Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-73

§3914 Requirements

Title 33 › Chapter CHAPTER 52— - WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCE AND INNOVATION › § 3914

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Federal money under this chapter must not be used to build, change, or fix a project unless every iron and steel item in the project is made in the United States. The Administrator can allow a waiver if using U.S. products would hurt the public interest, if U.S. suppliers don’t have enough good-quality items, or if U.S. products would raise the total project cost by more than 25 percent. "Iron and steel products" means items mostly made of iron or steel, like pipes, manhole covers, hydrants, tanks, valves, structural steel, reinforced precast concrete, and similar construction parts. If someone asks for a waiver, the Administrator must post the request and related information online and allow at least 15 days for public comment before deciding. The rule must follow U.S. international agreements.

Full Legal Text

Title 33, §3914

Navigation and Navigable Waters — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Except as provided in subsection (c), none of the amounts made available under this chapter may be used for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a project eligible for assistance under this chapter unless all of the iron and steel products used in the project are produced in the United States.

(b)In this section, the term “iron and steel products” means the following products made primarily of iron or steel: lined or unlined pipes and fittings, manhole covers and other municipal castings, hydrants, tanks, flanges, pipe clamps and restraints, valves, structural steel, reinforced precast concrete, and construction materials.

(c)Subsection (a) shall not apply in any case or category of cases in which the Administrator finds that—

(1)applying subsection (a) would be inconsistent with the public interest;

(2)iron and steel products are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of a satisfactory quality; or

(3)inclusion of iron and steel products produced in the United States will increase the cost of the overall project by more than 25 percent.

(d)If the Administrator receives a request for a waiver under this section, the Administrator shall make available to the public, on an informal basis, a copy of the request and information available to the Administrator concerning the request, and shall allow for informal public input on the request for at least 15 days prior to making a finding based on the request. The Administrator shall make the request and accompanying information available by electronic means, including on the official public Internet Web site of the Environmental Protection Agency.

(e)This section shall be applied in a manner consistent with United States obligations under international agreements.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

33 U.S.C. § 3914

Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable Waters

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73