The EPA announced an application process for $14 million worth of grants to help reduce nutrients in the Great Lakes Basin. The grants will be focused on reducing nutrients from agricultural and stormwater runoff and are being issued pursuant to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) action plan. NACWA has successfully advocated in recent years for strong federal funding for EPA’s geographical programs like the GLRI and is pleased to see the funds being made available.

The House Appropriations Committee passed its Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) Interior & Environment Appropriations bill on May 22, which funds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and included a significant increase for key EPA programs. This occurred on the same day President Trump broke off discussions with Congressional leaders on a comprehensive infrastructure package.

Important bipartisan legislation was introduced by US House Representatives Lori Trahan (D-MA) and Darin LaHood (R-IL) on May 15 to extend the authorization of the Clean Water Act, Section 221 Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Control Grants, which provides grants to states and municipal entities for treatment works to intercept, transport, control, treat, or reuse municipal combined sewer overflows; sanitary sewer overflows; and/or stormwater.

US House Representatives Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) and Steve Stivers (R-OH)—Co-Chairs of the bipartisan House Municipal Finance Caucus—introduced The Investing in Our Communities Act (H.R. 2772) on May 15, which would amend the federal tax code to reinstate the option for a single advance refunding of municipal bonds.

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) held a legislative hearing on May 22, to consider numerous bills for addressing PFAS concerns that have been introduced this congressional session.