§1302f Stormwater Infrastructure Technology

Summary

Creates and pays for 3 to 5 regional centers of excellence for new stormwater control technologies, chosen by competitive grants to qualified colleges, research groups, or nonprofits. Center = a hub for stormwater research and help. Eligible entity = a State, Tribal, local government, or public group that manages stormwater or wastewater. Eligible institution = a college, research group, or nonprofit with proven stormwater expertise. Each center must study regionally useful technologies, keep lists of needs and available technologies, look at financing options, give technical help to governments, work with local partners, share research with a national clearinghouse, and coordinate with the other centers. One center will be the national electronic clearinghouse and must run a public website that posts information from all centers. Up to $5,000,000 is authorized each year for fiscal years 2022 through 2026 for these centers, and no more than 2 percent of that money may be used for administrative costs. Funds are also available, by competition, to eligible entities to plan and build projects that use new but proven stormwater technologies. Planning grants can pay for design, standards, fee systems, public-private partnership work, and training. Implementation grants can pay to install technologies, protect natural areas, monitor benefits, and put best practices in place. Applications must describe the project, show how impacts and pollutant reductions will be monitored, list other benefits, and explain long-term operation and tracking. Priority goes to communities with combined sewers or to small, rural, or disadvantaged communities, or to projects that spend at least 15 percent of the grant serving those communities. Single planning grants may be up to $200,000 and planning grants may not exceed one-third of the yearly funds. Single implementation grants may be up to $2,000,000 and implementation grants may not exceed two-thirds of the yearly funds. The federal share normally cannot be more than 80 percent of project costs, past non-federal work can count toward the non-federal share, and the federal share limit can be waived for demonstrated need. The Administrator must report to Congress within 2 years after the first grant about grants made, projects and outcomes, technology and environmental improvements, recommendations, and challenges. Separate from the centers, up to $10,000,000 is authorized each year for fiscal years 2022 through 2026 for these grants, and not more than 2 percent of that may pay administrative costs.