summary
Introduced
03/21/2017
03/21/2017
In Committee
10/13/2017
10/13/2017
Crossed Over
10/10/2017
10/10/2017
Passed
Dead
12/31/2018
12/31/2018
Introduced Session
115th Congress
Bill Summary
Water Infrastructure Flexibility Act (Sec. 3) This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to allow municipalities to develop a plan that integrates wastewater and stormwater management. A permit for a municipal discharge under the national pollutant discharge elimination system that incorporates an integrated plan may integrate all requirements under the Act addressed in the plan, including requirements relating to: (1) a combined sewer overflow; (2) a capacity, management, operation, and maintenance program for sanitary sewer collection systems; (3) a municipal stormwater discharge; (4) a municipal wastewater discharge; and (5) a total maximum daily load program. Those permits may include a schedule of compliance that allows actions for meeting water quality-based effluent limitations to be implemented over more than one permit term if the compliance schedules are authorized by state water quality standards. Those actions may include implementing green infrastructure as part of a water quality-based effluent limitation. (Green infrastructure includes measures that mimic natural processes to store, reuse, or reduce stormwater.) The bill establishes an Office of the Municipal Ombudsman in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide: (1) technical assistance to municipalities seeking to comply with the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act, and (2) information to the EPA to ensure that agency policies are implemented by all EPA offices. (Sec. 4) The EPA must ensure that specified EPA offices promote the integration of green infrastructure into permitting programs, planning efforts, research, technical assistance, and funding guidance. (Sec. 5) The bill establishes requirements for revising the EPA's 1997 guidance about combined sewer overflows, including by setting forth criteria for determining the ability of households to pay utility bills. (Combined sewer systems collect rainwater, sewage, and industrial wastewater into one pipe. During storms, the combined wastewater sometimes exceeds the capacity of the treatment plant. When this occurs, combined sewer overflows discharge directly into water bodies.)
AI Summary
This bill amends the Clean Water Act to allow municipalities to develop integrated plans that coordinate the management of wastewater and stormwater. The bill establishes an Office of the Municipal Ombudsman in the Environmental Protection Agency to provide technical assistance to municipalities and information to ensure agency policies are properly implemented. The bill also requires the EPA to promote the use of green infrastructure, such as measures that mimic natural processes to store, reuse, or reduce stormwater, in its permitting programs, planning efforts, and funding guidance. Additionally, the bill requires the EPA to revise its financial capability guidance to consider local economic conditions, impacts on low-income communities, and other factors when assessing a municipality's ability to fund water infrastructure investments.
Committee Categories
Agriculture and Natural Resources, Transportation and Infrastructure
Sponsors (10)
Deb Fischer (R)*,
Roy Blunt (R),
Cory Booker (D),
John Boozman (R),
Sherrod Brown (D),
Ben Cardin (D),
Joe Donnelly (D),
James Inhofe (R),
Amy Klobuchar (D),
Rob Portman (R),
Last Action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment. (on 10/13/2017)
Official Document
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