Federal Great Lakes and Water Legislation Tracker, 2023-24

Updated as of September 25th, 2023

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Bill #Bill NameDescriptionSponsor (s) Committee (s)Status (location + date)
House




 H.R.1Lower Energy Costs Act This bill provides for the exploration, development, importation, and exportation of energy resources (e.g., oil, gas, and minerals).Rep. Scalise, Steve [R-LA-1]Natural Resources; Energy and Commerce; Agriculture; Transportation and Infrastructure; BudgetIntroduced in House 03/14/2023 Passed/Agreed in House 03/30/2023
H.R.132Protecting Local Communities from Harmful Algal Blooms ActThis bill amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to include algal blooms in the definition of a major disaster.Rep. Buchanan, Vern [R-FL-16]Transportation and InfrastructureIntroduced in House 01/09/2023
H.R.186Water Supply Permitting Coordination ActThis bill makes the Bureau of Reclamation the lead agency for the purpose of coordinating all permitting and related activities required to construct certain new surface-water storage projects.Rep. McClintock, Tom [R-CA-5]Natural ResourcesIntroduced in House 01/09/2023
H.R.210Stamp Out Invasive Species ActThis bill directs the U.S. Postal Service to issue and sell a Combating Invasive Species Semipostal Stamp. Rep. Stefanik, Elise M [R-NY-21]Oversight and Accountability, Natural Resources, AgricultureIntroduced in House 02/21/2023
H.R.250Clean Water SRF Parity ActThis bill expands the state revolving fund established under the Clean Water Act, including by allowing low-interest loans to be given to privately owned treatment works to address wastewater. Currently, loans are given to wastewater systems that are publicly owned.Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8]Transportation and InfrastructureIntroduced in House 01/10/2023
H.R.289Protect Our Water Rights ActTo update requirements for the operation of the Central Valley Project and Klamath River Basin.Rep. LaMalfa, Doug [R-CA-1]Natural Resources
Introduced in House 01/11/2023
H.R.325Harmful Algal Bloom Essential Forecasting ActThis bill requires the Harmful Algal Bloom Operational Forecast System to continue to operate during a government shutdown by designating certain services related to the system as excepted services under the Anti-Deficiency Act.Rep. Donalds, Byron [R-FL-19]Science, Space, Technology and Natural ResourcesIntroduced in House 01/12/2023
H.R.426Lakes Before Turbines ActThis bill eliminates the energy-related tax credit for investment in certain offshore wind facilities after 2022.Rep. Langworthy, Nicholas A [R-NY-23]Ways and MeansIntroduced in House 1/20/2023
H.R.598Earth Act to Stop Climate Pollution By 2030This bill addresses climate change by establishing requirements concerning renewable energy, zero emission vehicles, regenerative agriculture, and tax incentives related to climate transition costs.Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13]Agriculture, Ways and Means, Energy and CommerceIntroduced in House 1/27/2023
 H.R.668Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention ActThis bill withdraws approximately 234,328 acres of federal land and waters in a specified area in the Rainy River Watershed of Superior National Forest in Minnesota from (1) entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; (3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.
Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4]Natural ResourcesIntroduced in House 1/31/2023
 H.R.873 Water Quality and Environmental Innovation ActTo authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to award grants and contracts for projects that use emerging technologies to address threats to water quality, and for other purposes.
Rep. Donalds, Byron [R-FL-19]Transportation and Infrastructure, Energy and Commerce Science, Space, and TechnologyIntroduced in House 02/02/2023
H.R.1152Water Quality Certification and Energy Project Improvement Act of 2023To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to make changes with respect to water quality certification, and for other purposes.Rep. Rouzer, David [R-NC-7]Transportation and InfrastructureIntroduced in House 02/24/2023
H.R.1181To Amend the Federal Water Pollution Act with respect to permitting terms, and for other purposesThis bill extends the maximum term for certain permits issued under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program. Specifically, the bill extends the maximum term for NPDES permits issued to states or municipalities from 5 to 10 years. Under the program, the Environmental Protection Agency issues permits to discharge pollutants from point sources, such as pipes, into waters of the United States.
Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8]Transportation and Infrastructure; Water Resources and the EnvironmentIntroduced in House 02/24/2023
H.R.1196Don Young Restoration Grants for Coastlines and Fisheries Act of 2023This bill requires the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish a grant program for projects that restore marine, estuarine, coastal, or Great Lake habitats; or provide adaptation to climate change. State, local, and tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and institutions of higher education may apply for grants. Del. Plaskett, Stacey [D-VI-At Large]Natural Resources; Transportation and Infrastructure; Water, Wildlife, and FisheriesIntroduced in House 02/24/2023
H.R.1367Water System Threat Preparedness and Resilience ActTo establish a program to increase drinking water and wastewater system threat preparedness and resilience, and for other purposes.
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]Transportation and Infrastructure; Energy and CommerceIntroduced in House 03/03/2023
H.R.1407Financing Lead Out of Water Act of 2022This bill allows the issuance of tax-exempt private activity bonds to finance the replacement of any privately-owned portion of a lead service line in a public water system. Specifically, the bill provides that the use of proceeds from such bonds for replacement of a lead service line does not constitute private business use.Rep. Kildee, Daniel T [D-MI-8]Ways and MeansIntroduced in House 03/07/2023
H.R.1444Preparing Superfund for Climate Change Act of 2023To amend the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to provide for the consideration of climate change, and for other purposes.Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5]Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure Introduced in House 03/08/2023
H.R.1593Land and Water Conservation Fund Water Amendments Act of 2023To amend title 54, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to make financial assistance to States under the Land and Water Conservation Fund available for water quality projects, and for other purposes.Rep. Mast, Brian J. [R-Fl-21]Natural ResourcesIntroduced in House 03/14/2023
H.R.1721Healthy H2O ActTo amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to establish a grant program to assist with the purchase, installation, and maintenance of point-of-entry and point-of-use drinking water quality improvement products, and for other purposes.Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]Agriculture Introduced in House 03/22/2023
 H.R.1729Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act of 2023This bill establishes a trust fund to provide for adequate funding for water and sewer infrastructure, and for other purposes.Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]Transportation and Infrastructure; Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Agriculture; Natural Resources; Education and the WorkforceIntroduced in House 03/22/2023
H.R.2521Clean Drinking Water Equity ActThis bill revises the drinking water state revolving fund (SRF) program to increase the cap on the total amount of loan subsidies that states may give to assist disadvantaged communities.Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-25]Energy and CommerceIntroduced in House 04/06/2023
H.R.2921 Water Infrastructure Sustainability Act (WISE Act) This bill requires each state to use a certain percentage of funds it receives for capitalization of its clean water state revolving fund for projects to address green infrastructure, water or energy efficiency improvements, or other environmentally innovative activities.Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5]Transportation and InfrastructureIntroduced in House 04/26/2023
H.R.3027Reclamation Climate Change and Water Program Reauthorization Act of 2023To reauthorize funding for the Reclamation Climate Change and Water Program.Rep. Porter, Katie [D-CA-47]Natural ResourcesIntroduced in House 04/28/2023
H.R.3167Clean Water  Allotment Modernization Act of 2023This bill revises the formula the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses to determine how to distribute funds from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) program. Under the program, the EPA allocates funding to states for water quality infrastructure projects, such as wastewater systems and stormwater management projects.
Rep. Waltz, Michael [R-FL-6]Transportation and InfrastructureIntroduced in House 05/09/2023
H.R.3195Superior National Forest Restoration ActN/ARep. Stauber, Pete [R-MN-8]Natural ResourcesIntroduced in House 05/10/2023
H.R.3490To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act to authorize grants for smart water infrastructure technology, and for other purposesN/ARep. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ-3]Transportation and Infrastructure; Energy and CommerceIntroduced in House 05/18/2023
H.R.3756Environmental Justice in Recreation Permitting Act N/ARep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]Natural Resources; AgricultureIntroduced in House 05/30/2023
H.R.3763Farmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship Act or the FUELS Act
This bill increases thresholds for requiring a farm to have a plan to address oil spills.

Rep. Crawford, Eric A. “Rick” [R-AR-1]Transportation and InfrastructureIntroduced in House 06/01/2023
H.R.4540Water Infrastructure Enhancement ActN/ARep. Cuellar, Henry [D-TX-28]Energy and Commerce Introduced in House 07/11/2023
H.R.4746Tribal Access to Clean Water Act of 2023N/ARep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2]Natural Resources; Energy and Commerce; AgricultureIntroduced in House 07/19/2023
H.R.4890Urban Waters Federal Partnership Act of 2023This bill provides statutory authority for the Urban Waters Federal Partnership Program. Under the program, the Environmental Protection Agency and other specified agencies must reconnect urban communities, particularly urban communities that are overburdened or economically distressed, with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies.
Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4]Transportation and Infrastructure; Natural Resources; AppropriationsIntroduced in House 07/25/2023
H.R.4902Voluntary Groundwater Conservation Act of 2023N/ARep. Caraveo, Yadira [D-CO-8]AgricultureIntroduced in House 07/26/2023
H.R.4959To require to Comptroller General to submit to Congress a report on the status of dams in the USDA watershed program.N/ARep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]Transportation and Infrastructure; Agriculture; Natural ResourcesIntroduced in House 07/27/2023
H.R.5009WILD ActN/ARep. Joyce, David [R-OH-14]Natural ResourcesIntroduced in House 07/27/2023
H.R.5016Water Efficiency, Conservation, and Sustainability Act of 2023N/ARep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49]Energy and CommerceIntroduced in House 07/27/2023
H.R.5085Protect America’s Children from Toxic Pesticides ActN/ARep. McGovern, James [D-MA-2]AgricultureIntroduced in House 07/28/2023
H.R.5104National Dam Safety Program Reauthorization Act of 2023N/ARep. Edwards, Chuck [R-NC-11]Transportation and InfrastructureIntroduced in House 08/01/2023
H.R.5131Erie Canal Bicentennial Commemorative Coin ActN/ARep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24]Financial ServicesIntroduced in House 08/01/2023
H.R.5205Coastal Fellowships ActN/ARep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]Natural ResourcesIntroduced in House 08/15/2023
H.R.5250Flooding Prevention, Assessment, and Restoration Act of 2023N/ARep. Davis, Donald [D-NC-1]AgricultureIntroduced in House 08/22/2023
H.R.5252EQIP Improvement Act of 2023N/ARep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]AgricultureIntroduced in House 08/22/2023
H.R.5257To amend the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 to enhance the long-term protection of watersheds, and for other purposes. N/ARep. Nunn, Zachary [R-IA-3]AgricultureIntroduced in House 08/22/2023
H.R.5304Safeguarding Our Levees ActN/ARep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9]Transportation and InfrastructureIntroduced in House 08/29/2023
H.J.Res.27Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense and the Environmental Protection Agency relating to “Revised Definition of ‘Waters of the United States'”This joint resolution nullifies the rule titled Revised Definition of “Waters of the United States,” which was submitted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency on January 18, 2023. The rule specifies which bodies of water fall under the scope of the Clean Water Act and are thereby under federal jurisdiction. The 2023 rule replaced a 2020 rule that included a narrower definition of waters of the United StatesRep. Graves, Sam [R-MO-6]Transportation and InfrastructureFailed to pass over Presidential veto 04/18/2023
H.Res.243 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the President and the Secretary of State should ensure that the Government of Canada does not permanently store nuclear waste in the Great Lakes Basin.This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Canada should not allow construction of a nuclear waste repository within the Great Lakes Basin and that the President and the Department of State should work with Canada to prevent such construction and craft a long-term solution for nuclear waste storage that does not threaten the Great Lakes.Rep. Kildee, Daniel T. [D-MI-8]Foreign AffairsIntroduced in House 03/22/2023
H.Res.319Recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal.This resolution calls for the creation of a Green New Deal with the goals of achieving greenhouse gas and toxic emissions reductions needed to stay under 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming; establishing millions of high-wage union jobs and ensuring economic security for all; investing in infrastructure and industry; securing clean air and water, climate and community resiliency, healthy food, access to nature, and a sustainable environment for all; and promoting justice and equality.Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14]Energy and Commerce; Science, Space, and Technology; Education and the Workforce; Transportation and Infrastructure; Agriculture; Natural Resources; Foreign Affairs; Financial Services; Judiciary; Ways and Means; Oversight and AccountabilityIntroduced in House 04/24/2023
Senate




S.64Water Rights Protection Act of 2023This bill prohibits the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture from conditioning the issuance, renewal, amendment, or extension of any permit or other land use or occupancy agreement (permit) on the transfer of any water right to the United States or on any impairment of title granted or otherwise recognized under state law by federal or state action.
Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]Energy and Natural ResourcesIntroduced in Senate 01/25/2023
S.115 Clean Water Allotment Modernization Act of 2023To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to modify certain allotments under that Act, and for other purposes.Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]Environment and Public WorksIntroduced in Senate 01/26/2023
S.660Water System Threat Preparedness and Resilience ActTo establish a program to increase drinking water and wastewater system threat preparedness and resilience, and for other purposes.Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]Environment and Public WorksIntroduced in Senate 03/06/2023
S.726Financing Lead Out of Water Act of 2023This bill allows the issuance of tax-exempt private activity bonds to finance the replacement of any privately-owned portion of a lead service line in a public water system. Specifically, the bill provides that the use of proceeds from such bonds for replacement of a lead service line does not constitute private business use.Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]FinanceIntroduced in Senate 03/09/2023
S.798Land and Water Conservation Fund Water Amendments Act of 2023This bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to provide financial assistance for water quality improvement projects from amounts made available under the Land and Water Conservation Fund.Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]Energy and Natural ResourcesIntroduced in Senate 03/14/2023
S.1430Water Systems PFAS Liability Protection ActTo exempt certain entities from liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 with respect to releases of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and for other purposes.Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-WY]Environment and Public WorksIntroduced in Senate 05/03/2023
S.1788A bill to require the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to update the Post-delisting Monitoring Plan for the Western Great Lakes Distinct Population Segment of the Gray Wolf, and for other purposes.
N/ASen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]Environment and Public WorksIntroduced in Senate 06/01/2023
S. 1895A bill to require the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to reissue a final rule removing the gray wolf from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. 
N/ASen. Johnson, Ron [R-WI]Environment and Public WorksIntroduced in Senate 06/08/2023
S.J.Res.7A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense and the Environmental Protection Agency relating to “Revised Definition of ‘Waters of the United States'”.
This joint resolution nullifies the rule titled Revised Definition of “Waters of the United States,” which was submitted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency on January 18, 2023. The rule specifies which bodies of water fall under the scope of the Clean Water Act and are thereby under federal jurisdiction. The 2023 rule replaced a 2020 rule that included a narrower definition of waters of the United States.Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV]Environment and Public WorksIntroduced in Senate 02/02/2023
S.J.Res.117A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the President and the Secretary of State should ensure that the Government of Canada does not permanently store nuclear waste in the Great Lakes Basin.Expressing the sense of the Senate that the President and the Secretary of State should ensure that the Government of Canada does not permanently store nuclear waste in the Great Lakes Basin.Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]Foreign RelationsIntroduced in Senate 03/22/2023

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