RESTART Communities Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8238
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Environmental Protection
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-09: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-04T08:07:35Z
AI-Generated Summary
RESTART Communities Act of 2026 (H.R. 8238)
Purpose
This bill directs the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to collaborate on promoting economic recovery at sites contaminated by hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants (eligible sites). The goal is to support job creation, infrastructure improvements, and community benefits before, during, and after environmental cleanup.
Key Provisions
- Interagency Coordination: EDA's Assistant Secretary and EPA's Administrator must conduct joint activities, potentially via a memorandum of understanding (MOU) or similar agreement.
- Specific Activities:
- Create processes for timely support, including access to technical assistance, federal grants/loans (with fair competition), and best practices focused on community engagement, environmental justice (fair treatment for disadvantaged communities), and distressed areas.
- Gather public input from communities.
- Develop and share tools, metrics, and resources for successful revitalization.
- Collect and share data to track progress.
- Offer education, training, and workforce programs, such as internships, curriculum development, and professional development (subject to funding).
- Consultation: Agencies may work with federal, state, local, Tribal, or territorial governments.
- Reporting Requirement: Joint report to Congress within 3 years on activities, achievements, workforce efforts, and expansion opportunities.
- Definitions:
- Eligible site: Any contaminated location (e.g., former factories) where EDA or EPA has provided funding, resources, technical help, or stakeholder engagement.
- Economic revitalization: Efforts to create/retain private-sector jobs and upgrade infrastructure.
- Site stakeholder: Any non-EDA/EPA entity involved in revitalization.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces a formal mandate for ongoing EDA-EPA collaboration on economic revitalization at contaminated sites, which was not previously required by statute.
- No explicit amendments to prior laws; focuses on new coordination mechanisms rather than altering existing programs.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: EDA and EPA gain authority (and responsibility) for joint processes, data sharing, and reporting, potentially streamlining brownfield (contaminated land) redevelopment but requiring new resources.
- Citizens and Communities: Could accelerate job growth, infrastructure upgrades, and safer environments in economically distressed areas, especially benefiting low-income or pollution-impacted neighborhoods through training and engagement.
- International Relations: None apparent.
Main Stakeholders
- Primary: EDA (Department of Commerce) and EPA.
- Secondary: Site stakeholders (e.g., local businesses, developers, nonprofits); state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments; surrounding communities.
- Oversight: Congressional committees (Senate Environment and Public Works; House Energy and Commerce; House Transportation and Infrastructure).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Authorizes flexible interagency tools (e.g., MOU) without mandating new funding, relying on existing appropriations; emphasizes open competition for grants/loans to avoid favoritism.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's spending and commerce powers; promotes federalism via consultations with state/Tribal entities.
- Political: Encourages environmental justice and workforce development, potentially appealing across party lines for economic recovery in contaminated areas; introduced by Reps. Stevens (D) and Mrvan (D) in the 119th Congress.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11]
Cosponsors (2)
Rep. Mrvan, Frank J. [D-IN-1], Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17]
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-09: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-04-09: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-04-09: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-04-09: Introduced in House
- 2026-04-09: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Revitalization Efforts for Sustainable Transformation And Remediation for Thriving Communities Act of 2026 — issued 2026-04-09 — PDF (8 pages)