August 12, 2025
Ms. Scholten (for herself, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. Sewell, Ms. Stevens, Mr. Deluzio, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Huffman, and Mr. Lawler) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a program to provide grants to owners and operators of publicly owned treatment works for use complying with requirements regarding the treatment of emerging contaminants, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Public Utility Remediation and Enhancement for Water Act
.
Sec. 2. Grants for treatment of emerging contaminants
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 new section:
228. Emerging contaminants
(a) In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall establish a program under which the Administrator may award grants to an owner or operator of a publicly owned treatment works for use—
(1)
in the planning, design, and construction of treatment works to prevent, limit, or treat the discharge of a perfluoroalkyl substance, a polyfluoroalkyl substance, or any other emerging contaminant, as identified by the Administrator; or
(2)
complying with the requirements of a pretreatment standard or an effluent limitation under this Act that relates to the introduction or discharge of a perfluoroalkyl substance, a polyfluoroalkyl substance, or any other emerging contaminant, as identified by the Administrator.
(b) Cost sharing
(1) Federal share
The Federal share of the cost of activities carried out using grant funds awarded under subsection (a) shall be not less than 75 percent of the total estimated cost of such activities.
(2) Non-Federal share
The applicable non-Federal share of the total estimated cost of such activities may include, in any amount, public and private funds and in-kind services, and may include, notwithstanding section 603(h), financial assistance, including loans, from a State water pollution control revolving fund.
(c) Administrative requirements
(1) In general
An activity carried out using grant funds awarded under subsection (a) shall be carried out subject to the same requirements as a project that receives assistance from a State water pollution control revolving fund under title VI, except to the extent that the Administrator determines that a requirement of title VI is inconsistent with the purposes of this section.
(2) Limitation
For the purposes of this subsection, the Administrator may not determine that a requirement of title VI relating to the application of section 513 or 608 are inconsistent with the purposes of this section.
(d) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator to carry out this section $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2028.