            traveling from land to the ocean;
                (iv) effective means to eliminate present and future 
            leakages of plastic waste into the environment; and
                (v) other related areas of research the United States 
            representatives deem necessary;
            (F) encouraging the World Bank and other international 
        finance organizations to prioritize efforts to reduce plastic 
        waste and combat marine debris;
            (G) collaborating on technological advances in post-
        consumer materials management and recycled plastics;
            (H) growing economic opportunities and developing markets 
        for recyclable, compostable, reusable, and repurposed plastic 
        waste and post-consumer materials and other efforts that 
        support the circular economy; and
            (I) advising foreign countries, at both the national and 
        subnational levels, on the development and execution of 
        regulatory policies, services, including recycling and reuse of 
        plastic, and laws pertaining to reducing the creation and the 
        collection and safe management of--
                (i) solid waste;
                (ii) post-consumer materials;
                (iii) plastic waste; and
                (iv) marine debris.
    SEC. 204. ENHANCING INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH AND PARTNERSHIP OF 
      UNITED STATES AGENCIES INVOLVED IN MARINE DEBRIS ACTIVITIES.
    (a) Findings.--Congress recognizes the success of the marine debris 
program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the 
Trash-Free Waters program of the Environmental Protection Agency.
    (b) Authorization of Efforts to Build Foreign Partnerships.--The 
Under Secretary and the EPA Administrator shall work with the Secretary 
of State and the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
International Development to build partnerships, as appropriate, with 
the governments of foreign countries and to support international 
efforts to combat marine debris.
    SEC. 205. NEGOTIATION OF NEW INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS.
    Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of State shall submit to Congress a report--
        (1) assessing the potential for negotiating new international 
    agreements or creating a new international forum to reduce land-
    based sources of marine debris and derelict fishing gear, 
    consistent with section 203;
        (2) describing the provisions that could be included in such 
    agreements; and
        (3) assessing potential parties to such agreements.
    SEC. 206. CONSIDERATION OF MARINE DEBRIS IN NEGOTIATING 
      INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS.
    In negotiating any relevant international agreement with any 
country or countries after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
President shall, as appropriate--
        (1) consider the impact of land-based sources of plastic waste 
    and other solid waste from that country on the marine and aquatic 
    environment; and
        (2) ensure that the agreement strengthens efforts to eliminate 
    land-based sources of plastic waste and other solid waste from that 
    country that impact the marine and aquatic environment.

 TITLE III--IMPROVING DOMESTIC INFRASTRUCTURE TO PREVENT MARINE DEBRIS

    SEC. 301. STRATEGY FOR IMPROVING POST-CONSUMER MATERIALS MANAGEMENT 
      AND WATER MANAGEMENT.
    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the EPA Administrator shall, in consultation with 
stakeholders, develop a strategy to improve post-consumer materials 
management and infrastructure for the purpose of reducing plastic waste 
and other post-consumer materials in waterways and oceans.
    (b) Release.--On development of the strategy under subsection (a), 
the EPA Administrator shall--
        (1) distribute the strategy to States; and
        (2) make the strategy publicly available, including for use 
    by--
            (A) for-profit private entities involved in post-consumer 
        materials management; and
            (B) other nongovernmental entities.
    SEC. 302. GRANT PROGRAMS.
    (a) Post-Consumer Materials Management Infrastructure Grant 
Program.--
        (1) In general.--The EPA Administrator may provide grants to 
    States to implement the strategy developed under section 301(a) 
    and--
            (A) to support improvements to local post-consumer 
        materials management, including municipal recycling programs; 
        and
            (B) to assist local waste management authorities in making 
        improvements to local waste management systems.
        (2) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
    paragraph (1), the applicant State shall submit to the EPA 
    Administrator an application at such time, in such manner, and 
    containing such information as the EPA Administrator may require.
        (3) Contents of applications.--In developing application 
    requirements, the EPA Administrator shall consider requesting that 
    a State applicant provide--
            (A) a description of--
                (i) the project or projects to be carried out using 
            grant funds; and
                (ii) how the project or projects would result in the 
            generation of less plastic waste;
            (B) a description of how the funds will support 
        disadvantaged communities; and
            (C) an explanation of any limitations, such as flow control 
        measures, that restrict access to reusable or recyclable 
        materials.
        (4) Report to congress.--Not later than January 1, 2023, the 
    EPA Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Environment and 
    Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and 
    Infrastructure and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
    House of Representatives a report that includes--
            (A) a description of the activities carried out under this 
        subsection;
            (B) estimates as to how much plastic waste was prevented 
        from entering the oceans and other waterways as a result of 
        activities funded pursuant to this subsection; and
            (C) a recommendation on the utility of evolving the grant 
        program into a new waste management State revolving fund.
    (b) Drinking Water Infrastructure Grants.--
        (1) In general.--The EPA Administrator may provide competitive 
    grants to units of local government, Indian Tribes, and public 
    water systems (as defined in section 1401 of the Safe Drinking 
    Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f)) to support improvements in reducing and 
    removing plastic waste and post-consumer materials, including 
    microplastics and microfibers, from drinking water or sources of 
    drinking water, including planning, design, construction, technical 
    assistance, and planning support for operational adjustments.
        (2) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
    paragraph (1), an applicant shall submit to the EPA Administrator 
    an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
    information as the EPA Administrator may require.
    (c) Wastewater Infrastructure Grants.--
        (1) In general.--The EPA Administrator may provide grants to 
    municipalities (as defined in section 502 of the Federal Water 
    Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1362)) or Indian Tribes that own 
    and operate treatment works (as such term is defined in section 212 
    of such Act (33 U.S.C. 1292)) for the construction of improvements 
    to reduce and remove plastic waste and post-consumer materials, 
    including microplastics and microfibers, from wastewater.
        (2) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
    paragraph (1), an applicant shall submit to the EPA Administrator 
    an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
    information as the EPA Administrator may require.
    (d) Trash-Free Waters Grants.--
        (1) In general.--The EPA Administrator may provide grants to 
    units of local government, Indian Tribes, and nonprofit 
    organizations--
            (A) to support projects to reduce the quantity of solid 
        waste in bodies of water by reducing the quantity of waste at 
        the source, including through anti-litter initiatives;
            (B) to enforce local post-consumer materials management 
        ordinances;
            (C) to implement State or local policies relating to solid 
        waste;
            (D) to capture post-consumer materials at stormwater 
        inlets, at stormwater outfalls, or in bodies of water;
            (E) to provide education and outreach about post-consumer 
        materials movement and reduction; and
            (F) to monitor or model flows of post-consumer materials, 
        including monitoring or modeling a reduction in trash as a 
        result of the implementation of best management practices for 
        the reduction of plastic waste and other post-consumer 
        materials in sources of drinking water.
        (2) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
    paragraph (1), an applicant shall submit to the EPA Administrator 
    an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
    information as the EPA Administrator may require.
    (e) Applicability of Federal Law.--
        (1) In general.--The EPA Administrator shall ensure that all 
    laborers and mechanics employed on projects funded directly, or 
    assisted in whole or in part, by a grant established by this 
    section shall be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing 
    on projects of a character similar in the locality as determined by 
    the Secretary of Labor in accordance with subchapter IV of chapter 
    31 of part A of subtitle II of title 40, United States Code.
        (2) Authority.--With respect to the labor standards specified 
    in paragraph (1), the Secretary of Labor shall have the authority 
    and functions set forth in Reorganization Plan Numbered 14 of 1950 
    (64 Stat. 1267; 5 U.S.C. App.) and section 3145 of title 40, United 
    States Code.
        (3) Requirements.--The requirements of section 608 of the 
    Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1388) shall apply to 
    the construction of a project carried out, in whole or in part, 
    with assistance made available under this section in the same 
    manner as the requirements of such section apply with respect to 
    funds made available pursuant to title VI of such Act.
    (f) Limitation on Use of Funds.--A grant under this section may not 
be used (directly or indirectly) as a source of payment (in whole or in 
part) of, or security for, an obligation the interest on which is 
excluded from gross income under section 103 of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated--
        (1) for the program described subsection (a), $55,000,000 for 
    each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025; and
        (2) for each of the programs described subsections (b), (c), 
    and (d), $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.
    SEC. 303. STUDY ON REPURPOSING PLASTIC WASTE IN INFRASTRUCTURE.
    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation (referred to in 
this section as the ``Secretary'') and the EPA Administrator shall 
jointly enter into an arrangement with the National Academies of 
Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine under which the National Academies 
will--
        (1) conduct a study on the uses of plastic waste in 
    infrastructure; and
        (2) as part of the study under paragraph (1)--
            (A) identify domestic and international examples of--
                (i) the use of plastic waste materials described in 
            that paragraph;
                (ii) infrastructure projects in which the use of 
            plastic waste has been applied; and
                (iii) projects in which the use of plastic waste has 
            been incorporated into or with other infrastructure 
            materials;
            (B) assess--
                (i) the effectiveness and utility of the uses of 
            plastic waste described in that paragraph;
                (ii) the extent to which plastic waste materials are 
            consistent with recognized specifications for 
            infrastructure construction and other recognized standards;
                (iii) relevant impacts of plastic waste materials 
            compared to non-waste plastic materials;
                (iv) the health, safety, and environmental impacts of--

                    (I) plastic waste on humans and animals; and
                    (II) the increased use of plastic waste for 
                infrastructure;

                (v) the ability of plastic waste infrastructure to 
            withstand natural disasters, extreme weather events, and 
            other hazards; and
                (vi) plastic waste in infrastructure through an 
            economic analysis; and
            (C) make recommendations with respect to what standards or 
        matters may need to be addressed with respect to ensuring human 
        and animal health and safety from the use of plastic waste in 
        infrastructure.
    (b) Report Required.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act and subject to the availability of 
appropriations, the Secretary and the EPA Administrator shall submit to 
Congress a report on the study conducted under subsection (a).
    SEC. 304. STUDY ON EFFECTS OF MICROPLASTICS IN FOOD SUPPLIES AND 
      SOURCES OF DRINKING WATER.
    (a) In General.--The EPA Administrator, in consultation with the 
Under Secretary, shall seek to enter into an arrangement with the 
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine under which 
the National Academies will conduct a human health and environmental 
risk assessment on microplastics, including microfibers, in food 
supplies and sources of drinking water.
    (b) Report Required.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the EPA Administrator shall submit to Congress a 
report on the study conducted under subsection (a) that includes--
        (1) a science-based definition of ``microplastics'' that can be 
    adopted in federally supported monitoring and future assessments 
    supported or conducted by a Federal agency;
        (2) recommendations for standardized monitoring, testing, and 
    other necessary protocols relating to microplastics;
        (3) an assessment of--
            (A) the extent to which microplastics are present in the 
        food supplies and sources of drinking water; and
            (B) the type, source, prevalence, and risk of microplastics 
        in the food supplies and sources of drinking water, including--
                (i) an identification of the most significant sources 
            of those microplastics; and
                (ii) a review of the best available science to 
            determine any potential hazards of microplastics in the 
            food supplies and sources of drinking water; and
        (4) a measurement of--
            (A) the quantity of environmental chemicals that adsorb to 
        microplastics; and
            (B) the quantity described in subparagraph (A) that would 
        be available for human exposure through food supplies or 
        sources of drinking water.
    SEC. 305. REPORT ON ELIMINATING BARRIERS TO INCREASE THE COLLECTION 
      OF RECYCLABLE MATERIALS.
    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
EPA Administrator shall submit to Congress a report describing--
        (1) the economic, educational, technological, resource 
    availability, legal, or other barriers to increasing the 
    collection, processing, and use of recyclable materials; and
        (2) recommendations to overcome the barriers described under 
    paragraph (1).
    SEC. 306. REPORT ON ECONOMIC INCENTIVES TO SPUR DEVELOPMENT OF NEW 
      END-USE MARKETS FOR RECYCLED PLASTICS.
    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
EPA Administrator shall submit to Congress a report describing the most 
efficient and effective economic incentives to spur the development of 
additional new end-use markets for recycled plastics, including plastic 
film, including the use of increased recycled content by manufacturers 
in the production of plastic goods and packaging.
    SEC. 307. REPORT ON MINIMIZING THE CREATION OF NEW PLASTIC WASTE.
    (a) In General.--The EPA Administrator, in coordination with the 
Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee and the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology, shall conduct a study on 
minimizing the creation of new plastic waste.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the EPA Administrator shall submit to Congress a report on 
the study conducted under subsection (a) that includes--
        (1) an estimate of the current and projected United States 
    production and consumption of plastics, by type of plastic, 
    including consumer food products;
        (2) an estimate of the environmental effects and impacts of 
    plastic production and use in relation to other materials;
        (3) an estimate of current and projected future recycling rates 
    of plastics, by type of plastic;
        (4) an assessment of opportunities to minimize the creation of 
    new plastic waste, including consumer food products, by reducing, 
    recycling, reusing, refilling, refurbishing, or capturing plastic 
    that would otherwise be part of a waste stream; and
        (5) an assessment of what post-consumer recycled content 
    standards for plastic are technologically and economically 
    feasible, and the impact of the standards on recycling rates.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.
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