S. 1760: Restoring WIFIA Eligibility Act of 2025

This bill, titled the Restoring WIFIA Eligibility Act of 2025, seeks to amend the existing Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) established in 2014. The primary changes proposed by the bill include the following:

Purpose of the Bill

The bill aims to clarify the budgetary treatment of financial assistance provided for water infrastructure projects. Specifically, it seeks to ensure that certain types of financial assistance are classified in a way that benefits eligible entities that are not federal agencies.

Key Provisions

• Eligibility: The bill specifies that if the recipient of financial assistance for a water infrastructure project is an eligible entity, and if the repayment for that assistance comes from non-federal revenue sources, then the following applies:
• Budget Classification: The financial assistance will be classified as non-federal for accounting and budgetary purposes.
• Loan Treatment: The assistance will be treated as a direct loan or loan guarantee, meaning it will follow the same rules as other federal loans under the related federal legislation.

Impact on Financial Assistance

By classifying the financial assistance in this manner, the bill aims to facilitate access to necessary funding for water infrastructure projects while ensuring that these projects are not unduly burdened by federal regulations or limitations that typically affect federal entities. This modification may potentially encourage more private investment in water infrastructure.

Overall Goals

The overall goal of this bill is to enhance flexibility and clarity in funding water infrastructure initiatives, thereby promoting better water management and infrastructure development across various entities that might not otherwise qualify for such assistance under federal regulations.

Relevant Companies

• None found