H.R. 6422 · Passed House · Environmental Protection

American Water Stewardship Act

Sponsor: Pete Stauber (R-MN)

What it does

• Reauthorizes through fiscal year 2031 the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Long Island Sound Partnership, Columbia River Basin Restoration Program, National Estuary Program, and BEACH Act program.
• Establishes the Mississippi Sound as an estuary of national significance eligible for support under the National Estuary Program.
• Allows states and local governments to use BEACH Act grants to identify sources of contamination in coastal recreation waters.
• Prohibits funding for specified Clean Water Act programs in fiscal years 2026–2031 from going to nonfederal entities with ties to foreign countries of concern.

Official summary

American Water Stewardship Act This bill reauthorizes several water quality protection and restoration programs of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and makes related requirements. Specifically, the bill reauthorizes through FY2031 the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the Long Island Sound Partnership program, the Columbia River Basin Restoration Program, the National Estuary Program, and the BEACH Act program. The bill also modifies some of those programs. For example, the bill modifies the National Estuary Program, including by establishing the Mississippi Sound as an estuary of national significance that may receive support under the program. It also modifies the BEACH Act program, including by allowing states or local governments to use grants provided under the program to identify specific sources of contamination for coastal recreation waters adjacent to beaches or similar points of access that are used by the public. Additionally, the bill modifies the San Francisco Estuary Partnership, including by making federal agencies eligible for grants provided under the program. The bill also prohibits funding made available for FY2026-FY2031 to carry out specified Clean…

Latest action

Mar 25, 2026: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Committee: Senate Environment and Public Works