Great Lakes Nutrient Removal Assistance Act

To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to provide assistance for nutrient removal technologies to States in the Great Lakes System. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Great Lakes Nutrient Removal Assistance Act 2. Findings Congress finds that— (1) ineffective wastewater treatment is one of the most common sources of water pollution; (2) nutrient pollution, particularly phosphorus loading, continues to be one of the most significant water quality issues facing the Great Lakes System; (3) limiting phosphorus loads is key to controlling excessive algal growth, and a coordinated Great Lakes System-wide strategy to change how nutrients are discharged is urgent; and (4) nutrient removal technology is one of the most reliable, cost effective, and direct methods for reducing the flow of phosphorus and other harmful nutrients from point sources in the Great Lakes System. 3. Nutrient removal technology grant program Section 118 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1268 (i) Nutrient removal technology grant program (1) Grant program (A) Establishment Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator shall establish a program within the Environmental Protection Agency to make grants to Great Lakes States, and municipalities thereof, to install, at eligible facilities, nutrient removal technologies that are designed to reduce total nutrients in discharged wastewater. (B) Priority In making a grant under this subsection, the Administrator shall— (i) consult with the Program Office; and (ii) give priority to eligible facilities at which the installation of nutrient removal technologies would— (I) produce the greatest nutrient load reductions at points of discharge; (II) result in the greatest environmental benefits to the Great Lakes System; and (III) help meet the objectives related to nutrients outlined in Annex 4 of the Great Lakes Water Quality Protocol of 2012. (C) Application A Great Lakes State, or municipality thereof, may submit to the Administrator an application for a grant under this subsection in such form, and including such information, as the Administrator may prescribe. (D) Grant If the Administrator approves an application submitted under this subsection, the Administrator may make a grant to the applicant in an amount not to exceed 55 percent of the cost of installing the nutrient removal technologies at the eligible facility with respect to which the application was submitted. (2) Definitions In this subsection: (A) Great Lakes Water Quality Protocol of 2012 The term Great Lakes Water Quality Protocol of 2012 (B) Eligible facility The term eligible facility (i) as of the date of enactment of this subsection, has a permitted design capacity to treat an annual average of at least 500,000 gallons of wastewater per day; and (ii) is located within the Great Lakes System in any of the Great Lakes States. (3) Authorization of appropriations (A) In general In addition to other amounts authorized under this section, there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2020. Such sums shall remain available until expended. (B) Administrative costs The Administrator may use not to exceed 4 percent of any amount made available under subparagraph (A) to pay administrative costs incurred in carrying out this subsection. .

Summary: Great Lakes Nutrient Removal Assistance Act This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a program to provide grants to states in the Great Lakes System (i.e., Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin) and municipalities in those states to install nutrient removal technologies at a municipal wastewater treatment facility that has a permitted design capacity to treat an annual average of at least 500,000 gallons of wastewater per day. The EPA must give priority to facilities at which nutrient removal technology installations would: (1) produce the greatest nutrient load reductions at points of discharge, (2) result in the greatest environmental benefits to the Great Lakes System, and (3) help meet the objectives related to nutrients outlined in Annex 4 of the 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.