2000
[DOCID: f:h1178ih.txt]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1178
To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to provide grants to small public
drinking water systems.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 22, 2001
Mr. Gibbons (for himself and Mr. Udall of New Mexico) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to provide grants to small public
drinking water systems.
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 ``Small Community Drinking Water
Funding Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) in some cases, drinking water standards in effect and
proposed as of the date of enactment of this Act can place
large financial burdens on public water systems, especially
systems that serve fewer than a few thousand people;
(2) some small public water systems have experienced water
contamination problems that may pose a significant risk to the
health of water consumers;
(3) small communities are concerned about improving
drinking water quality;
(4) the limited scientific, technical, and professional
resources of many small communities make understanding and
implementing regulatory requirements very difficult;
(5) small communities often struggle to meet water quality
standards because of difficulty in securing funding;
(6) small communities often lack a tax base or
opportunities to benefit from economics of scale and therefore
face very high per capita costs in improving drinking water
quality;
(7) the smallest public water systems, which serve fewer
than 3,300 people, represent 85 percent of all public water
systems;
(8) small public water systems serving fewer than 10,000
people represent 94 percent of all public water systems;
(9) small communities would benefit from a grant program
designed to provide funding for water quality projects without
a substantial matching requirement; and
(10) Federal programs in effect as of the date of enactment
of this Act do not adequately meet the needs of small
communities with respect to public water systems.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to establish a program to
provide grants to small public water systems to--
(1) meet applicable national primary drinking water
regulations under the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f
et seq.);
(2) maintain water costs at a reasonable level for the
communities served by small public water systems; and
(3) obtain technical assistance to develop the capacity to
sustain operations over the long term.
SEC. 3. SMALL PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
(a) Definition of Indian Tribe.--Section 1401(14) of the Safe
Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f(14)) is amended in the second
sentence by striking ``1452,'' and inserting ``1452 and part G,''.
(b) Establishment of Program.--The Safe Drinking Water Act (42
U.S.C. 300f et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``PART G--SMALL PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM ASSISTANCE
``SEC. 1471. DEFINITIONS.
``In this part:
``(1) Eligible activity.--
``(A) In general.--The term `eligible activity'
means an activity concerning a small public water
system (including obtaining technical assistance) that
is carried out by an eligible entity for a purpose
consistent with section 1473(c)(1) or 1474(c)(1), as
appropriate.
``(B) Exclusion.--The term `eligible activity' does
not include any activity to increase the population
served by a small public water system, except to the
extent that the State under section 1473(b)(1) or the
Administrator under section 1474(b)(1) determines an
activity to be necessary to--
``(i) achieve compliance with a national
primary drinking water regulation; and
``(ii) provide a water supply to a
population that, as of the date of enactment of
this part, is not served by a safe public water
system.
``(2) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means a
small public water system that--
``(A) is located in a State or an area governed by
an Indian Tribe; and
``(B)(i) if located in a State, serves a community
that, under affordability criteria established by the
State under section 1452(d)(3), is determined by the
State to be--
``(I) a disadvantaged community; or
``(II) a community the State expects to
become a disadvantaged community as a result of
carrying out an eligible activity; or
``(ii) if located in an area governed by an Indian
Tribe, serves a community that is determined by the
Administrator, under criteria published by the
Administrator under section 1452(d)(3) and in
consultation with the Secretary, to be--
``(I) a disadvantaged community; or
``(II) a community the Administrator
expects to become a disadvantaged community as
a result of carrying out an eligible activity.
``(3) Eligible state.--The term `eligible State' means a
State that has--
``(A) adopted, and is implementing, an approved
operator certification program under section 1419; and
``(B) established affordability criteria under
section 1452(d)(3) for use in identifying disadvantaged
communities.
``(4) Program.--The term `Program' means the Small Public
Water System Assistance Program established under section
1472(a).
``(5) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary
of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of
the Indian Health Service.
``(6) Small public water system.--The term `small public
water system' means a public water system (including a
community water system and a noncommunity water system) that
serves a population of 10,000 or fewer.
``SEC. 1472. SMALL PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
``(a) Establishment.--Not later than July 1, 2002, the
Administrator shall establish within the Environmental Protection
Agency a Small Public Water System Assistance Program.
``(b) Duties.--The head of the Program shall--
``(1) in accordance with section 1474, establish and
administer a small public water system assistance program for,
and provide grants to, eligible entities located in areas
governed by Indian Tribes, for use in carrying out eligible
activities;
``(2) identify, and prepare annual prioritized lists of,
activities for eligible entities located in areas governed by
Indian Tribes that are eligible
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for grants under section 1474;
``(3) provide funds to States for use in establishing small
public water system assistance programs under section 1473 that
award grants to eligible entities to carry out eligible
activities; and
``(4) prepare, and submit to the Administrator, the reports
required under subsection (d).
``(c) Allocation of Funds.--
``(1) States.--
``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraphs (B)
through (D) and paragraph (2)(A), for each fiscal year,
the Administrator, through the head of the Program,
using the most recent available needs survey conducted
by the Administrator under section 1452(h), shall
allocate the funds made available to carry out the
Program for the fiscal year among eligible States based
on the ratio that--
``(i) the financial need associated with
treatment projects for small public water
systems in the State; bears to
``(ii) the total financial need associated
with treatment projects for all small public
water systems in all States.
``(B) Additional requirements.--Any additional
financial needs of small public water systems
associated with the cost of treatment projects needed
to comply with a national primary drinking water
regulation (including a regulation concerning arsenic)
that is promulgated after the most recent needs survey
conducted under section 1452(h) shall be factored into
the determination of financial need under clauses (i)
and (ii) of subparagraph (A) for each fiscal year.
``(C) Minimum allocation.--An allocation of funds
to a State for a fiscal year under subparagraph (A),
taking into consideration any additional financial
needs described in subparagraph (B), shall be in an
amount that is at least 1 percent of the amount of
funds available for that fiscal year.
``(D) Redistribution if nonuse.--If a State does
not qualify for, or fails to request, funds allocated
to the State under subparagraph (A) in any fiscal year,
the Administrator shall redistribute the funds among
the States that--
``(i) request funds for that fiscal year;
and
``(ii) are eligible to receive the funds
under subparagraph (A) for that fiscal year.
``(2) Indian tribes.--
``(A) In general.--For each fiscal year, in
accordance with subparagraph (B), 3 percent of the
total amount of funds made available to carry out the
Program for the fiscal year shall be allocated by the
Administrator to provide grants to eligible entities
that are located in areas governed by Indian Tribes
through the program established under section 1474(a).
``(B) Use of funds.--
``(i) In general.--For each fiscal year,
the Administrator shall award not less than 1.5
percent of the funds allocated under
subparagraph (A) to nonprofit technical
assistance organizations, to be used for the
purposes of--
``(I) assisting the Administrator
in preparing the list required under
section 1474(b) (including assisting
the Administrator in identifying the
highest priority eligible activities
for eligible entities located in areas
governed by Indian Tribes for which a
grant under section 1474 may be used);
``(II) assisting eligible entities
located in areas governed by Indian
Tribes in--
``(aa) assessing needs
relating to eligible
activities; and
``(bb) identifying
available sources of funding to
meet the cost-sharing
requirement of section 1474(f)(1); and
``(III) assisting eligible entities
located in areas governed by Indian
Tribes that receive funding under
section 1474 in--
``(aa) planning,
implementing, and maintaining
eligible activities that are
funded under that section; and
``(bb) preparing reports
required under section 1474(h).
``(ii) Consultation.--Each nonprofit
technical assistance organization that receives
funds under clause (i) shall consult with the
Administrator, through the head of the program,
before carrying out any activity for the
purposes described in subclauses (II)(aa) and
(III)(aa) of that clause.
``(iii) No funds for lobbying expenses.--
None of the funds made available to a nonprofit
technical assistance organization under clause
(i) shall be used to pay lobbying expenses.
``(3) Program.--For each fiscal year, the Administrator may
use not more than 0.1 percent of the funds made available to
carry out the Program to pay reasonable costs incurred in the
administration of the Program.
``(d) Reports.--Not later than January 1, 2003, and annually
thereafter through January 1, 2007, the Administrator shall--
``(1) submit, to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment
and Public Works of the Senate, a report that, for the
preceding fiscal year--
``(A) lists the eligible activities for eligible
entities, as prepared under sections 1473(b)(1) and
1474(b)(1), located in areas governed by Indian Tribes
and in each State receiving funds under this part;
``(B) identifies the number of grants awarded by
each State, and by the Administrator to eligible
entities located in areas governed by Indian Tribes,
under this part;
``(C) identifies each eligible entity that received
a grant to carry out an eligible activity;
``(D) identifies the amount of each grant provided
to an eligible entity to carry out an eligible
activity; and
``(E) describes each eligible activity funded by
such a grant (including the status of the eligible
activity); and
``(2) make the report under paragraph (1) available to the
public.
``SEC. 1473. STATE SMALL PU
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BLIC WATER SYSTEM ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.
``(a) In General.--To be eligible to receive funding under this
part, a State shall--
``(1) be an eligible State;
``(2) not later than July 1, 2002 (if funding is sought for
fiscal year 2002) or not later than September 30 of any of
fiscal years 2002 through 2005 (if funding is sought for the
following fiscal year), establish a small public water system
assistance program--
``(A) under which the requirements of subsection
(b), oversight, and related activities (other than
financial administration) with respect to the program
are administered--
``(i) in the case of a State that is
exercising primary enforcement responsibility
for public water systems, by the State agency
having primary responsibility for
administration of the State program under
section 1413; and
``(ii) in the case of a State that is not
exercising primary enforcement authority for
public water systems, by a State agency
selected by the Governor of the State; and
``(B) that meets the requirements of this section;
and
``(3) for each fiscal year for which funding is sought
under this section--
``(A) in preparing an intended use plan under
section 1452(b), after providing for public review and
comment, prepare an annual list of eligible activities
for eligible entities in the State in accordance with
subsection (b); and
``(B) prepare and submit to the Administrator a
request for the funding, by such date and in such form
as the Administrator shall prescribe.
``(b) Program Priority Requirement.--
``(1) List of eligible activities.--A small public water
system assistance program established under subsection (a)
shall, for each fiscal year for which funding is sought,
identify, and, using the priority criteria described in
paragraph (2) and considering the additional criteria described
in paragraph (3), list in descending order of priority,
eligible activities for eligible entities in the State for
which funds provided from a grant under this part may be used.
``(2) Priority criteria.--In preparing the list under
paragraph (1), a small public water system assistance program
shall give priority for the use of grants to eligible
activities that--
``(A) address the most serious risk to human
health;
``(B) are necessary to ensure compliance with
national primary water regulations applicable to
eligible entities under section 1412; and
``(C) assist systems most in need, as calculated on
the basis of median household income, under
affordability criteria established by the State under
section 1452(d)(3).
``(3) Additional criteria.--In addition to the priority
criteria described in paragraph (2), a small public water
system assistance program shall, in preparing a list under
paragraph (1), consider giving additional priority to any listed
eligible activities that are to be carried out by communities that form
management cooperatives (including management cooperatives between
systems that do not have connections).
``(c) Use of Funds.--Using any funds received by a State under this
section for a fiscal year, in accordance with the list prepared under
subsection (b), a small public water system assistance program
established by the State under subsection (a)--
``(1) shall provide to an eligible entity, on a cost-shared
basis, a grant to be used for an eligible activity (including
source water protection) the purpose of which is compliance
with national primary drinking water regulations applicable to
the eligible entity under section 1412;
``(2) shall--
``(A) award not less than 1.5 percent of the funds
to nonprofit technical assistance organizations to be
used for the purposes of--
``(i) assisting the State in preparing the
list required under subsection (b) (including
assisting the State in identifying the highest
priority eligible activities for eligible
entities located in the State for which a grant
under this section may be used); and
``(ii) assisting eligible entities in--
``(I) assessing needs relating to
eligible activities;
``(II) identifying available
sources of funding to meet the cost-
sharing requirement of subsection (f);
and
``(III) planning, implementing, and
maintaining any eligible activities of
the eligible entities that receive
funding under this section;
``(B) require each nonprofit technical assistance
organization that receives funds under subparagraph (A)
to consult with the State, through the head of the
small public water assistance program, before carrying
out any activity for the purposes described in
subclauses (I) and (III) of subparagraph (A)(ii); and
``(C) require that none of the funds made available
to a nonprofit technical assistance organization under
subparagraph (A) be used to pay lobbying expenses; and
``(3) may use not to exceed 1 percent of the funds
allocated to the State to pay reasonable costs incurred in the
administration of the small public water system assistance
program.
``(d) Limitation on Use of Funds.--For each fiscal year, not more
than 5 percent of the funds received by an eligible entity under this
section may be used to obtain technical assistance in planning,
implementing, and maintaining eligible activities that are funded under
this section.
``(e) Limitation on Receipt of Funds.--
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), a
grant under this section shall not be provided to an eligible
entity that, as determined by the State--
``(A) does not have the technical, managerial, and
financial capability to ensure compliance with national
primary drinking water regulations applicable to the
eligible entity under section 1412; or
``(B) is in significant noncompliance with any
applicable national primary drinking water regulation.
``(2) Exception for receipt of grant.--An eligible entity
described in paragraph (1) may receive a grant under this
section only--
``(A) if the State determines that use of the grant
will ensure compliance with national primary drinking
water regulations applicable to the eligible entity
under section 1412;
``(B)(i) to restructure or consolidate the facility
to achieve compliance with applicable national primary
drinking water regulations; or
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``(ii) in a case in which restructuring or
consolidation of the facility is not practicable, if
the State determines that--
``(I) the eligible entity has made a good
faith effort to achieve compliance with
applicable national primary drinking water
regulations; and
``(II) the eligible entity is adhering to
an enforceable schedule for achieving those
regulations; and
``(C) in a case in which paragraph (1)(A) applies
to an eligible entity, and the eligible entity agrees
to undertake feasible and appropriate changes in
operations (including changes in ownership, management,
accounting, rates, maintenance, consolidation,
provision of an alternative water supply, or other procedures), if the
State determines that the measures are necessary to ensure that the
eligible entity has the technical, managerial, and financial capability
to comply with applicable national primary drinking water regulations
over the long term.
``(3) Review.--Before providing assistance under this
section to an eligible entity that is in significant
noncompliance with any national primary drinking water
regulation applicable to the eligible entity under section
1412, the State shall conduct a review to determine whether
paragraph (1)(A) applies to the entity.
``(f) Cost Sharing.--
``(1) In general.--
``(A) Limit.--Except as provided in paragraph (2),
the share of the total cost of an eligible activity
funded by a grant under this section shall not exceed
80 percent.
``(B) Use of other federal funds.--To pay the
portion of an eligible activity that may not be funded
by a grant under this section, an eligible entity may
use Federal financial assistance other than assistance
received under this section.
``(2) Waiver of cost-sharing requirement.--
``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), a
State may waive the requirement of an eligible entity
to pay all or a portion of the share of an eligible
activity that may not be funded by a grant under this
section, based on a determination by the State that the
eligible entity is unable to pay any or all of the
share.
``(B) Limitation.--For each fiscal year in which a
State receives funding under this section, the total
amount of cost-share waivers provided by the State
under subparagraph (A) shall not exceed 30 percent of
the amount of funding received by the State for the
fiscal year under section 1472(c)(1).
``(g) Unobligated Funds.--Any funds not obligated by the State for
a purpose consistent with subsection (c) within 1 year after the date
of the allocation of the funds by the Administrator under section
1472(c) shall be returned to the Administrator for reallocation under
that section.
``(h) Reports.--Not later than November 1 following each fiscal
year in which a State receives funding under this section, the State
shall--
``(1) submit to the Administrator a report that, for the
preceding fiscal year--
``(A) lists the eligible activities for eligible
entities, as prepared under subsection (b);
``(B) identifies the number of grants awarded by
the State small public water system assistance program
to eligible entities;
``(C) identifies each eligible entity that received
a grant to carry out an eligible activity;
``(D) identifies the amount of each grant provided
to an eligible entity to carry out an eligible
activity; and
``(E) describes each eligible activity funded by
such grants (including the status of the eligible
activity); and
``(2) make the report under paragraph (1) available to the
public.
``SEC. 1474. SMALL PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR INDIAN
TRIBES.
``(a) Establishment.--Not later than July 1, 2002, the
Administrator shall establish a small public water system assistance
program for Indian Tribes, through which eligible entities located in
areas governed by the Indian Tribe may receive grants for eligible
activities under this part.
``(b) Program Priority Requirement.--
``(1) List of eligible activities.--
``(A) In general.--The Administrator, acting
through the head of the small public water system
assistance program for Indian Tribes, in consultation
with the Secretary, shall, for each fiscal year,
identify, and, using the priority criteria described in
paragraph (2) and considering the additional criteria
described in paragraph (3), list in descending order of
priority, eligible activities for eligible entities
located in areas governed by Indian Tribes for which
funds provided from a grant under this part may be
used.
``(B) Coordination.--
``(i) In general.--To the maximum extent
practicable, the Administrator shall ensure
that the list under subparagraph (A) is
coordinated with any needs assessment conducted
under section 1452(i)(4).
``(ii) Additional consideration.--Any
additional financial needs of small public
water systems located in areas governed by Indian Tribes that are
associated with the cost of complying with a national primary drinking
water regulation (including a regulation concerning arsenic) that is
promulgated after the most recent needs survey conducted under section
1452(i)(4) shall be factored into the determination of financial need
for, and prioritization of, eligible activities under this section.
``(2) Priority criteria.--In preparing the list under
paragraph (1), the Administrator shall give priority for the
use of grants to eligible activities that--
``(A) address the most serious risk to human
health;
``(B) are necessary to ensure compliance with
national primary water regulations applicable to
eligible entities under section 1412; and
``(C) assist systems most in need, as calculated on
the basis of median household income, under
affordability criteria published by the Administrator
under section 1452(d)(3).
``(3) Additional criteria.--In addition to the priority
criteria described in paragraph (2), the Administrator shall,
in preparing a list under paragraph (1), consider giving
additional priority to any listed eligible activities that are
to be carried out by communities that form management
cooperatives (including management cooperatives between systems
that do not have connections).
``(c) Use of Funds.--
``(1) In general.--Using funds allocated under section
1472(c)(2)(A), the small public water system assistance program
established under subsection (a) shall provide to an eligible
entity located in an area governed by an Indian Tribe, on a
cost-shared basis, a
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grant to be used for an eligible activity
(including source water protection) the purpose of which is
compliance with national primary drinking water regulations
applicable to the eligible entity under section 1412.
``(2) Allocation of grant funding.--For each fiscal year,
taking into consideration the funding allocation under section
1472(c)(2)(A) for the fiscal year, the head of the small public
water assistance program established under subsection (a), in
consultation with the Secretary, shall provide grants under
paragraph (1) for the maximum number of eligible activities for
which the funding allocation makes assistance available, based
on the priority assigned by the Administrator to eligible
activities under subsection (b).
``(d) Limitation on Use of Funds.--For each fiscal year, not more
than 5 percent of the funds received by an eligible entity under this
section may be used to obtain technical assistance in planning,
implementing, and maintaining eligible activities that are funded under
this section.
``(e) Limitation on Receipt of Funds.--
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), a
grant under this section shall not be provided to an eligible
entity that, as determined by the Administrator--
``(A) does not have the technical, managerial, and
financial capability to ensure compliance with national
primary drinking water regulations applicable to the
eligible entity under section 1412; or
``(B) is in significant noncompliance with any
applicable national primary drinking water regulation.
``(2) Exception for receipt of grant.--An eligible entity
described in paragraph (1) may receive a grant under this
section only--
``(A) if the Administrator determines that use of
the grant will ensure compliance with national primary
drinking water regulations applicable to the eligible
entity under section 1412;
``(B)(i) to restructure or consolidate the facility
to achieve compliance with applicable national primary
drinking water regulations; or
``(ii) in a case in which restructuring or
consolidation of the facility is not practicable, if
the Administrator determines that--
``(I) the eligible entity has made a good
faith effort to achieve compliance with
applicable national primary drinking water
regulations; and
``(II) the eligible entity is adhering to
an enforceable schedule for achieving those
regulations; and
``(C) in a case in which paragraph (1)(A) applies
to an eligible entity, and the eligible entity agrees
to undertake feasible and appropriate changes in
operations (including changes in ownership, management,
accounting, rates, maintenance, consolidation,
provision of an alternative water supply, or other procedures), if the
Administrator determines that the measures are necessary to ensure that
the eligible entity has the technical, managerial, and financial
capability to comply with applicable national primary drinking water
regulations over the long term.
``(3) Review.--Before providing assistance under this
section to an eligible entity that is in significant
noncompliance with any national primary drinking water
regulation applicable to the eligible entity under section
1412, the Administrator shall conduct a review to determine
whether paragraph (1)(A) applies to the entity.
``(f) Cost Sharing.--
``(1) In general.--
``(A) Limit.--Except as provided in paragraph (2),
the share of the total cost of an eligible activity
funded by a grant under this section shall not exceed
80 percent.
``(B) Use of other federal funds.--To pay the
portion of an eligible activity that may not be funded
by a grant under this section, an eligible entity may
use Federal financial assistance other than assistance
received under this section.
``(2) Waiver of cost-sharing requirement.--
``(A) In general.--The Administrator may waive the
requirement of an eligible entity to pay all or a
portion of the share of eligible activity that may not
be funded by a grant under this section based on a
determination by the Administrator that the eligible
entity is unable to pay any or all of the share.
``(B) Limitation.--For each fiscal year, the total
amount of cost-share waivers provided by the
Administrator under subparagraph (A) shall not exceed
30 percent of the amount of funding allocated to
eligible entities located in areas governed by Indian
Tribes for the fiscal year under section 1472(c)(2)(A).
``(g) Unobligated Funds.--Any funds not obligated by the small
public water system assistance program established under subsection (a)
for a purpose consistent with section 1472(c)(2)(B) and subsection (c)
within 1 year after the date of allocation of the funds by the
Administrator under section 1472(c)(2)(A) shall be returned to the
Administrator for reallocation under that section.
``(h) Reports.--Not later than November 1 following each fiscal
year in which an Indian Tribe receives funding under this section, the
Indian Tribe shall submit to the Administrator a report that, for the
preceding fiscal year--
``(1) identifies the number of grants awarded to eligible
entities located in areas governed by the Indian Tribe;
``(2) identifies each such eligible entity that received a
grant to carry out an eligible activity;
``(3) identifies the amount of each grant provided to such
an eligible entity to carry out an eligible activity; and
``(4) describes each eligible activity funded by such
grants (including the status of the eligible activity).
``SEC. 1475. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part
$750,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2006.''.
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