Tribal Water Infrastructure Grants Expansion Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Tribal Water Infrastructure Grants Expansion Act amends Clean Water Act section 518(c). Each fiscal year, before State allotments under title VI, EPA must reserve the greater of 2 percent of title VI funds or $30 million for eligible entities serving Indian Tribes. Those reserved funds may be used only for grants for projects and activities eligible under Clean Water Act section 603(c) and for training, technical assistance, and education related to operation and management of eligible treatment works, with no more than $2 million of the reserved funds available for those training and education grants. The bill also authorizes a separate $500 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2031, in cooperation with the Indian Health Service, for grants to eligible tribal entities for the same project and training purposes. EPA may not require recipients to provide a local cost share, and Buy America and wage-rate requirements in Clean Water Act sections 513 and 608 apply to construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of treatment works funded by the grants.
Who Benefits and How
Indian Tribes benefit because the bill guarantees a larger annual Clean Water State Revolving Fund reservation and adds $500 million per year in tribal water infrastructure grant authority. Tribal wastewater treatment projects benefit because grants can fund section 603(c)-eligible projects and activities without a local cost-share requirement. Tribal utility operators benefit from training, technical assistance, and education for treatment works operation and management. Indian Health Service water infrastructure partners benefit because EPA must cooperate with IHS on the new fiscal years 2026 through 2031 grant authority.
Who Bears the Burden and How
EPA water infrastructure grant staff must reserve funds before State allotments, administer grants, enforce the $2 million training cap, and coordinate with the Indian Health Service. States receive title VI allotments only after the tribal reservation is taken, reducing funds otherwise available for State revolving fund distribution. Grant recipients must comply with Clean Water Act sections 513 and 608 for construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of treatment works. Federal taxpayers bear the cost of the $500 million annual authorization for fiscal years 2026 through 2031.
Key Provisions
- Amends Clean Water Act section 518(c) to reserve the greater of 2 percent of title VI funds or $30 million each fiscal year before State allotments.
- Limits reserved funds to grants for section 603(c)-eligible projects and training, technical assistance, and education for treatment works.
- Limits use of reserved funds for training, technical assistance, and education grants to $2 million per fiscal year.
- Authorizes $500 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2031 for tribal water infrastructure grants in cooperation with the Indian Health Service.
- Prohibits EPA from requiring a recipient cost share as a grant condition.
- Applies Clean Water Act sections 513 and 608 requirements to treatment works construction, alteration, maintenance, and repair funded by the grants.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Increases Clean Water Act tribal water infrastructure support by reserving the greater of 2 percent or $30 million from State revolving fund title VI money each year and authorizing $500 million per year from fiscal years 2026 through 2031 for grants, training, technical assistance, and education for eligible tribal wastewater treatment works.
Key Policy Areas
Tribal Water Infrastructure, Clean Water, EPA Grants
Primary Purpose
Increases Clean Water Act tribal water infrastructure support by reserving the greater of 2 percent or $30 million from State revolving fund title VI money each year and authorizing $500 million per year from fiscal years 2026 through 2031 for grants, training, technical assistance, and education for eligible tribal wastewater treatment works.
Policy Domains
Substantive provisions
Identified Gains
- Indian Tribes
- Tribal wastewater treatment projects
- Tribal utility operators
- Indian Health Service water infrastructure partners
Identified Costs
- EPA water infrastructure grant staff
- State revolving fund programs
- Grant recipients
- Federal taxpayers
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeReferred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
Ms. Wilson of Florida introduced the following bill; which was …
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Introduced in House
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
EPA and federal funding resources supporting the expanded tribal water grant structure, Indian Tribes and tribal wastewater systems receiving the larger set-aside and additional grants
Positive-direction: Indian Tribes and tribal wastewater systems receiving the larger set-aside and additional grants
Negative-direction: EPA and federal funding resources supporting the expanded tribal water grant structure
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology