Decentralized Wastewater Grant Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.3745 | Sponsor: Rep. Sewell, Terri A. (D-AL)
Policy area: Environmental Protection

Summary:
Decentralized Wastewater Grant Act of 2021
This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a grant program for decentralized wastewater treatment systems in households with certain incomes.

To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to establish a 
    decentralized wastewater grant program, 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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Decentralized Wastewater Grant Act 
of 2021''.

SEC. 2. DECENTRALIZED WASTEWATER GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Title II of the Federal Water Pollution Control 
Act (33 U.S.C. 1281 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``SEC. 222. GRANTS FOR CONSTRUCTION, REPAIR, OR REPLACEMENT OF 
              INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLD DECENTRALIZED WASTEWATER TREATMENT 
              SYSTEMS.

    ``(a) Definition.--In this section, the term `eligible individual' 
means a member of a household, the members of which have a combined 
income (for the most recent 12-month period for which information is 
available) equal to not more than 50 percent of the median 
nonmetropolitan household income for the State in which the household 
is located, according to the most recent decennial census.
    ``(b) Grant Program.--The Administrator shall establish a program 
to provide a grant to a qualified nonprofit organization, as determined 
by the Administrator, to provide a subgrant to an eligible individual--
            ``(1) for the construction, repair, or replacement of an 
        individual household decentralized wastewater treatment system;
            ``(2) if the eligible individual resides in a household 
        that could be cost-effectively connected to an available 
        publicly owned treatment works, for the connection of the 
        household of the eligible individual to the publicly owned 
        treatment works; or
            ``(3) for the installation of a larger decentralized 
        wastewater system designed to provide treatment for 2 or more 
        households in which eligible individuals reside, if--
                    ``(A) site conditions at the households are 
                unsuitable for the installation of an individually 
                owned decentralized wastewater system;
                    ``(B) multiple examples of unsuitable site 
                conditions exist in close geographic proximity to each 
                other; and
                    ``(C) a larger decentralized wastewater system 
                could be cost-effectively installed.
    ``(c) Priority.--In awarding subgrants under this section, a 
qualified nonprofit organization that receives a grant under this 
section shall give priority to--
            ``(1) an eligible individual who does not have access to a 
        functioning sanitary sewage disposal system; and
            ``(2) a group of eligible individuals that do not have 
        access to a functioning sanitary sewage disposal system.
    ``(d) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
section, a qualified nonprofit organization shall submit to the 
Administrator an application at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Administrator may require.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            ``(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
        to the Administrator to carry out this section $50,000,000 for 
        each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.
            ``(2) Limitation on use of funds.--Of the amounts made 
        available for grants under paragraph (1), not more than 2 
        percent may be used to pay the administrative costs of the 
        Administrator.''.
    (b) Water Pollution Control Revolving Loan Funds.--Section 603 of 
the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1383) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (10), by adding ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in paragraph (11)(B), by striking ``; and'' at 
                the end and inserting a period; and
                    (C) by striking paragraph (12); and
            (2) by striking subsection (j).
    (c) No Reporting Requirement.--Section 4107 of the America's Water 
Infrastructure Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-270; 132 Stat. 3877) is 
amended by striking subsection (b).
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