Water Infrastructure Trust Fund Act of 2016

Bill: 114-hr-4468
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Blumenauer, Earl [D-OR-3]
Introduced: 2016-02-04
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Consumer affairs

Government studies and investigations

Government trust funds

Public utilities and utility rates

User charges and fees

Water quality

Water resources funding

Water use and supply
Latest action: action_date: 2016-02-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H653)

Summaries:
action_date: 2016-02-04
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Water Infrastructure Trust Fund Act of 2016</strong> </p> <p>This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish in the Treasury a Water Infrastructure Investment Trust Fund and appropriates to it amounts equivalent to the fees received in the Treasury before January 1, 2022, under this Act.</p> <p>The bill requires 85% of amounts in the Fund to be available to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for capitalization grants under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act or CWA) and 15% to be available for capitalization grants under the Safe Drinking Water Act.</p> <p>Amounts in the Fund may not be made available for a fiscal year unless the amount of funds appropriated to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund through annual capitalization grants is not less than the average of the annual amounts provided in capitalization grants under the CWA for the immediately preceding five-fiscal-year period.</p> <p>The Department of the Treasury shall: (1) implement a program under which it provides a label suitable for placement on products (for a fee of three cents per unit) to inform consumers that the manufacturer, producer, or importer of the product and other stakeholders participate in the Fund and are contributing to America's clean water; and (2) deposit amounts received in the Treasury.</p> <p>The EPA, with participation by the states, shall conduct a study to: (1) assess the affordability gap faced by low-income populations located in urban and rural areas in obtaining services from clean water and drinking water systems; and (2) analyze options for programs to provide incentives for rate adjustments at the local level to achieve full cost or true value pricing for such services, while protecting low-income ratepayers from undue burden. </p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 4468 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 4, 2016 Mr. Blumenauer (for himself, Mr. Hanna , and Mr. Duncan of Tennessee ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure , and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To establish a Water Infrastructure Investment Trust Fund, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Water Infrastructure Trust Fund Act of 2016 . 2. Establishment and funding of Water Infrastructure Investment Trust Fund (a) Water Infrastructure Investment Trust Fund (1) In general Subchapter A of chapter 98 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to establishment of trust funds) is amended by adding at the end the following new section: 9512. Water Infrastructure Investment Trust Fund (a) Creation of trust fund There is established in the Treasury of the United States a trust fund to be known as the Water Infrastructure Investment Trust Fund , consisting of such amounts as may be appropriated or credited to such fund as provided in this section or section 9602(b). (b) Transfers to trust fund There are hereby appropriated to the Water Infrastructure Investment Trust Fund amounts equivalent to the fees received in the Treasury before January 1, 2022, under section 2(b) of the Water Infrastructure Trust Fund Act of 2016 . (c) Expenditures Except as provided by subsection (d), amounts in the Water Infrastructure Investment Trust Fund shall be available, without further appropriation, as follows: (1) 85 percent of the amounts shall be available to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency for making capitalization grants under section 601 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1377 ). (2) 15 percent of the amounts shall be available to the Administrator for making capitalization grants under section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300j–12 ). (d) Limitation on expenditures Amounts in the Water Infrastructure Investment Trust Fund may not be made available for a fiscal year unless the funds appropriated to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund through annual capitalization grants is not less than the average of the annual amounts provided in capitalization grants under section 601 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1381 ) for the 5-fiscal-year period immediately preceding such fiscal year. . (2) Clerical amendment The table of sections for subchapter A of chapter 98 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new item: Sec. 9512. Water Infrastructure Investment Trust Fund. . (b) Voluntary labeling system (1) In general The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Administrator of the Food and Drug Administration, manufacturers, producers, and importers, shall develop and implement a program under which the Secretary provides a label designed in consultation with manufacturers, producers, and importers suitable for placement on products to inform consumers that the manufacturer, producer, or importer of the product, and other stakeholders, participates in the Water Infrastructure Investment Trust Fund and is contributing to America’s clean water. (2) Fee The Secretary shall provide a label for a fee of three cents per unit. Amounts received by the Secretary shall be deposited in the general fund of the Treasury. (c) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act. 3. EPA study on water pricing (a) Study The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, with participation by the States, shall conduct a study to— (1) assess the affordability gap faced by low-income populations located in urban and rural areas in obtaining services from clean water and drinking water systems; and (2) analyze options for programs to provide incentives for rate adjustments at the local level to achieve full cost or true value pricing for such services, while protecting low-income ratepayers from undue burden. (b) Report Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall transmit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate a report on the results of the study.