1197 
(A) targets easily or commonly recycled 
materials which are disproportionately disposed 
of in landfills or incinerated; 
(B) addresses the reduction of the volume, 
weight, or toxicity of waste and waste byprod-
ucts; and 
(C) does not conflict with— 
(i) minimum-content laws, such as 
post-consumer recycled content require-
ments; 
(ii) beverage container deposits; 
(iii) programs funded through retail 
fees for specific products or classes of 
products that use such fees to collect, 
treat, or recycle such products; or 
(iv) any applicable recycled product 
procurement laws and expanded sustain-
able government purchasing requirements, 
as identified by the Administrator. 
SEC. 12802. GRANT AWARDS. 
(a) APPLICATION.— 
(1) CRITERIA FOR ALL APPLICANTS.—To be eli-
gible to receive a grant under this subtitle, an eligi-
ble entity shall submit to the Administrator an ap-
plication at such time and in such form as the Ad-
1198 
ministrator requires, demonstrating that the eligible 
entity— 
(A) has set specific source reduction or 
waste prevention targets; 
(B) will carry out such project in commu-
nities that are in the 80th percentile or higher 
for one or more pollutants as noted in the 
EJSCREEN tool, or any successor system, of 
the Environmental Protection Agency; and 
(C) will carry out a project that meets the 
applicable project requirements under section 
12701(b). 
(2) ADDITIONAL
APPLICATION
CRITERIA
FOR 
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.—In the case of an ap-
plication from an eligible entity that is a nonprofit 
organization, the application shall include a letter of 
support for the proposed project— 
(A) from— 
(i) a local unit of government; or— 
(ii) a nonprofit organization that— 
(I) has a demonstrated history of 
undertaking work in the geographic 
region where the proposed project is 
to take place; and
1199 
(II) is not involved in the project 
being proposed; and 
(B) containing such information as the Ad-
ministrator may require. 
(b) PRIORITY FACTORS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In awarding grants under 
this subtitle, the Administrator shall give priority to 
eligible entities that— 
(A) have statutorily committed to imple-
menting zero-waste practices; 
(B) demonstrate how the project to be car-
ried out with grant funds could lead to the cre-
ation of new jobs that pay a living wage, with 
preference for projects that create jobs for indi-
viduals with barriers to employment, as deter-
mined by the Administrator; 
(C) will use grant funds for source reduc-
tion or waste prevention in schools; 
(D) will use grant funds to employ adapt-
ive management practices to identify, prevent, 
or address any negative environmental con-
sequences of the proposed project; 
(E) have a demonstrated need for addi-
tional investment in infrastructure and projects 
to achieve source reduction and waste preven-
1200 
tion targets set by the local unit of government 
that is responsible for waste and recycling 
projects in the geographic area; 
(F) will use grant funds to develop innova-
tive or new technologies and strategies for 
source reduction and waste prevention; 
(G) demonstrate how receiving the grant 
will encourage further investment in source re-
duction and waste prevention projects; or 
(H) will incorporate multi-stakeholder in-
volvement, including nonprofit, commercial, and 
public sector partners, in carrying out a project 
using grant funds. 
(2) ZERO-WASTE HIERARCHY.—In determining 
priority between multiple eligible entities who qualify 
for priority under paragraph (1), the Administrator 
shall grant first priority to an eligible entity that can 
demonstrate how the zero-waste hierarchy was con-
sidered with respect to the project to be carried out 
with grant funds. 
SEC. 12803. REPORTING. 
An eligible entity receiving a grant under this subtitle 
shall report to the Administrator, at such time and in such 
form as the Administrator may require, on the results of 
the project carried out with grant funds and any relevant
1201 
data requested by the Administrator to track the effective-
ness of the program established under section 12701(a). 
SEC. 12804. ANNUAL CONFERENCE. 
In each of calendar years 2022 through 2027, the 
Administrator shall convene an annual conference for eli-
gible entities, including eligible entities that have received 
a grant under this subtitle, and other stakeholders as iden-
tified by the Administrator, to provide an opportunity for 
such eligible entities and stakeholders to share experience 
and expertise in implementing zero-waste practices. 
SEC. 12805. DEFINITIONS. 
In this subtitle: 
(1) ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.—The 
term ‘‘adaptive management practices’’ means, with 
respect to a project, the integration of project de-
sign, management, and monitoring to identify 
project impacts and outcomes as they arise and ad-
just behaviors to improve outcomes. 
(2) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency. 
(3) DOMESTICALLY-OWNED AND OPERATED.— 
The term ‘‘domestically-owned and operated’’ means, 
with respect to a business, a business with—
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(A) headquarters located within the United 
States; and 
(B) primary operations carried out in the 
United States. 
(4) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means— 
(A) a single unit of State, local, or Tribal 
government; 
(B) a consortium of multiple units of 
State, local, or Tribal government; 
(C) one or more units of State, local, or 
Tribal government in coordination with for- 
profit or nonprofit organizations; or 
(D) one or more incorporated nonprofit or-
ganizations. 
(5) EMBODIED ENERGY.—The term ‘‘embodied 
energy’’ means energy that was used to create a 
product or material. 
(6) LIVING
WAGE.—The term ‘‘living wage’’ 
means the minimum income necessary to allow a 
person working 40 hours per week to afford the cost 
of housing, food, and other material necessities. 
(7) 
ORGANICS
RECYCLING.—The 
term 
‘‘organics recycling’’ means the biological processes