Sec. 5010. Water infrastructure and workforce investment
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It is the sense of Congress that— water and wastewater utilities provide a unique opportunity for access to stable, high-quality careers; as water and wastewater utilities make critical investments in infrastructure, water and wastewater utilities can invest in the development of local workers and local small businesses to strengthen communities and ensure a strong pipeline of skilled and diverse workers for today and tomorrow; and to further the goal of ensuring a strong pipeline of skilled and diverse workers in the water and wastewater utilities sector, Congress urges— increased collaboration among Federal, State, and local governments; and institutions of higher education, apprentice programs, high schools, and other community-based organizations to align workforce training programs and community resources with water and wastewater utilities to accelerate career pipelines and provide access to workforce opportunities.
In this section, the term intractable water system means a community water system or a noncommunity water system (as those terms are defined in section 1401 of the Safe Drinking Water Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300f )) that— that serves fewer than 1,000 individuals; and the owner or operator of which— is unable or unwilling to provide safe and adequate service to those individuals; has abandoned or effectively abandoned the community water system or noncommunity water system, as applicable; has defaulted on a financial obligation relating to the community water system or noncommunity water system, as applicable; fails to maintain the facilities of the community water system or noncommunity water system, as applicable, in a manner so as to prevent a potential public health hazard; or is in significant noncompliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300f et seq.) or any regulation promulgated pursuant to that Act.
The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (referred to in this section as the Administrator ) and the Secretary shall establish a competitive grant program to assist the development of innovative activities relating to workforce development in the water utility sector. In awarding grants under paragraph (1), the Administrator or the Secretary, as applicable, shall, to the maximum extent practicable, select— water utilities that— are geographically diverse; address the workforce and human resources needs of large and small public water and wastewater utilities; address the workforce and human resources needs of urban and rural public water and wastewater utilities; advance training relating to construction, utility operations, treatment and distribution, green infrastructure, customer service, maintenance, and engineering; and have a high retiring workforce rate; or are located in areas with a high unemployment rate; or intractable water systems.
Grants awarded under paragraph
(1)may be used for activities such as— targeted internship, apprenticeship, preapprenticeship, and post-secondary bridge programs for mission-critical skilled trades, in collaboration with labor organizations, community colleges, and other training and education institutions that provide— on-the-job training; soft and hard skills development; test preparation for skilled trade apprenticeships; or other support services to facilitate post-secondary success; kindergarten through 12th grade and young adult education programs that— educate young people about the role of water and wastewater utilities in the communities of the young people; increase the career awareness and exposure of the young people to water utility careers through various work-based learning opportunities inside and outside the classroom; and connect young people to post-secondary career pathways related to water utilities; regional industry and workforce development collaborations to identify water utility employment needs, map existing career pathways, support the development of curricula, facilitate the sharing of resources, and coordinate candidate development, staff preparedness efforts, and activities that engage and support— water utilities employers; educational and training institutions; local community-based organizations; public workforce agencies; and other related stakeholders; integrated learning laboratories embedded in high schools or other secondary educational institutions that provide students with— hands-on, contextualized learning opportunities; dual enrollment credit for post-secondary education and training programs; and direct connection to industry employers; and leadership development, occupational training, mentoring, or cross-training programs that ensure that incumbent water and wastewater utilities workers are prepared for higher-level supervisory or management-level positions. There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section.
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Sec. 5010
Water infrastructure and workforce investment
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