Colonia Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2021

To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 to reauthorize certain grant programs providing assistance to colonias, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Colonia Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2021 2. Drinking water assistance to colonias Section 1456 of the Safe Drinking Water Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300j–16 (1) in subsection (a)— (A) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and (B) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraph: (2) Covered entity The term covered entity (A) A border State. (B) A local government with jurisdiction over an eligible community. ; (2) in subsection (b), by striking border State covered entity (3) by striking subsection (d); (4) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (d); and (5) in subsection (d), as so redesignated— (A) by striking $25,000,000 $100,000,000 (B) by striking 1997 through 1999 2022 through 2026 3. Wastewater assistance to colonias Section 307 of the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 ( 33 U.S.C. 1281 (1) in subsection (a)— (A) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively; and (B) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following: (2) Covered entity The term covered entity (A) A border State. (B) A local government with jurisdiction over an eligible community. ; (2) in subsection (b), by striking border State covered entity (3) by striking subsection (d); (4) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (d); and (5) in subsection (d), as so redesignated— (A) by striking $25,000,000 $100,000,000 (B) by striking 1997 through 1999 2022 through 2026 4. Colonias state of good repair grant program (a) In general Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall establish a program under which the Secretary may award grants to assist projects that— (1) facilitate the state of good repair of surface infrastructure; and (2) are carried out in, or for the benefit of, a colonia. (b) Eligible entities The Secretary may award a grant under this section to the following: (1) A State. (2) A metropolitan planning organization. (3) A unit of local government. (4) A Federal land management agency. (5) A Tribal Government. (c) Colonia defined In this section, the term colonia (1) is commonly referred to as a colonia; and (2) is located along the United States-Mexico border (generally in an unincorporated area). (d) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $125,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2025.

Summary: Colonia Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2021 This bill provides support for low-income communities with economic hardships that are commonly referred to as colonias and are located along the United States-Mexico border. Specifically, the bill reauthorizes through FY2026 and revises grant programs to provide assistance to those communities to construct drinking water infrastructure and wastewater infrastructure. Both grant programs are administered by the Environmental Protection Agency. In addition, the bill directs the Department of Transportation to establish a grant program to assist projects that facilitate the state of good repair of surface infrastructure in, or for the benefit of, colonias.