Urban Waters Federal Partnership Act of 2021

II 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 2285 To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Secretary of Agriculture to maintain the Urban Waters Federal Partnership Program, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES JUNE 24, 2021 Ms. SINEMA (for herself and Mr. CORNYN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works A BILL To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protec- tion Agency, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Sec- retary of Agriculture to maintain the Urban Waters Fed- eral Partnership Program, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Urban Waters Federal 4 Partnership Act of 2021’’. 5 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 6 In this Act: 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:27 Jul 09, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2285.IS S2285 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •S 2285 IS (1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis- 1 trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ- 2 mental Protection Agency. 3 (2) MEMBER AGENCIES.—The term ‘‘member 4 agencies’’ means each of— 5 (A) the Environmental Protection Agency; 6 (B) the Department of the Interior; 7 (C) the Department of Agriculture; 8 (D) the Corps of Engineers; 9 (E) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 10 Administration; 11 (F) the Economic Development Adminis- 12 tration; 13 (G) the Department of Housing and Urban 14 Development; 15 (H) the Department of Transportation; 16 (I) the Department of Energy; 17 (J) the Department of Education; 18 (K) the National Institute for Environ- 19 mental Health Sciences; 20 (L) the Community Development Financial 21 Institutions Fund; 22 (M) the Federal Emergency Management 23 Agency; 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:27 Jul 09, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2285.IS S2285 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •S 2285 IS (N) the Corporation for National and 1 Community Service; and 2 (O) such other agencies, departments, and 3 bureaus that elect to participate in the Urban 4 Waters program as the missions, authorities, 5 and appropriated funding of those agencies, de- 6 partments, and bureaus allow. 7 (3) SECRETARIES.—The term ‘‘Secretaries’’ 8 means the Secretary of the Interior and the Sec- 9 retary of Agriculture. 10 (4) URBAN WATERS AMBASSADOR.—The term 11 ‘‘Urban Waters ambassador’’ means a person who— 12 (A) is locally based near the applicable 13 Urban Waters partnership location; and 14 (B) serves in a central coordinating role 15 for the work carried out in the applicable 16 Urban Waters partnership location with respect 17 to the Urban Waters program. 18 (5) URBAN WATERS NONPARTNERSHIP LOCA- 19 TION.—The term ‘‘Urban Waters nonpartnership lo- 20 cation’’ means an urban or municipal site and the 21 associated watershed or waterbody of the site— 22 (A) that receives Federal support for ac- 23 tivities that advance the purpose of the Urban 24 Waters program; but 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:27 Jul 09, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2285.IS S2285 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •S 2285 IS (B)(i) that is not formally designated as an 1 Urban Waters partnership location; and 2 (ii) for which is not maintained— 3 (I) an active partnership with an 4 Urban Waters ambassador; or 5 (II) an Urban Waters partnership lo- 6 cation workplan. 7 (6) URBAN WATERS PARTNERSHIP LOCATION.— 8 The term ‘‘Urban Waters partnership location’’ 9 means an urban or municipal site and the associated 10 watershed or waterbody of the site for which— 11 (A) the Administrator, in collaboration 12 with the heads of the other member agencies, 13 has formally designated as a partnership loca- 14 tion under the Urban Waters program; and 15 (B) an active partnership with an Urban 16 Waters ambassador is maintained. 17 (7) URBAN WATERS PARTNERSHIP LOCATION 18 WORKPLAN.—The term ‘‘Urban Waters partnership 19 location workplan’’ means the plan for projects and 20 actions that is coordinated across an Urban Waters 21 partnership location. 22 (8) URBAN WATERS PROGRAM.—The term 23 ‘‘Urban Waters program’’ means the program estab- 24 lished under section 3(a). 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:27 Jul 09, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2285.IS S2285 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 5 •S 2285 IS SEC. 3. URBAN WATERS FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP PRO- 1 GRAM. 2 (a) AUTHORIZATION.—There is authorized a pro- 3 gram, to be known as the ‘‘Urban Waters Federal Part- 4 nership Program’’, administered by the partnership of the 5 member agencies— 6 (1) to jointly support and execute the goals of 7 the Urban Waters program through the independent 8 authorities and appropriated funding of the member 9 agencies; and 10 (2) to advance the purpose described in sub- 11 section (b) within designated Urban Waters partner- 12 ship locations and other urban and suburban com- 13 munities in the United States. 14 (b) PROGRAM PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Urban 15 Waters program is to reconnect urban communities, par- 16 ticularly urban communities that are overburdened or eco- 17 nomically distressed, with associated waterways by im- 18 proving coordination among Federal agencies. 19 (c) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.— 20 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of 21 appropriations, the Administrator, in coordination 22 with the Secretaries and, as appropriate, the heads 23 of the other member agencies, shall maintain the 24 Urban Waters program in accordance with this sub- 25 section. 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:27 Jul 09, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2285.IS S2285 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 6 •S 2285 IS (2) URBAN WATERS FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP 1 STEERING COMMITTEE.— 2 (A) ESTABLISHMENT.— 3 (i) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator 4 shall establish a steering committee for the 5 Urban Waters program (referred to in this 6 paragraph as the ‘‘steering committee’’). 7 (ii) CHAIR.—The Administrator shall 8 serve as chairperson of the steering com- 9 mittee. 10 (iii) VICE-CHAIRS.—The Secretaries 11 shall serve as vice-chairpersons of the 12 steering committee. 13 (iv) MEMBERSHIP.—In addition to the 14 Administrator and the Secretaries, the 15 members of the steering committee shall be 16 the senior officials (or their designees) 17 from such member agencies as the Admin- 18 istrator shall designate. 19 (B) DUTIES.—The steering committee 20 shall provide general guidance to the member 21 agencies with respect to the Urban Waters pro- 22 gram, including guidance with respect to— 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:27 Jul 09, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2285.IS S2285 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 7 •S 2285 IS (i) the identification of annual priority 1 issues for special emphasis within Urban 2 Waters partnership locations; and 3 (ii) the identification of funding op- 4 portunities, which shall be communicated 5 to all Urban Waters partnership locations. 6 (C) INTERAGENCY FINANCING.—Notwith- 7 standing section 1346 of title 31, United States 8 Code, section 708 of division E of the Consoli- 9 dated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 10 116–260), or any other similar provision of law, 11 member agencies may— 12 (i) provide interagency financing to 13 the steering committee; and 14 (ii) directly transfer such amounts as 15 are necessary to support the activities of 16 the steering committee. 17 (3) AUTHORITY.— 18 (A) PARTNERSHIP LOCATIONS.— 19 (i) PARTNERSHIP LOCATIONS.—The 20 Administrator and the Secretaries shall 21 maintain an active partnership program 22 under the Urban Waters program at each 23 Urban Waters partnership location, includ- 24 ing each Urban Waters partnership loca- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:27 Jul 09, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2285.IS S2285 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 8 •S 2285 IS tion in existence on the date of enactment 1 of this Act, by providing— 2 (I) technical assistance for 3 projects to be carried out within the 4 Urban Waters partnership location; 5 (II) funding for projects to be 6 carried out within the Urban Waters 7 partnership location; 8 (III) funding for an Urban 9 Waters ambassador for the Urban 10 Waters partnership location; and 11 (IV) coordination support with 12 other member agencies with respect to 13 activities carried out at the Urban 14 Waters partnership location. 15 (ii) NEW PARTNERSHIP LOCATIONS.— 16 (I) IN GENERAL.—The Adminis- 17 trator and the Secretaries may, in 18 consultation with the heads of other 19 member agencies, establish new 20 Urban Waters partnership locations. 21 (II) NONPARTNERSHIP LOCA- 22 TIONS.—A community with an Urban 23 Waters nonpartnership location may, 24 at the discretion of the community, 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:27 Jul 09, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2285.IS S2285 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 9 •S 2285 IS seek to have the Urban Waters non- 1 partnership location designated as an 2 Urban Waters partnership location. 3 (B) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.— 4 (i) DEFINITION OF ELIGIBLE ENTI- 5 TY.—In this subparagraph, the term ‘‘eli- 6 gible entity’’ means— 7 (I) a State; 8 (II) a territory or possession of 9 the United States; 10 (III) the District of Columbia; 11 (IV) an Indian Tribe; 12 (V) a unit of local government; 13 (VI) a public or private institu- 14 tion of higher education; 15 (VII) a public or private non- 16 profit institution; 17 (VIII) an intertribal consortium; 18 (IX) an interstate agency; and 19 (X) any other entity determined 20 to be appropriate by the Adminis- 21 trator. 22 (ii) ACTIVITIES.—In carrying out the 23 Urban Waters program, a member agency 24 may— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:27 Jul 09, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2285.IS S2285 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 10 •S 2285 IS (I) encourage, cooperate with, 1 and render technical services to and 2 provide financial assistance to sup- 3 port— 4 (aa) Urban Water ambas- 5 sadors to conduct activities with 6 respect to the applicable Urban 7 Waters partnership location, in- 8 cluding— 9 (AA) convening the ap- 10 propriate Federal and non- 11 Federal partners for the 12 Urban Waters partnership 13 location; 14 (BB) developing and 15 carrying out an Urban 16 Waters partnership location 17 workplan; 18 (CC) leveraging avail- 19 able Federal and non-Fed- 20 eral resources for projects 21 within the Urban Waters 22 partnership location; and 23 (DD) sharing informa- 24 tion and best practices with 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:27 Jul 09, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2285.IS S2285 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 11 •S 2285 IS the Urban Waters Learning 1 Network established under 2 subparagraph (C); and 3 (bb) an eligible entity in car- 4 rying out— 5 (AA) projects at Urban 6 Water partnership locations 7 that provide habitat or 8 water quality improvements, 9 increase river recreation, en- 10 hance community resiliency, 11 install infrastructure, 12 strengthen community en- 13 gagement with and edu- 14 cation with respect to water 15 resources, or support plan- 16 ning, coordination, and exe- 17 cution of projects identified 18 in the applicable Urban 19 Waters partnership location 20 workplan; and 21 (BB) planning, re- 22 search, experiments, dem- 23 onstrations, surveys, studies, 24 monitoring, training, and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:27 Jul 09, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2285.IS S2285 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 12 •S 2285 IS outreach to advance the pur- 1 pose described in subsection 2 (b) within Urban Waters 3 partnership locations and in 4 Urban Waters nonpartner- 5 ship locations; and 6 (II) transfer funds to or enter 7 into interagency agreements with 8 other member agencies as necessary 9 to carry out the Urban Waters pro- 10 gram. 11 (C) URBAN WATERS LEARNING NET- 12 WORK.—The Administrator and the Secretaries 13 shall maintain an Urban Waters Learning Net- 14 work— 15 (i) to share information, resources, 16 and tools between Urban Waters partner- 17 ship locations and with other interested 18 communities; and 19 (ii) to carry out community-based ca- 20 pacity building that advances the goals of 21 the Urban Waters program. 22 (D) WORKPLAN PROGRESS.—Progress in 23 addressing the goals of the Urban Waters part- 24 nership location workplan of an Urban Waters 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:27 Jul 09, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2285.IS S2285 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 13 •S 2285 IS partnership location shall be shared with the 1 Urban Waters program at regular intervals, as 2 determined by the Administrator and the Secre- 3 taries. 4 (d) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—The Administrator 5 and the Secretaries shall annually submit to the appro- 6 priate committees of Congress a report describing the 7 progress in carrying out the Urban Waters program, 8 which shall include— 9 (1) a description of the use of funds under the 10 Urban Waters program; 11 (2) a description of the progress made in car- 12 rying out Urban Waters partnership location 13 workplans; and 14 (3) any additional information that the Admin- 15 istrator and the Secretaries determine to be appro- 16 priate. 17 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 18 (1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 19 appropriated to the Administrator to carry out the 20 Urban Waters program $10,000,000 for each of fis- 21 cal years 2022 through 2026. 22 (2) USE OF FUNDS.—Notwithstanding any 23 other provision of law, activities carried out using 24 amounts made available to the Administrator under 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:27 Jul 09, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2285.IS S2285 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 14 •S 2285 IS paragraph (1) may be used in conjunction with 1 amounts made available from— 2 (A) other member agencies; and 3 (B) non-Federal entities that participate in 4 the Urban Waters program. 5 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:27 Jul 09, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S2285.IS S2285 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS