AWE Legislative Watch
The Alliance for Water Efficiency is pleased to monitor federal legislation and inform members of bills relating to water conservation and efficiency. Additionally, as it comes to our attention, we will include pertinent state-level legislation. Check back often for updates.
U.S. House of Representatives
112th Congress
- H.R. 1802 - The Sustainable Water Infrastructure Investment Act of 2011
- H.R. 1967 - The Water Advanced Technologies for Efficient Resource Use Act of 2011
- H.R. 2030 - The Green Infrastructure for Clean Water Act of 2011
- H.R. 2599 - The PACE Assessment Protection Act of 2011
- H.R. 2738 - The Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Act of 2011
- H.R. 3371 - The High Performance Federal Buildings Act of 2011
H.R. 1802
Title: The Sustainable Water Infrastructure Investment Act of 2011
Purpose: To amend the Internal Revenue Code to exempt bonds for facilities for furnishing water from the volume cap for private activity bonds.
Sponsor: Rep. Pascrell, William [NJ, 8] (Introduced May 10, 2011)
Status: Referred to House Ways and Means Committee on May 10, 2011.
Summary: Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from state volume caps private facility bonds for sewage and water supply facilities. [Full Text]
H.R. 1967
Title: The Water Advanced Technologies for Efficient Resource Use Act of 2011
Purpose: To encourage water efficiency by authorizing the EPA WaterSense program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Holt, Rush [NJ-12] (Introduced 5/25/2011)
Status: Referred to the House Committees on Energy and Commerce and Government Oversight and Armed Services.
Summary: Promotes water efficiency by authorizing a federal labeling program, EPA’s WaterSense program, to help consumers identify water efficient products and services, provides $50 million in funding for grants to establish or expand local programs that offer rebates or vouchers to consumers that purchase water efficient products and services and directs federal agencies to purchase cost-effective water efficient products. [Full Text]
H.R. 2030
Title: The Green Infrastructure for Clean Water Act of 2011
Purpose: Creates a new grant program at the Environmental Protection Agency, including grants for managing storm water, water resources or waste water resources.
Sponsor: Rep. Edwards, Donna [MD, 4] (Introduced May 26, 2011)
Status: Referred to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment and the House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Energy and Environment on May 26, 2011.
Summary: Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make competitive grants to eligible higher education institutions and research institutions to establish and maintain between three and five centers of excellence for green infrastructure. Requires the Administrator to make competitive grants to eligible entities that manage storm water, water resources, or waste water resources to: (1) plan and design and install green infrastructure projects; (2) develop standards and revisions to local zoning, building, or other local codes necessary to accommodate such projects; and (3) develop fee structures to provide financial support for green infrastructure. [Full Text]
H.R. 2599
Title: The PACE Assessment Protection Act of 2011
Purpose: To prevent Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and other mortgage lending regulators from adopting policies that contravene state and local property assessed clean energy (PACE) laws.
Sponsor: Rep. Hayworth, Nan [NY-19] (Introduced 7/20/2011)
Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity (8/22/2011)
Summary: Requires the Federal Housing Agency, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to issue guidance providing that the levy of a PACE assessment and the creation of a PACE lien to not constitute a default on any loan secured by uniform instruments approved by those agencies. Rep. Haworth, R-NY, proposes that PACE improvements may include any qualified clean energy, energy conservation and efficiency improvements as well as water conservation and efficiency improvements. Prohibits any federal agency from discriminating against state or local governments implementing or participating in a PACE program so long as that program complies with specified requirements. [Full Text]
H.R. 2738
Title: The Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Act of 2011
Purpose: To increase water system adaptability to changing hydrologic conditions and to promote more efficient water use, conservation, reuse or recycling.
Sponsor: Rep. Capps, Lois [CA, 23] (Introduced Aug. 1, 2011)
Status: Referred to the Committees on Natural Resources, Transportation and Infrastructure and Energy and Commerce on Aug. 1, 2011.
Summary: Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish the Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Program to provide grants to owners or operators of water systems for programs or projects to increase the resiliency or adaptability of the systems to any ongoing or forecasted changes to the hydrologic conditions. Grant must include a substantial number that utilize innovative approaches to (1) promote more efficient water use, water conservation, water reuse, or recycling; (2) use decentralized, low-impact development technologies and nonstructural approaches, (3) reduce storm water runoff or flooding ; (4) modify, upgrade, enhance, or replace existing water system infrastructure in response to changing hydrologic conditions; and (5) improve water quality or quantity for agricultural and municipal uses. [Full Text]
H.R. 3371
Title: The High Performance Federal Buildings Act of 2011
Purpose: To encourage the construction of green federal buildings and to require the establishment of energy and water efficiency standards for new federal buildings.
Sponsor: Rep. Russ Carnahan [MO, 23] (Introduced Nov. 4, 2011)
Status: Referred to the Energy and Commerce and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committees and to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management on November 22, 2011
Summary: Requires agencies to consider life-cycle costs in planning new federal buildings costing $1 million or more. Establishes a Director of the Office of Federal High-Performance Green buildings to assist federal agencies with respect to the utilization of building information modeling, commissioning and integrated design processes. Amends the National energy Conservation Policy Act to require reporting on energy and water savings measures. Directs the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to establish and update energy and water efficiency standards for federal buildings. [Full Text]
U.S. Senate
112th Congress
- S 398 - The Implementation of National Consensus Appliance Agreements Act of 2011
- S 939 - The Sustainable Water Infrastructure Investment Act of 2011
- S 1000 - The Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2011
- S 1115 - The Green Infrastructure for Clean Water Act of 2010
- S 1343 - The Energy and Water Integration Act of 2011
- S 1669 - The Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Act of 2011
- S 1737 - The Sensible Accounting to Value Energy Act of 2011
S 398
Title: The Implementation of National Consensus Appliance Agreements Act of 2011
Purpose: To amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to improve energy efficiency of certain appliances and equipment, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Bingaman, Jeff [NM] (Introduced 2/17/2011)
Status: Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing on S, 398 on 3/10/2011. The Committee marked-up the bill on 4/12/11 and voted to report the bill (as amended) out of Committee with a recommendation that it be considered by the full Senate.
Summary: Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to strengthen and improve energy efficiency standards for a number of consumer products, appliances and equipment. The bill would reduce the regulatory burden on appliance manufacturers, reduce national energy and water demand thereby slowing the need for new energy and water supplies, and save consumers money on their energy and water bills. [Full Text]
S 939
Title: The Sustainable Water Infrastructure Investment Act of 2011
Purpose: To amend the Internal Revenue Code to exempt bonds for facilities for furnishing water from state volume cap for private activity bonds.
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [NJ] ( Introduced May 10, 2011)
Status: Referred to the Senate Finance Committee on May 10, 2011.
Summary: Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from state volume caps private facility bonds for sewage and water supply facilities. [Full Text]
S 1000
Title: The Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2011
Purpose: To create a Supply Star program to promote supply chains that conserve energy and water.
Sponsor: Sen Shaheen Jeanne [NH] (Introduced 5/16/2011)
Status: Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources reported the bill out of committee on 9/6/2011 with the recommendation that it be considered by the full Senate together with Senate Committee Report No. 112-71.
Summary: Directs the Secretary of Energy to develop and update national model building energy codes, with a goal of zero- net-energy for new buildings by 2030, and supports state and local building energy codes that meet or exceed national standards. The bill also would establish an Energy Department a Supply Star program to identify and promote practices and products that use highly efficient supply chains that conserve energy, water and other resources. [Full Text]
S 1115
Title: The Green Infrastructure for Clean Water Act of 2010
Purpose: Creates a new grant program at the Environmental Protection Agency, including grants for managing storm water, water resources or waste water resources.
Sponsor: Sen. Udall, Tom [NM] (Introduced May 26, 2011)
Status: Referred to the Environment and Public Works Committee on May 26, 2011
Summary: Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make competitive grants to eligible higher education institutions and research institutions to establish and maintain between three and five centers of excellence for green infrastructure. Requires the Administrator to make competitive grants to eligible entities that manage storm water, water resources, or waste water resources to: (1) plan and design and install green infrastructure projects; (2) develop standards and revisions to local zoning, building, or other local codes necessary to accommodate such projects; and (3) develop fee structures to provide financial support for green infrastructure. [Full Text]
S 1343
Title: The Energy and Water Integration Act of 2011
Purpose: To provide for the conduct of an analysis of the impact of energy development and production on the water resources of the United States and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Bingaman, Jeff [NM] (Introduced 7/11/2011)
Status: Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing and mark-up on the Energy and Water Integration Act and reported the bill out of committee on 5/26/11 with the recommendation that it be considered by the full Senate. S 1343 was then introduced together with Senate Committee Report 112-035 on 7/11/11.
Summary: Highlights the nexus between water resources and energy production by providing for: 1) water and energy efficiency studies, research priorities and enhanced assessments on water-related energy consumption; 2) an energy-water research and development roadmap; 3) an energy-water clean technology grant program; 4) a rural water utilities energy and water efficiency program ; and 5) a comprehensive water use and energy savings study. [Full Text]
S 1669
Title: The Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Act of 2011
Purpose: To increase water system adaptability to changing hydrologic conditions and to promote more efficient water use, conservation, reuse or recycling.
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin [MD] (Introduced Oct. 6, 2011)
Status: Referred to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Oct. 2, 2011.
Summary: Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish the Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Program to provide grants to owners or operators of water systems for programs or projects to increase the resiliency or adaptability of the systems to any ongoing or forecasted changes to the hydrologic conditions. Grant must include a substantial number that utilize innovative approaches to (1) promote more efficient water use, water conservation, water reuse, or recycling; (2) use decentralized, low-impact development technologies and nonstructural approaches, (3) reduce storm water runoff or flooding ; (4) modify, upgrade, enhance, or replace existing water system infrastructure in response to changing hydrologic conditions; and (5) improve water quality or quantity for agricultural and municipal uses. [Full Text]
S 1737
Title: The Sensible Accounting to Value Energy Act of 2011
Purpose: To prevent Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and other mortgage lending regulators from adopting policies that contravene state and local property assessed clean energy (PACE) laws.
Sponsor: Sen Bennet, Michael F. [CO] (Introduced 10/19/2011)
Status: Referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs on 10/19/2011.
Summary: Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to issue guidelines for all federal mortgage agencies (including the Federal National Mortgage Association [Fannie Mae], the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation [Freddie Mac], to implement enhanced loan eligibility requirements, for use when determining the ability of a loan applicant to repay a covered loan that account for the expected costs of energy at the property involved. [Full Text]
Related Links:
- GovTrack.us - An independent tool to help the public research and track the activities in the U.S. Congress.
- THOMAS - Library of Congress site offering federal legislative information freely to the public.