text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Clean Water Compliance and Ratepayer 
  Affordability Act of 2015''.
  
  SEC. 2. INTEGRATED MUNICIPAL STORMWATER AND WASTEWATER APPROACH 
                FRAMEWORK.
  
      (a) In General.--In the first 5 fiscal years beginning after the 
  date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental 
  Protection Agency, in coordination with appropriate State, local, and 
  regional authorities, shall carry out a pilot program under which the 
  Administrator shall work cooperatively with and facilitate the efforts 
  of municipalities to develop and implement integrated plans to meet 
  their wastewater and stormwater obligations under the Federal Water 
  Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) in a more cost-effective 
  and flexible manner.
      (b) Framework.--The Administrator shall carry out the pilot program 
  in a manner that is consistent with the Integrated Municipal Stormwater 
  and Wastewater Approach Framework issued by the Environmental 
  Protection Agency, dated May 2012.
      (c) Selection of Municipalities.--
              (1) In general.--The Administrator, in consultation with 
          States that have approved National Pollutant Discharge 
          Elimination System programs, shall select not fewer than 15 
          municipalities to participate in the pilot program each fiscal 
          year.
              (2) Eligibility of municipalities.--A municipality shall be 
          eligible to participate in the pilot program if the 
          municipality--
                      (A) is a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination 
                  System permit holder or designee; or
                      (B) is operating under an administrative order, 
                  administrative consent agreement, or judicial consent 
                  decree to comply with the requirements of the Federal 
                  Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.).
              (3) Factors.--In selecting municipalities under paragraph 
          (1), the Administrator shall--
                      (A) specifically focus on--
                              (i) municipalities that are operating under 
                          an administrative order, administrative consent 
                          agreement, or judicial consent decree to comply 
                          with the requirements of the Federal Water 
                          Pollution Control Act;
                              (ii) municipalities facing compliance 
                          issues under the Federal Water Pollution 
                          Control Act, in addition to the municipalities 
                          described in clause (i); and
                              (iii) municipalities that are affected by 
                          affordability constraints in planning and 
                          implementing control measures to address wet 
                          weather discharges from their wastewater and 
                          stormwater facilities; and
                      (B) give priority to eligible municipalities with a 
                  history of knowledgeable, detailed, and comprehensive 
                  efforts to develop integrated and adaptive clean water 
                  management practices, without regard to the status of 
                  the municipality in the process of planning or 
                  implementing such practices.
      (d) Approval of Integrated Plans.--
              (1) In general.--In approving the integrated plan of a 
          municipality under the pilot program, the Administrator shall--
                      (A) account for the financial capability of the 
                  municipality to adequately address the requirements of 
                  the Federal Water Pollution Control Act that apply to 
                  the municipality;
                      (B) prioritize the obligations of the municipality 
                  under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act according 
                  to the most cost-effective and environmentally 
                  beneficial outcomes;
                      (C) account for the maintenance, operational, and 
                  regulatory obligations of the municipality; and
                      (D) enable the municipality to implement innovative 
                  and flexible approaches to meet the obligations of the 
                  municipality under the Federal Water Pollution Control 
                  Act.
              (2) Use of adaptive management approaches.--
                      (A) Priority.--In selecting municipalities to 
                  participate in the program, the Administrator may give 
                  priority to a municipality that is seeking to develop 
                  and implement an integrated plan that includes adaptive 
                  approaches to account for changed or future uncertain 
                  circumstances.
                      (B) Types of adaptive approaches.--Adaptive 
                  approaches referred to in subparagraph (A) include, at 
                  a minimum--
                              (i) the use of new innovative technical or 
                          institutional approaches; and
                              (ii) the ability to adapt the integrated 
                          plan in response to new regulatory requirements 
                          and reductions in financial capability.
              (3) Additional authorities.--In carrying out the pilot 
          program, the Administrator may, in full coordination and mutual 
          agreement with a municipality selected to participate in the 
          pilot program--
                      (A) extend the allowable national pollutant 
                  discharge elimination system permit term under section 
                  402 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 
                  U.S.C. 1342) to a maximum of 25 years, and make 
                  corresponding changes to any associated implementation 
                  schedule;
                      (B) modify the implementation terms of a consent 
                  decree entered into by the municipality with the 
                  Administrator pursuant to that Act; and
                      (C) provide additional regulatory flexibility under 
                  that Act in approving and implementing an integrated 
                  plan that includes adaptive approaches in order to 
                  encourage the innovation integral to such approaches.
      (e) Municipality Defined.--In this section, the term 
  ``municipality'' means a county, city, town, township, or subdivision 
  of a State or local government.
      (f) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
  enactment of this Act, and each year thereafter for 5 years, the 
  Administrator shall transmit to Congress a report on the results of the 
  pilot program, including a description of the specific outcomes 
  expected to be achieved that will reduce the costs of complying with 
  the requirements of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act for 
  municipalities participating in the program and similarly situated 
  municipalities.
target: Clean Water Compliance and Ratepayer Affordability Act of 2015  This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to carry out a pilot program to facilitate the efforts of at least 15 municipalities to develop and implement integrated plans to meet their wastewater and stormwater obligations under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) in a cost-effective and flexible manner and consistent with the Integrated Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater Approach Framework issued by the EPA in May 2012. A municipality is eligible to participate in the pilot program if the municipality is: (1) a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit holder or designee; or (2) operating under an administrative order, administrative consent agreement, or judicial consent decree to comply with the requirements of the Clean Water Act. The EPA may give priority to municipalities seeking to develop and implement an integrated plan that includes approaches that adapt to changed or future uncertain circumstances. In carrying out the pilot program and in mutual agreement with participating municipalities, the EPA may: (1) extend the allowable NPDES permit term by up to 25 years, (2) modify the implementation terms of a consent decree, and (3) provide additional regulatory flexibility in approving and implementing an integrated plan that includes adaptive approaches.
feat_title: Clean Water Compliance and Ratepayer Affordability Act of 2015