Sec. 3154. Support for innovative water supply and conservation technologies
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To promote the development of innovative water supply and conservation technologies, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (referred to in this section as the Administrator ) may award, on a competitive basis, grants and enter into contracts to assist in the financing of research and demonstration projects for those innovative technologies. To be eligible to receive an award under this section, an entity shall be— a local entity; a public nonprofit institution or organization; a commercial entity; a federally recognized Indian tribe; or a nonprofit institution or organization. The Administrator shall establish criteria for an entity described in subsection
(b)to be eligible to receive a grant from, or enter into a contract with, the Administrator under this section, including— demonstration of the technical feasibility of the proposal and the qualifications of the entity to carry out the proposal; demonstration of the financial capability and creditworthiness of non-Federal project sponsors; compliance with all applicable laws and receipt of all necessary local, State, and Federal permits; and quantification of the estimated water to be produced or saved by the project and the net cost of the project. The Administrator shall establish criteria for evaluating on a competitive basis eligible applicants under this section, including the degree to which the proposed technology— proposes an innovation that has broad, fundamental implications for water savings or water supply; is economically feasible; could reduce the costs of water supply, including reductions in associated energy costs; would solve environmental concerns or provide environmental benefits; has a proof of concept, and a likely path to success within a reasonable timeframe; and is aimed at the development of a specific water saving or water supply application, as opposed to basic research aimed at discovery and fundamental knowledge generation. In carrying out research under this section, the Administrator may engage such personnel, industrial or engineering entities, Federal laboratories, water resources research and technology institutions, other facilities, and educational institutions as the Administrator determines to be necessary. The Administrator may— accept technical and administrative assistance from States and public or private agencies in connection with studies, surveys, location, construction, operation, and other work relating to the desalting of water; and enter into contracts or agreements that— establish the purposes for which the assistance is contributed; and provide for the sharing of costs between the Administrator and any such agency. Subject to paragraph (2), the Federal share of the cost of a project under this section shall not exceed 25 percent, unless the Administrator determines that the project is not feasible without an increased Federal contribution. Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Federal share of the cost of a project under this section shall not exceed 50 percent of the total project cost. The Administrator shall prescribe appropriate procedures to implement this section. The costs of operation, maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation of any facility funded under this section shall be a non-Federal responsibility. There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $35,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2016 through 2020.