Southeast New England Program Authorization Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- S. 4350
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Environmental Protection
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-21: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S1859)
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-14T16:47:40Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The legislation aims to protect, enhance, and restore the coastal watersheds of southeast New England (covering Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts that drain into waters between Long Island Sound and the Gulf of Maine) by creating a new federal program within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to fund and implement related projects.
Key Provisions
- Program Establishment: Creates the "Southeast New England Program" in the EPA to develop, fund, and advance protection and restoration projects in collaboration with regional partners.
- Grant Program:
- Supports projects to reduce pollution, restore contaminated sites, protect ecosystems/habitat, improve water quality, monitor watersheds, reduce stormwater runoff, build resilience, support workforce training/education, or provide technical assistance.
- Eligible recipients: States, counties/local governments, federally recognized Indian tribes, regional planning organizations, nonprofits, and institutions of higher education.
- Federal funding covers up to 75% of costs (requires 25% non-federal match).
- Coordination: EPA must coordinate federal agencies on water quality and living resources in these watersheds.
- EPA Authorities: Allows interagency agreements, working groups, contracts for services, and dedicated staffing.
- Funding: Authorizes $30 million annually for fiscal years 2027–2031 (funds remain available until spent); limits 10% of grants for technical assistance and 5% for administrative costs.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) by adding a new Section 127 to Title I.
- Introduces a regionally targeted program for southeast New England watersheds, which did not previously exist under the Clean Water Act; similar to existing EPA programs for other areas (e.g., Chesapeake Bay or Great Lakes) but specific to this region.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases EPA workload and funding needs; promotes interagency coordination, potentially improving efficiency in federal water resource management.
- Citizens and Communities: Enhances local water quality, habitat, and resilience to climate/storm risks in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, benefiting residents through cleaner environments, recreation, and economic opportunities (e.g., workforce training).
- No direct international relations impact, as it focuses on domestic U.S. watersheds.
Main Stakeholders
- Primary: EPA (leads program), state/local governments in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, federally recognized Indian tribes.
- Others: Nonprofits, universities, regional planning groups, local communities, and workforce/education programs in the affected watersheds.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Expands EPA's grant-making authority under the Clean Water Act without altering core pollution control standards; includes standard cost-sharing to leverage non-federal funds.
- Constitutional: Routine congressional spending authorization; no apparent challenges to federalism, as it involves voluntary grants to states/locals.
- Political: Bipartisan regional focus (sponsored by Senators from Rhode Island and Massachusetts); signals congressional priority on targeted coastal restoration amid climate concerns, potentially setting precedent for similar regional programs elsewhere.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (3)
Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI], Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA], Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-21: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S1859)
- 2026-04-21: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Southeast New England Program Authorization Act of 2026 — issued 2026-04-21 — PDF (5 pages)