American Water Stewardship Act

This bill would reauthorize several Environmental Protection Agency water quality programs through fiscal year 2031, including the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the National Estuary Program. It proposes to expand program eligibility to include the Mississippi Sound as an estuary of national significance and would allow grant funding to be used for identifying contamination sources at public beaches. Additionally, the bill would prohibit certain Clean Water Act funding from being provided to nonfederal entities with specific ties to foreign countries of concern.

The bill affects federal agencies, state and local governments, and nonfederal entities involved in water quality restoration programs, specifically those operating within the Great Lakes, Long Island Sound, Columbia River Basin, and San Francisco Estuary. The Mississippi Sound is designated as an estuary of national significance, making it eligible for support under the National Estuary Program. Additionally, nonfederal entities with specific legal or business ties to foreign countries of concern are prohibited from receiving funding for certain Clean Water Act programs through fiscal year 2031.

• Reauthorization of EPA water quality programs. The bill extends funding authorization through fiscal year 2031 for several initiatives, including the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the Long Island Sound Partnership, the Columbia River Basin Restoration Program, the National Estuary Program, and the BEACH Act program.
• Expansion of the National Estuary Program. The legislation designates the Mississippi Sound as an estuary of national significance, making it eligible for support under the existing program.
• Modifications to coastal and estuary grants. The bill allows BEACH Act grants to be used for identifying specific contamination sources at public coastal recreation waters and makes federal agencies eligible for San Francisco Estuary Partnership grants.
• Funding restrictions for foreign countries of concern. The bill prohibits Clean Water Act program funding from being provided to nonfederal entities with specific ties to foreign countries of concern, including those domiciled in or organized under such nations.
• GAO evaluation of geographic programs. The Government Accountability Office is directed to conduct an evaluation and issue a report regarding specific geographic programs managed by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The bill's provisions regarding program reauthorizations and funding restrictions for nonfederal entities with ties to foreign countries of concern apply to fiscal years 2026 through 2031.

This bill reauthorizes and modifies several existing Environmental Protection Agency water quality programs, including the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the National Estuary Program, and the BEACH Act program. It also places new restrictions on funding eligibility for nonfederal entities under specified Clean Water Act programs through fiscal year 2031.

The bill aims to maintain and enhance national water quality by reauthorizing and modifying several Environmental Protection Agency restoration programs through fiscal year 2031. It seeks to protect public health and ecosystems by funding contamination identification at beaches, expanding estuary protections, and restricting federal funding for entities associated with foreign countries of concern.