Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Colonia Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2021”.
Colonia Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2021
A BILL
To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 to reauthorize certain grant programs providing assistance to colonias, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Drinking water assistance to colonias
Section 1456 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–16) is amended—
in subsection (a)—
by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and
by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraph:
“(2) Covered entity—The term covered entity means each of the following:
“(A) A border State.
“(B) A local government with jurisdiction over an eligible community.”
in subsection (b), by striking “border State” and inserting “covered entity”;
by striking subsection (d);
by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (d); and
in subsection (d), as so redesignated—
by striking “$25,000,000” and inserting “$100,000,000”; and
by striking “1997 through 1999” and inserting “2022 through 2026”.
Sec. 3 Wastewater assistance to colonias
Section 307 of the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 (33 U.S.C. 1281 note) is amended—
in subsection (a)—
by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively; and
by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
“(2) Covered entity—The term covered entity means each of the following:
“(A) A border State.
“(B) A local government with jurisdiction over an eligible community.”
in subsection (b), by striking “border State” and inserting “covered entity”;
by striking subsection (d);
by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (d); and
in subsection (d), as so redesignated—
by striking “$25,000,000” and inserting “$100,000,000”; and
by striking “1997 through 1999” and inserting “2022 through 2026”.
Sec. 4 Colonias state of good repair grant program
In general— Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall establish a program under which the Secretary may award grants to assist projects that—
facilitate the state of good repair of surface infrastructure; and
are carried out in, or for the benefit of, a colonia.
Eligible entities— The Secretary may award a grant under this section to the following:
A State.
A metropolitan planning organization.
A unit of local government.
A Federal land management agency.
A Tribal Government.
Colonia defined— In this section, the term colonia means a low-income community with economic hardship that—
is commonly referred to as a colonia; and
is located along the United States-Mexico border (generally in an unincorporated area).
Authorization of appropriations— There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $125,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2025.