Water infrastructure and workforce investment

In this section, the term “public works department or agency” means a political subdivision of a local, county, or regional government that designs, builds, operates, and maintains water infrastructure, sewage and refuse disposal systems, and other public water systems and facilities. It is the sense of Congress that— to further the goal of ensuring a strong pipeline of skilled and diverse workers in the water and wastewater utilities sector, Congress urges— institutions of higher education, apprentice programs, high schools, and other community-based organizations and public works departments or agencies to align water and wastewater utility workforce recruitment efforts, training programs, retention efforts, and community resources with water and wastewater utilities— The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (referred to in this section as the “Administrator”), in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall establish a competitive grant program to assist the development and utilization of innovative activities relating to workforce development and career opportunities in the water utility sector, which may include— expanding the availability of training opportunities for— In awarding grants under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall, to the extent practicable, select nonprofit professional or service organizations, labor organizations, community colleges, institutions of higher education, or other training and educational institutions, or public works departments and agencies— that have qualifications and experience— that will address the human resources and workforce needs of water utilities that— Grants awarded under paragraph (1) may be used for activities such as— targeted internship, apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, and post-secondary bridge programs for skilled water utility trades that provide— education programs designed for elementary, secondary, and higher education students that— integrated learning laboratories in secondary educational institutions that provide students with— The Administrator shall establish and coordinate a Federal interagency working group to address recruitment, training, and retention challenges in the water and wastewater utility workforce, which shall include representatives from— Not later than 2 years after November 15, 2021, the Administrator, in coordination with the working group established under subparagraph (A), shall submit to Congress a report describing potential solutions to recruitment, training, and retention challenges in the water and wastewater utility workforce. In carrying out the duties of the working group established under subparagraph (A), the working group shall consult with State operator certification programs. There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.