summary
Introduced
04/13/2015
04/13/2015
In Committee
04/13/2015
04/13/2015
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
01/03/2017
01/03/2017
Introduced Session
114th Congress
Bill Summary
Innovative Stormwater Infrastructure Act of 2015 This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide grants to eligible higher education institutions and research institutions to establish and maintain between three and five centers of excellence for innovative stormwater control infrastructure, which is any stormwater management technique that: (1) uses natural systems or engineered systems that mimic natural processes to infiltrate, evapotranspire, or capture stormwater; and (2) preserves, enhances, or mimics natural hydrology to protect or restore water quality. One of the centers must be the national electronic clearinghouse center and operate a website and a public database on the infrastructure. The EPA must: (1) provide grants to eligible entities that manage stormwater, water resources, or wastewater resources to carry out innovative stormwater control infrastructure projects; and (2) give priority to applications from a community that has combined storm and sanitary sewers in its collection system or is low-income or disadvantaged, or from an eligible entity that will use at least 10% of the grant for a low-income or disadvantaged community. The EPA must ensure that: (1) EPA's Office of Water, Office of Enforcement and Compliance, Office of Research and Development, and Office of Policy promote the use of the infrastructure in, and coordinate its integration into, permitting programs, planning efforts, research, technical assistance, and funding guidance; and (2) the Office of Water supports establishing innovative financing mechanisms in the implementation of the infrastructure. The EPA must: (1) direct each EPA regional office to promote and integrate the use of the infrastructure within the region, and (2) promote sharing information about the infrastructure approaches. The EPA must establish the innovative stormwater control infrastructure portfolio standard of voluntary, measurable goals to increase the percentage of annual water managed by entities that use the infrastructure.
AI Summary
This bill, the Innovative Stormwater Infrastructure Act of 2015, aims to improve water quality and management by promoting the use of "innovative stormwater control infrastructure," which refers to techniques that use natural systems or engineered systems mimicking natural processes to manage stormwater, such as infiltration, evapotranspiration, or capture, to protect or restore water quality. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is tasked with providing grants to eligible higher education and research institutions to establish three to five "centers of excellence" dedicated to this type of infrastructure, with one center serving as a national electronic clearinghouse to maintain a public database and website. The EPA will also offer grants to entities managing stormwater, water, or wastewater resources for projects that implement innovative stormwater control infrastructure, prioritizing communities with combined sewer and sanitary sewer systems or those that are low-income or disadvantaged. Furthermore, various EPA offices will be directed to integrate this infrastructure into permitting, planning, research, and funding efforts, while regional EPA offices will promote its use within their areas and encourage information sharing. The bill also establishes a voluntary "innovative stormwater control infrastructure portfolio standard" with measurable goals to increase the amount of water managed using these methods.
Committee Categories
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Sponsors (2)
Last Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (on 04/13/2015)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location | Created |
|---|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/896/all-info | 04/15/2015 |
| BillText | https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/s896/BILLS-114s896is.pdf | 09/05/2016 |
| Bill | https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/s896/BILLS-114s896is.pdf.pdf | 09/05/2016 |
| BillText | http://gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114s896is/pdf/BILLS-114s896is.pdf | 04/15/2015 |
| Bill | http://gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114s896is/pdf/BILLS-114s896is.pdf.pdf | 04/15/2015 |
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