text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Water Infrastructure Resiliency and 
  Sustainability Act of 2011''.
  
  SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
  
      In this Act:
              (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
          Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
              (2) Hydrologic condition.--The term ``hydrologic 
          condition'' means the quality, quantity, or reliability of the 
          water resources of a region of the United States.
              (3) Owner or operator of a water system.--
                      (A) In general.--The term ``owner or operator of a 
                  water system'' means an entity (including a regional, 
                  State, tribal, local, municipal, or private entity) 
                  that owns or operates a water system.
                      (B) Inclusions.--The term ``owner or operator of a 
                  water system'' includes--
                              (i) a non-Federal entity that has 
                          operational responsibilities for a federally, 
                          tribally, or State-owned water system; and
                              (ii) an entity established by an agreement 
                          between--
                                      (I) an entity that owns or operates 
                                  a water system; and
                                      (II) at least 1 other entity.
              (4) Water system.--The term ``water system'' means--
                      (A) a community water system (as defined in section 
                  1401 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f));
                      (B) a treatment works (as defined in section 212 of 
                  the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 
                  1292)), including a municipal separate storm sewer 
                  system (as such term is used in that Act (33 U.S.C. 
                  1251 et seq.));
                      (C) a decentralized wastewater treatment system for 
                  domestic sewage;
                      (D) a groundwater storage and replenishment system;
                      (E) a system for transport and delivery of water 
                  for irrigation or conservation; or
                      (F) a natural or engineered system that manages 
                  floodwater.
  
  SEC. 3. WATER INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY.
  
      (a) Program.--The Administrator shall establish and implement a 
  program, to be known as the ``Water Infrastructure Resiliency and 
  Sustainability Program'', under which the Administrator shall award 
  grants for each of fiscal years 2012 through 2016 to owners or 
  operators of water systems for the purpose of increasing the resiliency 
  or adaptability of the water systems to any ongoing or forecasted 
  changes (based on the best available research and data) to the 
  hydrologic conditions of a region of the United States.
      (b) Use of Funds.--As a condition on receipt of a grant under this 
  Act, an owner or operator of a water system shall agree to use the 
  grant funds exclusively to assist in the planning, design, 
  construction, implementation, operation, or maintenance of a program or 
  project that meets the purpose described in subsection (a) by--
              (1) conserving water or enhancing water use efficiency, 
          including through the use of water metering and electronic 
          sensing and control systems to measure the effectiveness of a 
          water efficiency program;
              (2) modifying or relocating existing water system 
          infrastructure made or projected to be significantly impaired 
          by changing hydrologic conditions;
              (3) preserving or improving water quality, including 
          through measures to manage, reduce, treat, or reuse municipal 
          stormwater, wastewater, or drinking water;
              (4) investigating, designing, or constructing groundwater 
          remediation, recycled water, or desalination facilities or 
          systems to serve existing communities;
              (5) enhancing water management by increasing watershed 
          preservation and protection, such as through the use of natural 
          or engineered green infrastructure in the management, 
          conveyance, or treatment of water, wastewater, or stormwater;
              (6) enhancing energy efficiency or the use and generation 
          of renewable energy in the management, conveyance, or treatment 
          of water, wastewater, or stormwater;
              (7) supporting the adoption and use of advanced water 
          treatment, water supply management (such as reservoir 
          reoperation and water banking), or water demand management 
          technologies, projects, or processes (such as water reuse and 
          recycling, adaptive conservation pricing, and groundwater 
          banking) that maintain or increase water supply or improve 
          water quality;
              (8) modifying or replacing existing systems or constructing 
          new systems for existing communities or land that is being used 
          for agricultural production to improve water supply, 
          reliability, storage, or conveyance in a manner that--
                      (A) promotes conservation or improves the 
                  efficiency of use of available water supplies; and
                      (B) does not further exacerbate stresses on 
                  ecosystems or cause redirected impacts by degrading 
                  water quality or increasing net greenhouse gas 
                  emissions;
              (9) supporting practices and projects, such as improved 
          irrigation systems, water banking and other forms of water 
          transactions, groundwater recharge, stormwater capture, 
          groundwater conjunctive use, and reuse or recycling of drainage 
          water, to improve water quality or promote more efficient water 
          use on land that is being used for agricultural production;
              (10) reducing flood damage, risk, and vulnerability by--
                      (A) restoring floodplains, wetland, and upland 
                  integral to flood management, protection, prevention, 
                  and response;
                      (B) modifying levees, floodwalls, and other 
                  structures through setbacks, notches, gates, removal, 
                  or similar means to facilitate reconnection of rivers 
                  to floodplains, reduce flood stage height, and reduce 
                  damage to properties and populations;
                      (C) providing for acquisition and easement of 
                  flood-prone land and properties in order to reduce 
                  damage to property and risk to populations; or
                      (D) promoting land use planning that prevents 
                  future floodplain development;
              (11) conducting and completing studies or assessments to 
          project how changing hydrologic conditions may impact the 
          future operations and sustainability of water systems; or
              (12) developing and implementing measures to increase the 
          resilience of water systems and regional and hydrological 
          basins, including the Colorado River Basin, to rapid hydrologic 
          change or a natural disaster (such as tsunami, earthquake, 
          flood, or volcanic eruption).
      (c) Application.--To seek a grant under this Act, the owner or 
  operator of a water system shall submit to the Administrator an 
  application that--
              (1) includes a proposal for the program, strategy, or 
          infrastructure improvement to be planned, designed, 
          constructed, implemented, or maintained by the water system;
              (2) provides the best available research or data that 
          demonstrate--
                      (A) the risk to the water resources or 
                  infrastructure of the water system as a result of 
                  ongoing or forecasted changes to the hydrological 
                  system of a region, including rising sea levels and 
                  changes in precipitation patterns; and
                      (B) the manner in which the proposed program, 
                  strategy, or infrastructure improvement would perform 
                  under the anticipated hydrologic conditions;
              (3) describes the manner in which the proposed program, 
          strategy, or infrastructure improvement is expected--
                      (A) to enhance the resiliency of the water system, 
                  including source water protection for community water 
                  systems, to the anticipated hydrologic conditions; or
                      (B) to increase efficiency in the use of energy or 
                  water of the water system; and
              (4) describes the manner in which the proposed program, 
          strategy, or infrastructure improvement is consistent with an 
          applicable State, tribal, or local climate adaptation plan, if 
          any.
      (d) Priority.--
              (1) Water systems at greatest and most immediate risk.--In 
          selecting grantees under this Act, subject to section 4(b), the 
          Administrator shall give priority to owners or operators of 
          water systems that are, based on the best available research 
          and data, at the greatest and most immediate risk of facing 
          significant negative impacts due to changing hydrologic 
          conditions.
              (2) Goals.--In selecting among applicants described in 
          paragraph (1), the Administrator shall ensure that, to the 
          maximum extent practicable, the final list of applications 
          funded for each year includes a substantial number that propose 
          to use innovative approaches to meet 1 or more of the following 
          goals:
                      (A) Promoting more efficient water use, water 
                  conservation, water reuse, or recycling.
                      (B) Using decentralized, low-impact development 
                  technologies and nonstructural approaches, including 
                  practices that use, enhance, or mimic the natural 
                  hydrological cycle or protect natural flows.
                      (C) Reducing stormwater runoff or flooding by 
                  protecting or enhancing natural ecosystem functions.
                      (D) Modifying, upgrading, enhancing, or replacing 
                  existing water system infrastructure in response to 
                  changing hydrologic conditions.
                      (E) Improving water quality or quantity for 
                  agricultural and municipal uses, including through 
                  salinity reduction.
                      (F) Providing multiple benefits, including to water 
                  supply enhancement or demand reduction, water quality 
                  protection or improvement, increased flood protection, 
                  and ecosystem protection or improvement.
      (e) Cost-Sharing Requirement.--
              (1) Federal share.--The share of the cost of any program, 
          strategy, or infrastructure improvement that is the subject of 
          a grant awarded by the Administrator to the owner or operator 
          of a water system under subsection (a) paid through funds 
          distributed under this Act shall not exceed 50 percent of the 
          cost of the program, strategy, or infrastructure improvement.
              (2) Calculation of non-federal share.--In calculating the 
          non-Federal share of the cost of a program, strategy, or 
          infrastructure improvement proposed by a water system in an 
          application submitted under subsection (c), the Administrator 
          shall--
                      (A) include the value of any in-kind services that 
                  are integral to the completion of the program, 
                  strategy, or infrastructure improvement, including 
                  reasonable administrative and overhead costs; and
                      (B) not include any other amount that the water 
                  system involved receives from the Federal Government.
      (f) Report to Congress.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
  enactment of this Act, and every 3 years thereafter, the Administrator 
  shall submit to Congress a report that--
              (1) describes the progress in implementing this Act; and
              (2) includes information on project applications received 
          and funded annually under this Act.
  
  SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  
      (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry 
  out this Act $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2012 through 2016.
      (b) Reduction of Flood Damage, Risk, and Vulnerability.--Of the 
  amount made available to carry out this Act for a fiscal year, not more 
  than 20 percent may be made available to grantees for activities 
  described in subsection (b)(10).
target: Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Act of 2011 - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) establish the Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Program to provide grants to owners or operators of water systems for programs or projects to increase the resiliency or adaptability of the systems to any ongoing or forecasted changes to the hydrologic conditions of a U.S. region; and (2) give priority to owners or operators of water systems that are at the greatest and most immediate risk of facing significant negative impacts due to changing hydrologic conditions.
  
  Requires the Administrator to ensure that the list of grant applications funded include a substantial number that propose to use innovative approaches that: (1) promote more efficient water use, water conservation, water reuse, or recycling; (2) use decentralized, low-impact development technologies and nonstructural approaches, including practices that use, enhance, or mimic the natural hydrological cycle or protect natural flows; (3) reduce stormwater runoff or flooding by protecting or enhancing natural ecosystem functions; (4) modify, upgrade, enhance, or replace existing water system infrastructure in response to changing hydrologic conditions; (5) improve water quality or quantity for agricultural and municipal uses, including through salinity reduction; and (6) provide multiple benefits, including to water supply enhancement or demand reduction, water quality protection or improvement, increased flood protection, and ecosystem protection or improvement.
feat_title: A bill to authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a program of awarding grants to owners or operators of water systems to increase the resiliency or adaptability of the systems to any ongoing or forecasted changes to the hydrologic conditions of a region of the United States.