H.R. 8238

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8238 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8238

To direct the Secretary of Commerce and the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency to provide for collaboration between 
the Economic Development Administration and the Environmental 
Protection Agency to promote economic revitalization efforts of 
environmentally contaminated sites, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 9, 2026

Ms. Stevens (for herself and Mr. Mrvan) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Financial 
Services, and Energy and Commerce, 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 direct the Secretary of Commerce and the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency to provide for collaboration between 
the Economic Development Administration and the Environmental 
Protection Agency to promote economic revitalization efforts of 
environmentally contaminated sites, 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 ``Revitalization Efforts for 
Sustainable Transformation And Remediation for Thriving Communities Act 
of 2026'' or the ``RESTART Communities Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL 
PROTECTION AGENCY REVITALIZATION COORDINATION.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the 
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development (in this Act 
referred to as the ``Assistant Secretary''), and the Administrator of 
the Environmental Protection Agency (in this Act referred to as the 
``Administrator'') shall carry out interagency activities to promote 
the economic revitalization of eligible sites before, during, and after 
environmental remediation.
(b) Memorandum of Understanding.--The Assistant Secretary and the 
Administrator may coordinate the activities under subsection (a) 
through the establishment of a memorandum of understanding, or other 
appropriate interagency agreement.
(c) Interagency Activities.--In carrying out the activities under 
subsection (a), the Assistant Secretary and the Administrator may 
engage in any interagency activity, including any of the following:
(1) Establish any interagency process to promote the 
economic revitalization of an eligible site, including--
(A) any process that--
(i) promotes timely action by the Assistant 
Secretary or the Administrator in supporting 
the economic revitalization activities of an 
eligible site;
(ii) supports access by site stakeholders 
to technical assistance resources and services 
available at or through the Economic 
Development Administration or the Environmental 
Protection Agency;
(iii) subject to policies promoting fair 
and open competition, supports access by site 
stakeholders to relevant Federal grant and loan 
programs, including such programs at or through 
the Economic Development Administration or the 
Environmental Protection Agency, to promote 
economic revitalization after environmental 
remediation activities; and
(iv) supports access by site stakeholders 
to best practices, frameworks, and other 
information, as appropriate, for the 
development of economic revitalization plans 
that focus on community engagement, 
environmental justice, and the benefit of 
economically distressed communities; and
(B) any other interagency process as determined 
necessary by the Assistant Secretary and the 
Administrator.
(2) Support the collection of public input by site 
stakeholders and surrounding communities of an eligible site to 
promote community support for economic revitalization 
activities at the Economic Development Administration or the 
Environmental Protection Agency.
(3) Support the development and dissemination of best 
practices, frameworks, and other tools, metrics, and resources 
to promote the success of economic revitalization of an 
eligible site.
(4) Support data collection and data sharing practices, as 
determined by the Assistant Secretary and the Administrator, to 
monitor and report on the success of economic revitalization at 
an eligible site.
(5) Support education, training, and workforce development 
activities for site stakeholders to increase the success of 
economic revitalization before, during, and after environmental 
remediation at an eligible site, including--
(A) internships, fellowships, and other work-based 
learning opportunities at the Economic Development 
Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, 
subject to the availability of appropriations;
(B) development of postsecondary or credential 
curriculum, experiential learning, or other project-
based learning opportunities through collaboration with 
stakeholders that support the activities of this 
section; and
(C) professional development opportunities for site 
stakeholders in professional fields relevant to 
environmental remediation or economic revitalization.
(d) Collaboration.--In carrying out the activities under subsection 
(a), the Assistant Secretary and the Administrator are authorized to 
consult other Federal, State, local, Tribal, or territorial 
governmental entities.
(e) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Assistant Secretary and the Administrator shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report detailing 
the following:
(1) Interagency activities between the Economic Development 
Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency carried 
out under this section.
(2) Collaborative economic revitalization achievements at 
eligible sites and supporting communities as appropriate, 
including the engagement of site stakeholders in supporting the 
activities carried out under this section.
(3) Interagency education, training, and workforce 
development activities for site stakeholders, including the 
dissemination of best practices and engagement of students to 
establish a robust future workforce for economic revitalization 
and environmental remediation.
(4) Potential opportunities to expand the interagency 
activities of the Economic Development Administration and the 
Environmental Protection Agency.
(f) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Environment and Public Works 
of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
House of Representatives; and
(C) the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.
(2) Economic revitalization.--The term ``economic 
revitalization'' means any effort by a site stakeholder, the 
Assistant Secretary, and the Administrator to establish 
favorable conditions for the creation of new, or retention of 
existing, long-term private sector job opportunities in a 
community, including the expansion or upgrade of existing 
physical infrastructure at an eligible site.
(3) Eligible site.--The term ``eligible site'' means any 
site of current or former environmental contamination, 
including any current or former manufacturing facility, at 
which the Assistant Secretary or the Administrator plans to do, 
currently is doing, or has previously done any of the 
following:
(A) Engage with site stakeholders.
(B) Provide Federal funding or resources.
(C) Provide technical assistance.
(4) Environmental contamination.--The term ``environmental 
contamination'' means any hazardous substance, pollutant, or 
contaminant that harms public safety or the surrounding 
environment.
(5) Site stakeholder.--The term ``site stakeholder'' means 
any entity other than the Department of Commerce or the 
Environmental Protection Agency that is engaged in the economic 
revitalization of an eligible site.
(6) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
States, the District of Columbia, each commonwealth, territory, 
or possession of the United States, and each federally 
recognized Indian Tribe.
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