This bill, signed into law on July 8, 2026, requires all counties in Hawaii to allow the installation and operation of rainwater catchment systems on any property, regardless of whether it is connected to a public water system. The legislation defines these systems as setups that collect and store rainwater from rooftops for uses such as irrigation, toilet flushing, and cleaning. While counties must permit these systems, the law also allows local governments to require registration, inspection, or notification if necessary to protect public health or water quality. This change aims to reduce strain on public infrastructure and support sustainable water management across the state.
This bill establishes a new revolving loan fund to help Hawaii homeowners afford the high costs of converting outdated cesspools into approved wastewater systems or connecting to sewer lines. Administered by the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, the program will offer low-interest or forgivable loans, prioritizing low- and moderate-income households, to assist with these necessary upgrades. The law also directs the Department of Health to transfer money from an existing water pollution control fund to help start and maintain this new lending program. By creating a dedicated financing source, the legislation aims to accelerate the cleanup of cesspools that currently threaten public health and the environment.
The FLOOD Act amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to incorporate emergency watershed protection measures from the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978. This change directly affects farmers and landowners by expanding the legal framework available for addressing urgent water-related issues on agricultural land. By adding this specific reference to existing law, the bill ensures that current emergency protocols for watershed protection are formally recognized within the broader food security legislation. The provision does not create new funding or alter eligibility criteria but rather integrates an existing set of measures into the statutory text.
The CURRENT Act modifies the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to streamline how states and federal agencies issue certifications for energy and transmission projects. It requires these agencies to publish clear certification rules, set a strict one-year deadline to decide on requests, and base decisions solely on whether a project will violate specific water quality laws. The bill also mandates that denials or conditions must be supported by clear and convincing evidence showing no reasonable way exists to meet environmental standards, while protecting applicants from having certifications reopened without a court order. Additionally, it establishes a fast-track judicial review process for energy projects, requiring courts to issue final rulings within 120 days.
This Pennsylvania bill creates a new tax incentive to encourage the installation of green infrastructure, such as rain gardens, green roofs, and permeable pavement, on properties within the state. It defines "green infrastructure" as stormwater management practices that reduce or reuse runoff and sets rules for claiming a tax credit based on qualified costs like design, materials, and installation. To receive the credit, taxpayers must complete a certified project and submit detailed documentation to the Department of Revenue, while excluding costs covered by grants or routine maintenance. The legislation also updates the legal definition of "tax credit" to include this new program alongside existing state tax benefits.
Senate, July 9, 2026 -- The committee on Environment and Natural Resources, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 606) of Barry R. Finegold for legislation relative to further testing after a combined sewage overflow event; and (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 608) of Patricia D. Jehlen relative to combined sewer overflows, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 3154).
The Clean Water Allotment Modernization Act of 2026 updates how federal funding for water pollution control is distributed among states, Indian tribes, and U.S. territories. It requires the Environmental Protection Agency to set aside specific portions of funds for oversight and tribes before calculating state shares, while also introducing a new formula that allocates money based on watershed needs, population size, and poverty levels. The bill includes safeguards to prevent funding amounts for any single state from changing drastically from one year to the next and allows states to use a small percentage of their grants to conduct the necessary assessments for this new formula. Additionally, the legislation clarifies that these changes do not affect existing infrastructure funds and expands the allowable uses of capitalization grants to include technical assistance and survey activities.
The Farmers and Ranchers Relief Act of 2026 aims to simplify the permitting process for landowners by changing how federal rules regarding the discharge of dredged or fill material are interpreted. Specifically, the bill directs regulators to broadly allow discharges that do not harm fish or wildlife while strictly limiting the ability to revoke permits later. By amending the Clean Water Act, the legislation seeks to reduce the number of required permits for agricultural and ranching activities involving earth-moving or water management. These changes are intended to provide more flexibility for farmers and ranchers without altering the underlying environmental protections of the law.
This bill creates a new State Standing Committee within the Environmental Protection Agency to provide scientific and technical advice on major environmental laws. The committee will consist of unpaid, voluntary members from every state, federal district, territory, and federally recognized tribe, who must be employees of local environmental or natural resource agencies. Members will offer advice to the EPA Administrator and the Science Advisory Board on specific issues like air and water quality, with the Administrator required to publish these views online within 30 days. Additionally, the bill updates reporting requirements so the EPA must annually submit reports on the committee's activities to Congress. The Federal Advisory Committee Act will not apply to this new group, and the Science Advisory Board will also be required to report its activities to Congress.
This bill creates a new regulatory framework in Pennsylvania to manage water use by large commercial entities, specifically targeting data centers and other facilities that consume significant amounts of water without returning it to natural sources. It requires these "extraordinary" nonmunicipal users to register with the state and submit detailed reports on their water consumption, while also imposing a new fee on their usage. The collected fees will be placed into dedicated funds to support watershed monitoring, critical water planning areas, and environmental restoration projects, and the bill establishes a process to ask voters if the state should be allowed to take on debt for water-related environmental initiatives. Additionally, the Department of Environmental Protection will be given specific duties to enforce these rules, including requiring preconstruction notifications from major water users, and the act includes penalties for non-compliance.