H.R. 2401

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2401 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2401

To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, 
the Secretary of the Interior, and the Secretary of Agriculture to 
maintain the Urban Waters Federal Partnership Program, and for other 
purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 27, 2025

Mr. Stanton (for himself and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, 
and Appropriations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, 
the Secretary of the Interior, and the Secretary of Agriculture to 
maintain the Urban Waters Federal Partnership Program, and for other 
purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Urban Waters Federal Partnership Act 
of 2025''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(2) Member agencies.--The term ``member agencies'' means 
each of--
(A) the Environmental Protection Agency;
(B) the Department of the Interior;
(C) the Department of Agriculture;
(D) the Corps of Engineers;
(E) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration;
(F) the Economic Development Administration;
(G) the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development;
(H) the Department of Transportation;
(I) the Department of Energy;
(J) the Department of Education;
(K) the National Institute for Environmental Health 
Sciences;
(L) the Community Development Financial 
Institutions Fund;
(M) the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
(N) the Corporation for National and Community 
Service; and
(O) such other agencies, departments, and bureaus 
that elect to participate in the Urban Waters program 
as the missions, authorities, and appropriated funding 
of those agencies, departments, and bureaus allow.
(3) Secretaries.--The term ``Secretaries'' means the 
Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture.
(4) Urban waters ambassador.--The term ``Urban Waters 
ambassador'' means a person who--
(A) is locally based near the applicable Urban 
Waters partnership location; and
(B) serves in a central coordinating role for the 
work carried out in the applicable Urban Waters 
partnership location with respect to the Urban Waters 
program.
(5) Urban waters nonpartnership location.--The term ``Urban 
Waters nonpartnership location'' means an urban or municipal 
site and the associated watershed or waterbody of the site--
(A) that receives Federal support for activities 
that advance the purpose of the Urban Waters program; 
but
(B)(i) that is not formally designated as an Urban 
Waters partnership location; and
(ii) for which is not maintained--
(I) an active partnership with an Urban 
Waters ambassador; or
(II) an Urban Waters partnership location 
workplan.
(6) Urban waters partnership location.--The term ``Urban 
Waters partnership location'' means an urban or municipal site 
and the associated watershed or waterbody of the site for 
which--
(A) the Administrator, in collaboration with the 
heads of the other member agencies, has formally 
designated as a partnership location under the Urban 
Waters program; and
(B) an active partnership with an Urban Waters 
ambassador is maintained.
(7) Urban waters partnership location workplan.--The term 
``Urban Waters partnership location workplan'' means the plan 
for projects and actions that is coordinated across an Urban 
Waters partnership location.
(8) Urban waters program.--The term ``Urban Waters 
program'' means the program established under section 3(a).

SEC. 3. URBAN WATERS FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.

(a) Authorization.--There is authorized a program, to be known as 
the ``Urban Waters Federal Partnership Program'', administered by the 
partnership of the member agencies--
(1) to jointly support and execute the goals of the Urban 
Waters program through the independent authorities and 
appropriated funding of the member agencies; and
(2) to advance the purpose described in subsection (b) 
within designated Urban Waters partnership locations and other 
urban and suburban communities in the United States.
(b) Program Purpose.--The purpose of the Urban Waters program is to 
reconnect urban communities, particularly urban communities that are 
overburdened or economically distressed, with associated waterways by 
improving coordination among Federal agencies.
(c) Program Requirements.--
(1) In general.--Subject to the availability of 
appropriations, the Administrator, in coordination with the 
Secretaries and, as appropriate, the heads of the other member 
agencies, shall maintain the Urban Waters program in accordance 
with this subsection.
(2) Urban waters federal partnership steering committee.--
(A) Establishment.--
(i) In general.--The Administrator shall 
establish a steering committee for the Urban 
Waters program (referred to in this paragraph 
as the ``steering committee'').
(ii) Chair.--The Administrator shall serve 
as chairperson of the steering committee.
(iii) Vice-chairs.--The Secretaries shall 
serve as vice-chairpersons of the steering 
committee.
(iv) Membership.--In addition to the 
Administrator and the Secretaries, the members 
of the steering committee shall be the senior 
officials (or their designees) from such member 
agencies as the Administrator shall designate.
(B) Duties.--The steering committee shall provide 
general guidance to the member agencies with respect to 
the Urban Waters program, including guidance with 
respect to--
(i) the identification of annual priority 
issues for special emphasis within Urban Waters 
partnership locations; and
(ii) the identification of funding 
opportunities, which shall be communicated to 
all Urban Waters partnership locations.
(C) Interagency financing.--Notwithstanding section 
1346 of title 31, United States Code, section 708 of 
division E of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 
(Public Law 116-260), or any other similar provision of 
law, member agencies may--
(i) provide interagency financing to the 
steering committee; and
(ii) directly transfer such amounts as are 
necessary to support the activities of the 
steering committee.
(3) Authority.--
(A) Partnership locations.--
(i) Partnership locations.--The 
Administrator and the Secretaries shall 
maintain an active partnership program under 
the Urban Waters program at each Urban Waters 
partnership location, including each Urban 
Waters partnership location in existence on the 
date of enactment of this Act, by providing--
(I) technical assistance for 
projects to be carried out within the 
Urban Waters partnership location;
(II) funding for projects to be 
carried out within the Urban Waters 
partnership location;
(III) funding for an Urban Waters 
ambassador for the Urban Waters 
partnership location; and
(IV) coordination support with 
other member agencies with respect to 
activities carried out at the Urban 
Waters partnership location.
(ii) New partnership locations.--
(I) In general.--The Administrator 
and the Secretaries may, in 
consultation with the heads of other 
member agencies, establish new Urban 
Waters partnership locations.
(II) Nonpartnership locations.--A 
community with an Urban Waters 
nonpartnership location may, at the 
discretion of the community, seek to 
have the Urban Waters nonpartnership 
location designated as an Urban Waters 
partnership location.
(B) Authorized activities.--
(i) Definition of eligible entity.--In this 
subparagraph, the term ``eligible entity'' 
means--
(I) a State;
(II) a territory or possession of 
the United States;
(III) the District of Columbia;
(IV) an Indian Tribe;
(V) a unit of local government;
(VI) a public or private 
institution of higher education;
(VII) a public or private nonprofit 
institution;
(VIII) an intertribal consortium;
(IX) an interstate agency; and
(X) any other entity determined to 
be appropriate by the Administrator.
(ii) Activities.--In carrying out the Urban 
Waters program, a member agency may--
(I) encourage, cooperate with, and 
render technical services to and 
provide financial assistance to 
support--
(aa) Urban Water 
ambassadors to conduct 
activities with respect to the 
applicable Urban Waters 
partnership location, 
including--

(AA) convening the 
appropriate Federal and 
non-Federal partners 
for the Urban Waters 
partnership location;

(BB) developing and 
carrying out an Urban 
Waters partnership 
location workplan;

(CC) leveraging 
available Federal and 
non-Federal resources 
for projects within the 
Urban Waters 
partnership location; 
and

(DD) sharing 
information and best 
practices with the 
Urban Waters Learning 
Network established 
under subparagraph (C); 
and

(bb) an eligible entity in 
carrying out--

(AA) projects at 
Urban Water partnership 
locations that provide 
habitat or water 
quality improvements, 
increase river 
recreation, enhance 
community resiliency, 
install infrastructure, 
strengthen community 
engagement with and 
education with respect 
to water resources, or 
support planning, 
coordination, and 
execution of projects 
identified in the 
applicable Urban Waters 
partnership location 
workplan; and

(BB) planning, 
research, experiments, 
demonstrations, 
surveys, studies, 
monitoring, training, 
and outreach to advance 
the purpose described 
in subsection (b) 
within Urban Waters 
partnership locations 
and in Urban Waters 
nonpartnership 
locations; and

(II) transfer funds to or enter 
into interagency agreements with other 
member agencies as necessary to carry 
out the Urban Waters program.
(C) Urban waters learning network.--The 
Administrator and the Secretaries shall maintain an 
Urban Waters Learning Network--
(i) to share information, resources, and 
tools between Urban Waters partnership 
locations and with other interested 
communities; and
(ii) to carry out community-based capacity 
building that advances the goals of the Urban 
Waters program.
(D) Workplan progress.--Progress in addressing the 
goals of the Urban Waters partnership location workplan 
of an Urban Waters partnership location shall be shared 
with the Urban Waters program at regular intervals, as 
determined by the Administrator and the Secretaries.
(d) Reports to Congress.--The Administrator and the Secretaries 
shall annually submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
report describing the progress in carrying out the Urban Waters 
program, which shall include--
(1) a description of the use of funds under the Urban 
Waters program;
(2) a description of the progress made in carrying out 
Urban Waters partnership location workplans; and
(3) any additional information that the Administrator and 
the Secretaries determine to be appropriate.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
the Administrator to carry out the Urban Waters program 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
(2) Use of funds.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, activities carried out using amounts made available to the 
Administrator under paragraph (1) may be used in conjunction 
with amounts made available from--
(A) other member agencies; and
(B) non-Federal entities that participate in the 
Urban Waters program.
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