S. 4812

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4812 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4812

To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to 
modify regulations with respect to drinking water State revolving 
funds, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 17, 2026

Mr. Padilla (for himself, Mr. Curtis, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Crapo, Mr. 
Kelly, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Schiff, and Mr. Sheehy) introduced the 
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to 
modify regulations with respect to drinking water State revolving 
funds, 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 ``Firefighting Infrastructure for 
Rural and Exurban Smaller Municipalities Augmenting Residential Fuels 
Treatments Act of 2026'' or the ``FIRE SMART Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. REQUIRED REGULATORY REVISIONS.

(a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency 
(referred to in this section as the ``Administrator'') shall--
(1) revise section 35.3505 of title 40, Code of Federal 
Regulations, to ensure that--
(A) the term ``community at high risk from fire or 
wildfire'' is defined to mean a community located in an 
area with a high risk for fire or wildfire, in the 
built or natural environment, as evidenced by a State 
wildfire map or a geospatial map generated pursuant to 
section 210(a) of the Wildfire Suppression Funding and 
Forest Management Activities Act (16 U.S.C. 6501 note; 
division O of Public Law 115-141);
(B) the terms ``rural'' and ``rural area'' have the 
meaning given those terms in subparagraph (A) of 
section 343(a)(13) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)(13)), subject to 
subparagraphs (H) and (I) of that section; and
(C) the term ``water infrastructure for fire 
suppression'' means improvements to a public water 
system for purposes that will facilitate compliance 
with section 1412 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 
U.S.C. 300g-1) or otherwise further the public health 
protection objectives of that Act (42 U.S.C. 300f et 
seq.) and that aid in fire suppression for the 
protection of public health, safety, and property from 
wildfire;
(2) revise section 35.3520 of that title--
(A) in subsection (b)(2)--
(i) in clause (ii) (relating to 
transmission and distribution), to insert ``and 
enhancement of water system delivery and 
distribution capacity in a rural area to aid in 
fire suppression in communities at high risk 
from fire or wildfire'' before the period at 
the end;
(ii) in clause (iv) (relating to storage), 
to insert ``and enhancement of water 
infrastructure for fire suppression in a rural 
area in communities at high risk from fire or 
wildfire'' before the period at the end; and
(iii) in clause (v) (relating to 
consolidation), to insert ``or where necessary 
for enhancing water infrastructure for fire 
suppression in a rural area in communities at 
high risk from fire or wildfire'' before the 
period at the end; and
(B) in subsection (e)(4), to insert ``, except for 
projects specifically identified in paragraphs 
(b)(2)(ii), (b)(2)(iv), and (b)(2)(v) of this section 
that have both drinking water benefits and fire 
suppression benefits, for which priority shall be given 
to projects in communities that have adopted a 
community wildfire protection plan (as defined in 
section 101(a) of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act 
of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511(a))) or have taken proactive 
measures to encourage property owners to reduce fire 
risk on private property'' before the period at the 
end;
(3) revise section 35.3555(c)(1) of that title to add at 
the end the following: ``In addition, the priority system may 
include projects that improve both infrastructure for drinking 
water and water infrastructure for fire suppression in rural 
areas in communities at high risk from fire or wildfire.''; and
(4) make such purely technical and conforming revisions to 
the regulations of the Administrator as are necessary to 
implement the revisions described in paragraphs (1) through 
(3).
(b) Immediate Effect.--Notwithstanding the period for revision 
required under subsection (a), beginning on the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Administrator shall implement sections 35.3505, 35.3520, 
and 35.3555 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, in accordance 
with the revisions required under that subsection.
<all>