Western Tribal Water Infrastructure Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-421
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2021-02-24
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Indian lands and resources rights

Indian social and development programs

Minority health

Oregon

Washington State

Water quality

Water resources funding

Water use and supply
Latest action: action_date: 2021-04-28
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 51.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-02-24
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Western Tribal Water Infrastructure Act of 2021</b></p> <p>This bill reauthorizes through FY2024, and expands, the Indian Reservation Drinking Water Program.</p> <p>Specifically, the bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency to connect, expand, or repair existing public water systems that are on Indian reservations or off-reservation sites that serve tribes in the Columbia River Basin or its adjacent coastal river basins. Currently, only projects that are on Indian reservations in the Upper Missouri River Basin or the Upper Rio Grande Basin are eligible for the program.</p>

action_date: 2021-04-28
action_desc: Reported to Senate
text: <p><b>Western Tribal Water Infrastructure Act of 2021</b></p> <p>This bill reauthorizes through FY2024, and expands, the Indian Reservation Drinking Water Program.</p> <p>Specifically, the bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency to connect, expand, or repair existing public water systems that are on Indian reservations or off-reservation sites that serve tribes in the Columbia River Basin or its adjacent coastal river basins. Currently, only projects that are on Indian reservations in the Upper Missouri River Basin or the Upper Rio Grande Basin are eligible for the program.</p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 421 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 24, 2021 Mr. Wyden (for himself and Mr. Merkley ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs A BILL To amend the America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 to expand the Indian reservation drinking water program, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Western Tribal Water Infrastructure Act of 2021 . 2. Indian Reservation Drinking Water Program Section 2001 of the America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (42 U.S.C. 300j–3c note; Public Law 115–270 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Administrator and inserting The Administrator ; (B) in paragraph (1), by striking and at the end; (C) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (D) by adding at the end the following: (3) 10 eligible projects described in subsection (b) that are within— (A) the Columbia River Basin; or (B) a coastal basin adjacent to the Columbia River. ; (2) in subsection (b)(1)— (A) by striking is on a reservation and inserting the following: is on— (A) a reservation ; (B) in subparagraph (A) (as so designated), by striking and at the end and inserting or ; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (B) an off-reservation site that serves an Indian Tribe described in subsection (c)(2)(B); and ; (3) in subsection (c)— (A) by striking the subsection designation and heading and all that follows through In carrying out and inserting the following: (c) Requirements (1) Upper Missouri River Basin In carrying out ; and (B) by adding at the end the following: (2) Columbia River Basin In carrying out the program under subsection (a)(3), the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall— (A) give priority to projects that respond to emergency situations where a lack of access to clean drinking water threatens the health of Tribal populations; (B) select not fewer than 1 eligible project that serves 1 or more Tribal communities of federally recognized Indian Tribes the Federal recognition of which has been terminated and subsequently restored; and (C) ensure that not fewer than 1 eligible project under that subsection is carried out in— (i) the area described in subparagraph (A) of that subsection; and (ii) an area described in subparagraph (B) of that subsection. ; (4) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); (5) by inserting after subsection (c) the following: (d) Federal share The Federal share of a project carried out under this section shall be 100 percent. ; and (6) in subsection (e) (as so redesignated), by striking $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2022 and inserting $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2024 .

tv_txt: II Calendar No. 51 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 421 [Report No. 117–17] IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 24, 2021 Mr. Wyden (for himself and Mr. Merkley ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs April 28, 2021 Reported by Mr. Schatz , without amendment A BILL To amend the America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 to expand the Indian reservation drinking water program, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Western Tribal Water Infrastructure Act of 2021 . 2. Indian Reservation Drinking Water Program Section 2001 of the America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (42 U.S.C. 300j–3c note; Public Law 115–270 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Administrator and inserting The Administrator ; (B) in paragraph (1), by striking and at the end; (C) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (D) by adding at the end the following: (3) 10 eligible projects described in subsection (b) that are within— (A) the Columbia River Basin; or (B) a coastal basin adjacent to the Columbia River. ; (2) in subsection (b)(1)— (A) by striking is on a reservation and inserting the following: is on— (A) a reservation ; (B) in subparagraph (A) (as so designated), by striking and at the end and inserting or ; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (B) an off-reservation site that serves an Indian Tribe described in subsection (c)(2)(B); and ; (3) in subsection (c)— (A) by striking the subsection designation and heading and all that follows through In carrying out and inserting the following: (c) Requirements (1) Upper Missouri River Basin In carrying out ; and (B) by adding at the end the following: (2) Columbia River Basin In carrying out the program under subsection (a)(3), the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall— (A) give priority to projects that respond to emergency situations where a lack of access to clean drinking water threatens the health of Tribal populations; (B) select not fewer than 1 eligible project that serves 1 or more Tribal communities of federally recognized Indian Tribes the Federal recognition of which has been terminated and subsequently restored; and (C) ensure that not fewer than 1 eligible project under that subsection is carried out in— (i) the area described in subparagraph (A) of that subsection; and (ii) an area described in subparagraph (B) of that subsection. ; (4) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); (5) by inserting after subsection (c) the following: (d) Federal share The Federal share of a project carried out under this section shall be 100 percent. ; and (6) in subsection (e) (as so redesignated), by striking $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2022 and inserting $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2024 .

April 28, 2021 Reported without amendment