Senators are introducing bipartisan legislation Tuesday to broaden a federal program that helps rural communities respond to water pollution, floods and drought.
The “Emergency Rural Water Response Act,” from Sens. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Jon Husted (R-Ohio), would expand eligibility to the Department of Agriculture’s Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants. It’s the latest example of lawmakers seeking to address concerns about water affordability.
The USDA program provides grants to communities to repair water infrastructure and restore water quality after an emergency, such as a wildlife, chemical spill or flood. The money can be used to build new water lines, wells, reservoirs and treatment plants and fix water main breaks.
The bill, the details of which were shared first with POLITICO’s E&E News, would make the USDA program open to communities of 35,000 residents or fewer, compared to the current cap of 10,000 residents.
