I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1775 
To establish centers of excellence for innovative stormwater control 
infrastructure, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 14, 2015 
Ms. EDWARDS (for herself, Mr. CONNOLLY, Ms. NORTON, Ms. MOORE, Mr. 
DELANEY, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Mr. CA´RDENAS, Mr. HECK of Washington, 
Ms. CHU of California, Mr. ISRAEL, Mrs. LAWRENCE, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, 
Ms. ESTY, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. COHEN, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, 
Mr. KILMER, Mr. RUSH, and Mr. QUIGLEY) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Tech-
nology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish centers of excellence for innovative stormwater 
control infrastructure, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Innovative Stormwater 
Infrastructure Act of 2015’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
(1) many water resources in the United States 
are declining, particularly in urban and agricultural 
areas; 
(2) the decline of water resources is the result 
of— 
(A) an increase in population, water con-
sumption, and impermeable surfaces; and 
(B) the negative effects of urbanization, 
commercial and industrial activities, and in-
creasing and persistent droughts; and 
(3) an October 2008 study by the National Re-
search Council found that some of the benefits of in-
novative stormwater control infrastructure include— 
(A) increased water supplies; 
(B) the creation of jobs; 
(C) cost savings; and 
(D) a reduction of stormwater runoff, sur-
face water discharge, stormwater pollution, and 
stormwater flows to protect and restore natural 
hydrology, meeting local conditions to the max-
imum extent feasible. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency. 
(2) CENTER.—The term ‘‘center’’ means a cen-
ter of excellence for innovative stormwater control 
infrastructure established under section 4(a). 
(3) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means— 
(A) a State, tribal, or local government; or 
(B) a local, regional, or other entity that 
manages stormwater, drinking water resources, 
or waste water resources. 
(4) ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘eligible in-
stitution’’ means an institution of higher edu-
cation (as defined in section 101 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)), or a 
research institution, that has demonstrated ex-
cellence in innovative stormwater control infra-
structure by— 
(i) conducting research on innovative 
stormwater control infrastructure to deter-
mine the means by which innovative infra-
structure reduces stormwater runoff, en-
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hances 
and 
protects 
drinking 
water 
sources, and improves water quality; 
(ii) developing and disseminating in-
formation regarding the means by which 
an 
organization 
can 
use 
innovative 
stormwater control infrastructure; 
(iii) providing technical assistance to 
an 
organization 
for 
an 
innovative 
stormwater control infrastructure project; 
(iv) developing best practices stand-
ards for innovative stormwater control in-
frastructure; 
(v) providing job training relating to 
innovative stormwater control infrastruc-
ture; 
(vi) developing course curricula for— 
(I) elementary schools (as defined 
in section 9101 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 7801)); 
(II) secondary schools (as defined 
in that section); 
(III) institutions of higher edu-
cation (as defined in section 101 of 
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the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1001)); or 
(IV) vocational schools; 
(vii) training students regarding inno-
vative stormwater control infrastructure; or 
(viii) providing information to the 
Federal Government or State, tribal, and 
local governments regarding the implemen-
tation of innovative stormwater control in-
frastructure. 
(B) ASSOCIATED
DEFINITION.—For pur-
poses of subparagraph (A), the term ‘‘research 
institution’’ means an entity that is— 
(i) described in section 501(c)(3) of 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; 
(ii) exempt from tax under section 
501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986; and 
(iii) organized and operated for re-
search purposes. 
(5) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 518(h) of 
the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 
1377(h)). 
(6) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means— 
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(A) each of the several States of the 
United States; 
(B) the District of Columbia; 
(C) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; 
(D) Guam; 
(E) American Samoa; 
(F) the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands; 
(G) the Federated States of Micronesia; 
(H) the Republic of the Marshall Islands; 
(I) the Republic of Palau; and 
(J) the United States Virgin Islands. 
(7) INNOVATIVE STORMWATER CONTROL INFRA-
STRUCTURE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘innovative 
stormwater control infrastructure’’ means any 
green infrastructure stormwater management 
technique that— 
(i) uses natural systems or engineered 
systems that mimic natural processes to 
infiltrate, 
evapotranspire, 
or 
capture 
stormwater; and 
(ii) preserves, enhances, or mimics 
natural hydrology to protect or restore 
water quality. 
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(B) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘innovative 
stormwater control infrastructure’’ includes— 
(i) methods that promote absorption, 
uptake, 
percolation, 
evapotranspiration, 
and filtration by soil and plant life; and 
(ii) the preservation or restoration 
of— 
(I) natural topography, including 
hills, plains, ravines, and shorelines; 
(II) interconnected networks of 
natural land that protect essential ec-
ological functions critical for water 
quality; 
(III) ecological function, includ-
ing forests, grasslands, and deserts; 
(IV) bodies of water, including 
lakes, flood plains, headwaters, and 
wetlands; and 
(V) native soil characteristics of 
composition, 
structure, 
and 
transmissivity. 
SEC. 4. CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE FOR INNOVATIVE 
STORMWATER CONTROL INFRASTRUCTURE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTERS.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall pro-
vide grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible insti-
tutions to establish and maintain not less than 3, 
and not more than 5, centers of excellence for inno-
vative stormwater control infrastructure, to be lo-
cated in various regions throughout the United 
States. 
(2) 
GENERAL
OPERATION.—Each 
center 
shall— 
(A) 
conduct 
research 
on 
innovative 
stormwater control infrastructure that is rel-
evant to the geographical region in which the 
center is located, including stormwater and 
sewer overflow reduction, other approaches to 
water resource enhancement, and other environ-
mental, economic, and social benefits; 
(B) develop manuals and establish industry 
standards on best management practices relat-
ing to State, tribal, local, and commercial inno-
vative stormwater control infrastructure for use 
by State, tribal, and local governments and the 
private sector; 
(C) develop and administer testing and 
evaluation protocols to measure and verify the 
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(G) assist institutions of higher education, 
secondary schools, and vocational schools to de-
velop innovative stormwater control infrastruc-
ture curricula; 
(H) provide training regarding innovative 
stormwater control infrastructure to institutions 
of higher education and professional schools; 
(I) evaluate regulatory and policy issues 
relating to innovative stormwater control infra-
structure; and 
(J) coordinate with the other centers to 
avoid duplication of efforts. 
(b) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, an eligible institution shall prepare and 
submit to the Administrator an application at such a time, 
in such form, and containing such information as the Ad-
ministrator may require. 
(c) NATIONAL ELECTRONIC CLEARINGHOUSE CEN-
TER.—Of the centers established under subsection (a)(1), 
one shall— 
(1) be designated as the ‘‘national electronic 
clearinghouse center’’; and 
(2) in addition to the other functions of that 
center— 
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(A) develop, operate, and maintain an 
Internet website and a public database that 
contain information relating to innovative 
stormwater control infrastructure; and 
(B) post to the website information from 
all centers. 
SEC. 5. INNOVATIVE STORMWATER CONTROL INFRASTRUC-
TURE PROJECT GRANTS. 
(a) GRANT AUTHORITY.—The Administrator shall 
provide grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities 
to carry out innovative stormwater control infrastructure 
projects in accordance with this section. 
(b) INNOVATIVE STORMWATER CONTROL INFRA-
STRUCTURE PROJECTS.— 
(1) PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.— 
The Administrator may make planning and develop-
ment grants under this section for the following 
projects: 
(A) Planning and designing innovative 
stormwater control infrastructure projects, in-
cluding engineering surveys, landscape plans, 
maps, and implementation plans. 
(B) Identifying and developing standards 
and revisions to local zoning, building, or other 
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local codes necessary to accommodate innova-
tive stormwater control infrastructure projects. 
(C) Identifying and developing fee struc-
tures to provide financial support for design, in-
stallation, and operations and maintenance of 
innovative stormwater control infrastructure. 
(D) Developing training and educational 
materials regarding innovative stormwater con-
trol infrastructure for distribution to— 
(i) individuals and entities with appli-
cable technical knowledge; and 
(ii) the public. 
(E) Developing an innovative stormwater 
control infrastructure portfolio standard pro-
gram described in section 6(e). 
(2) IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS.—The Adminis-
trator may make implementation grants under this 
section for the following projects: 
(A) Installing innovative stormwater con-
trol infrastructure. 
(B) Protecting or restoring interconnected 
networks of natural areas that protect water 
quality. 
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(C) Monitoring and evaluating the environ-
mental, economic, or social benefits of innova-
tive stormwater control infrastructure. 
(D) Implementing a best practices stand-
ard for an innovative stormwater control infra-
structure program. 
(E) 
Implementing 
an 
innovative 
stormwater 
control 
infrastructure 
portfolio 
standard program described in section 6(e). 
(c) APPLICATION.—Except as otherwise provided in 
this Act, to be eligible to receive a grant under this section, 
an eligible entity shall prepare and submit to the Adminis-
trator an application at such time, in such form, and con-
taining such information as the Administrator may re-
quire, including, as applicable— 
(1) a description of the innovative stormwater 
control infrastructure project; 
(2) a plan for monitoring the impacts of the in-
novative stormwater control infrastructure project 
on the water quality and quantity; 
(3) an evaluation of other environmental, eco-
nomic, and social benefits of the innovative 
stormwater control infrastructure project; and 
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(4) a plan for the long-term operation and 
maintenance of the innovative stormwater control in-
frastructure project. 
(d) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT
FOR INNOVATIVE 
STORMWATER CONTROL INFRASTRUCTURE PORTFOLIO 
STANDARD PROJECT.—In addition to an application 
under subsection (c), a State or Indian tribe applying for 
a grant for an innovative stormwater control infrastruc-
ture portfolio standard program described in section 6(e) 
shall prepare and submit to the Administrator a schedule 
of increasing minimum percentages of the annual water 
to be managed using innovative stormwater control infra-
structure under the program. 
(e) PRIORITY.—In making grants under this section, 
the Administrator shall give priority to applications sub-
mitted on behalf of— 
(1) a community that— 
(A) has combined storm and sanitary sew-
ers in the collection system of the community; 
or 
(B) is a low-income or disadvantaged com-
munity, as determined by the Administrator; or 
(2) an eligible entity that will use not less than 
10 percent of the grant to provide service to a low- 
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income or disadvantaged community, as determined 
by the Administrator. 
(f) MAXIMUM AMOUNTS.— 
(1) PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.— 
(A) SINGLE GRANT.—The amount of a sin-
gle planning and development grant provided 
under this section shall be not more than 
$200,000. 
(B) 
AGGREGATE
AMOUNT.—The 
total 
amount of all planning and development grants 
provided under this section for a fiscal year 
shall be not more than 1⁄3 of the total amount 
made available to carry out this section. 
(2) IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS.— 
(A) SINGLE GRANT.—The amount of a sin-
gle implementation grant provided under this 
section shall be not more than $3,000,000. 
(B) 
AGGREGATE
AMOUNT.—The 
total 
amount of all implementation grants provided 
under this section for a fiscal year shall be not 
more than 2⁄3 of the total amount made avail-
able to carry out this section. 
(g) FEDERAL SHARE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (3), the Federal share of a grant provided 
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