SenateS. 5578119th Congress
A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to establish the Hawaiian Islands Program, and for other purposes.
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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5578 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5578
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to establish the
Hawaiian Islands Program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 29, 2026
Ms. Hirono introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to establish the
Hawaiian Islands Program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. HAWAIIAN ISLANDS PROGRAM.
Title I of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 127. HAWAIIAN ISLANDS PROGRAM.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Director.--The term `Director' means the director of
the Office appointed under subsection (b)(3)(A).
``(2) Management conference.--The term `management
conference' means the management conference convened pursuant
to subsection (c)(1).
``(3) Office.--The term `Office' means the office required
under subsection (b)(2).
``(4) Program.--The term `Program' means the Hawaiian
Islands Program established under subsection (b)(1).
``(5) Responsible management entity.--The term `responsible
management entity' means an organization consisting of diverse
stakeholders with technical, managerial, and financial capacity
to operate and maintain viable decentralized wastewater systems
within the jurisdiction of the organization.
``(6) Small-capacity cesspool.--The term `small-capacity
cesspool' means an underground sanitary waste system that--
``(A) is connected to 1 single-family residence and
serves no other structures; and
``(B) receives only residential sanitary waste.
``(b) Program.--
``(1) Establishment.--The Administrator shall establish in
the Environmental Protection Agency a program, to be known as
the `Hawaiian Islands Program', to address holistic clean water
issues that are distinct due to the unique geographies,
ecosystems, and climates in the State of Hawaii by providing
funding and research assistance.
``(2) Location.--The Program shall have an office in the
State of Hawaii.
``(3) Director.--
``(A) Appointment.--The Office shall have a
director, to be appointed by the Administrator.
``(B) Duties.--The Director shall--
``(i) conduct or commission studies
determined necessary for strengthened
implementation of the comprehensive action plan
under subsection (d);
``(ii) coordinate the funding, research,
and planning programs authorized under this
section;
``(iii) develop and implement strategies to
increase public education and awareness with
respect to the ecological health and water
quality conditions of the watersheds and
coastal waters in the State of Hawaii;
``(iv) convene the management conference
and provide administrative and technical
support to that management conference;
``(v) collect and make available to the
public (including on a publicly accessible
website) publications and other information
that the management conference determines to be
appropriate with respect to the environmental
quality of the watersheds and coastal waters of
the State of Hawaii;
``(vi) monitor the progress made toward
meeting the goals, actions, and schedules
included in the comprehensive action plan under
subsection (d), including through the
implementation and support of monitoring
systems for the ecological health and water
quality conditions of the watersheds and
coastal waters of the State of Hawaii; and
``(vii) convene conferences and meetings
for legislators from the government of the
State of Hawaii, including subdivisions of the
State of Hawaii, for the purpose of making
recommendations for coordinating legislative
efforts to facilitate the environmental
restoration of the watersheds and coastal
waters of the State of Hawaii and the
implementation of the comprehensive action plan
under subsection (d).
``(4) Staffing.--The Director may hire such additional
personnel as may be necessary to carry out the duties of the
Director under paragraph (3).
``(c) Management Conference.--
``(1) In general.--The Director shall, in consultation with
the State of Hawaii, convene a management conference to develop
the comprehensive action plan under subsection (d).
``(2) Membership.--The management conference shall be
composed of--
``(A) Federal, State, and local government
stakeholders and nonprofit organizations in the State
of Hawaii with proven expertise in wastewater and
drinking water systems infrastructure, watershed
restoration and aquifer water quality protection,
coastal wetlands research, and aquatic resource
management, as determined by the Director, in
consultation with the State of Hawaii; and
``(B) stakeholders from Native Hawaiian
organizations (as defined in section 6207 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 7517)) with proven expertise in relevant
traditional ecological knowledge, as determined by the
Director, in consultation with the State of Hawaii.
``(d) Comprehensive Action Plan.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of this section, the management conference shall, in
consultation with the State of Hawaii, develop a comprehensive
action plan that identifies and prioritizes needs for the State
of Hawaii, including--
``(A) conversions of small-capacity cesspools, with
a focus on converting small-capacity cesspools that
pose the greatest risk to human and environmental
health;
``(B) environmental remediation to restore and
improve aquifer water quality and recharge rates of the
watersheds and coastal waters of the State of Hawaii,
including with respect to groundwater contamination
caused by failing wastewater systems; and
``(C) coastal wetlands monitoring, research, and
management--
``(i) to reduce pollution and erosion;
``(ii) to conserve native flora and fauna,
including aquatic species, with a focus on
endemic species and the habitats of those flora
and fauna; and
``(iii) to mitigate damage from coastal
flooding.
``(2) Revision.--The management conference shall revise the
comprehensive action plan developed under paragraph (1) not
less frequently than once every 5 years.
``(e) Annual Priority List.--Beginning after the management
conference finalizes the first comprehensive action plan under
subsection (d), the management conference shall annually compile a
priority list, consistent with the comprehensive action plan,
identifying and prioritizing projects, activities, and studies to be
carried out using amounts made available to carry out this section.
``(f) Projects, Activities, and Studies.--The Director may provide
funding through cooperative agreements, grants, interagency agreements,
contracts, or other funding mechanisms to Federal, State, or local
agencies, special districts, responsible management entities, public or
nonprofit agencies, and other public or private entities, institutions,
and organizations for projects, activities, and studies identified on
the annual priority list under subsection (e).
``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--
``(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated
to carry out the Program $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years
2028 through 2032.
``(2) Limitation.--Of the amounts made available under
paragraph (1) each fiscal year, not more than 4 percent may be
used for administrative purposes to carry out this section.''.
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