This bill directs the U.S. Government Accountability Office (Comptroller General) to start a full review of all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) technical assistance related to clean water. The GAO must begin the review no later than one year after the law is enacted. The review must describe the types of assistance available to States, Tribes, local governments, and nonprofits, and summarize activities in the five years before the law.
The GAO review must examine the EPA Water Technical Assistance initiative (called the "WaterTA initiative"). It must explain how the EPA selects and works with technical assistance providers, including selection criteria, evaluation processes, contracting, coordination with State and Tribal partners, how providers are matched to community needs, outreach to communities in need (including economically distressed communities), the scope of help provided, and a list of communities that received help with the type and cost of assistance and outcomes.
The GAO must also analyze duplication across EPA programs, evaluate how technical assistance helps communities access other EPA water infrastructure programs, assess unmet needs of economically distressed communities, and review coordination with other Federal agencies. After the GAO finishes the review, it must send a report with findings and recommendations to two congressional committees.
The EPA Administrator must send a plan within 90 days after the GAO report describing actions taken to follow GAO recommendations, and then update that plan yearly for five years. The bill defines "covered technical assistance" as any EPA technical assistance authority, initiative, or program related to clean water infrastructure.
If you are in a State, Tribal nation, local government, or nonprofit that gets EPA clean-water technical help, this bill would lead to a GAO review of how that help is provided. The review would include a list of communities that received help and the reported types, costs, and outcomes. The EPA would need to report steps it takes to respond to GAO recommendations for five years.
If you are in an economically distressed community, the bill requires the GAO to assess whether your needs are being met and how outreach to such communities is done.
No publicly available information on the bill�s costs or on dedicated funding in the bill text. The bill sets reporting and review tasks for the GAO and reporting requirements for the EPA but does not specify funding or estimated expenses.
No publicly available information in the bill text or metadata about supporters' statements or their reasons.
No publicly available information in the bill text or metadata about opponents' statements or their reasons.