H.R. 3427: Water Resources Technical Assistance Review Act

This bill, titled the Water Resources Technical Assistance Review Act, aims to require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a thorough examination of the technical assistance authorities related to clean water provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The primary focus of the review is to assess how effectively these assistance programs support various entities, including states, tribes, local governments, and non-governmental organizations.

Key Provisions

• Review Initiation: The Comptroller General must start the review within one year after the bill becomes law.
• Components of the Review: The review must include several specific elements:
  • A detailed description of the technical assistance available and the regions and populations served.
  • A summary of activities conducted through this assistance in the past five years.
  • An evaluation of how the EPA selects and partners with technical assistance providers through the Water Technical Assistance initiative (WaterTA initiative), including:
    • Selection criteria and contracting methods.
    • Coordination with state and tribal partners.
    • Methods for matching assistance providers with community needs.
    • Outreach efforts to economically distressed communities.
    • A list of communities that received assistance, detailing costs and outcomes.
  • Identification of any overlap or duplication among similar assistance programs within the EPA.
  • Analysis of how this assistance helps communities access additional water infrastructure programs.
  • An assessment of unmet needs in economically distressed communities that are eligible for clean water assistance but are not currently addressed.
  • An evaluation of the coordination between the EPA and other federal agencies involved in providing water infrastructure assistance.
• Reporting Requirements: Once the review is completed, the Comptroller General is required to submit a report to both the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. This report will summarize the findings and may include recommendations for improving the technical assistance programs.
• Compliance Plan: Within 90 days of submitting the report, the EPA Administrator must provide a plan detailing actions taken to implement any recommendations. This report will be required annually for five years.

Definition of Covered Technical Assistance

The term covered technical assistance refers to any program or initiative led by the EPA that is related to clean water infrastructure. This ensures that the review specifically targets the types of support the EPA provides in this area.

Relevant Companies

• None found