H.R. 6353: To waive certain requirements under section 306018 of title 54, United States Code, with respect to undertakings to upgrade public water systems and treatment works.

This bill proposes to modify specific regulatory requirements regarding public water systems and treatment works. In particular, it seeks to waive certain provisions under section 306018 of title 54 of the United States Code, also known as section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The key points of the bill are as follows:

Waiver of Section 106 Requirements

The bill states that the section 106 requirements will not apply to projects, activities, or programs aimed at:

• Rehabilitating or upgrading public water systems and treatment works.
• When the entity responsible for the undertaking requests to be excluded from these requirements.

Definitions

To provide clarity, the bill defines certain terms:

• Public water system: As defined in section 1401 of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
• Responsible agency: The federal agency in charge of the undertaking or the agency that has licensing authority over the undertaking.
• Section 106 requirements: Refers to specific regulations that are outlined in title 54, U.S. Code, and in part 800 of title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
• Treatment works: Defined under section 212 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
• Undertaking: Defined under section 300320 of title 54, U.S. Code.

Purpose of the Bill

The main objective of the bill is to simplify the process for upgrades and improvements to water systems by easing regulatory burdens. This could potentially expedite projects aimed at enhancing public health and safety through improved water quality and infrastructure.

Impact on Public Water Systems

By waiving certain requirements, the bill aims to facilitate quicker responses to urgent needs in public water systems, especially in cases where maintenance or upgrades are necessary to prevent outages or ensure compliance with health standards.

Implementation and Oversight

Entities wishing to benefit from this waiver must formally request it from the responsible federal agency, which will then review such requests to ensure they meet the stated criteria under the bill.

Relevant Companies

• AYI (Acuity Brands, Inc.) - As a leading provider of lighting solutions, the company may be impacted if they engage in projects related to upgrading public water systems where their products are utilized.
• WTRG (Essential Utilities, Inc.) - This water and wastewater utility may see an increase in projects aimed at upgrading infrastructure, thus benefiting directly from the bill’s provisions.
• SNN (Smiths Group plc) - As a company involved in water management solutions, they may engage in comprehensive upgrades that could be expedited under the new waiver process.