HR 337119th CongressIn Committee

To provide technical and financial assistance for groundwater recharge, aquifer storage, and water source substitution projects.

Introduced: Jan 13, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

This bill amends the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to create a new transfer authority that would make unobligated balances from existing IIJA funding available to the Secretary to support groundwater recharge, aquifer storage, and water source substitution projects. Specifically, it authorizes $3,000,000 for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2031 to carry out the technical and financial assistance described in IIJA Section 40910(a). In short, if there are unspent funds in that program, they could be redirected to support these specific groundwater-related projects, increasing federal support for drought resilience and water sustainability.

Key Points

1Adds a new subsection (g) to Section 40910 of the IIJA, creating a Transfer Authority.
2Allows unobligated balances of amounts available under section 40901 to be transferred to the Secretary for this purpose.
3Sets a funding cap of $3,000,000 for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2031.
4Funds are to carry out the assistance described in subsection (a) of Section 40910 (i.e., technical and financial assistance for groundwater recharge, aquifer storage, and water source substitution projects).
5This is a reallocation of existing funds (unobligated balances) rather than new appropriations, subject to the availability of such unobligated balances.

Impact Areas

Primary: Federal program administration and funding recipients, including state and local water managers, utilities, and other entities implementing groundwater recharge, aquifer storage, and water source substitution projects.Secondary: Communities facing groundwater depletion or drought risk; potential rural and agricultural stakeholders who rely on groundwater for irrigation or drinking water.Additional impacts: Could accelerate development and deployment of groundwater resilience projects, with potential environmental and regional economic benefits, while maintaining oversight and requiring adherence to existing program rules governing technical and financial assistance.

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