Title 33, Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-110

§1302 Wastewater Efficiency Grant Pilot Program

Title 33 › CHAPTER 26 — WATER POLLUTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL › SUBCHAPTER II — GRANTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF TREATMENT WORKS › § 1302

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Creates a pilot grant program, if funds are provided, to help owners or operators of publicly owned sewage treatment plants build or improve systems that turn waste into energy. Applicants must apply to the Administrator when and how the Administrator asks. The Administrator may pick up to 15 winners. Each grant cannot be more than $4,000,000. Grants can pay for sludge work, anaerobic digesters, capturing and moving methane, facility upgrades, and other proven waste-to-energy technologies. Recipients must report to the Administrator within 2 years of the award and each year after about the project’s impact on communities within 3 miles. The Administrator must report to Congress within 1 year after the first awards and then yearly on applications and awarded projects. Congress has authorized $20,000,000 for each fiscal year 2022 through 2026, available until spent, and up to 2% may be used for administrative costs.

Full Legal Text

Title 33, §1302

Navigation and Navigable Waters, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Establishment

Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Administrator shall establish a wastewater efficiency grant pilot program (referred to in this section as the “pilot program”) to award grants to owners or operators of publicly owned treatment works to carry out projects that create or improve waste-to-energy systems.

(b)Selection

(1)Applications

To be eligible to receive a grant under the pilot program, an owner or operator of a treatment works shall submit to the Administrator an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Administrator may require.

(2)Number of recipients

The Administrator shall select not more than 15 recipients of grants under the pilot program from applications submitted under paragraph (1).

(c)Use of funds

(1)In general

Subject to paragraph (2), a recipient of a grant under the pilot program may use grant funds for— (A)

(B)installation of anaerobic digesters;

(C)methane capture;

(D)methane transfer;

(E)facility upgrades and retrofits necessary to create or improve waste-to-energy systems; and

(F)other new and emerging, but proven, technologies that transform waste to energy.

(2)Limitation

A grant to a recipient under the pilot program shall be not more than $4,000,000.

(d)Reports

(1)Report to the Administrator (2) Report to Congress

Not later than 2 years after receiving a grant under the pilot program and each year thereafter for which amounts are made available for the pilot program under subsection (e), the recipient of the grant shall submit to the Administrator a report describing the impact of that project on the communities within 3 miles of the treatment works.

(e)Authorization of appropriations

(1)In general

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out the pilot program $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026, to remain available until expended.

(2)Limitation on use of funds

Of the amounts made available for grants under paragraph (1), not more than 2 percent may be used to pay the administrative costs of the Administrator.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

33 U.S.C. § 1302

Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110