[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 351 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 7
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 351
To establish a pilot grant program to improve recycling accessibility,
to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to
carry out certain activities to collect and disseminate data on
recycling and composting programs in the United States, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 30, 2025
Mrs. Capito (for herself, Mr. Whitehouse, and Mr. Boozman) introduced
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee
on Environment and Public Works
February 5, 2025
Reported by Mrs. Capito, without amendment
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a pilot grant program to improve recycling accessibility,
to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to
carry out certain activities to collect and disseminate data on
recycling and composting programs in the United States, 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. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Strategies To Eliminate Waste and
Accelerate Recycling Development Act of 2025'' or the ``STEWARD Act of
2025''.
SEC. 2. RECYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(2) Curbside recycling.--The term ``curbside recycling''
means the process by which residential recyclable materials are
picked up curbside.
(3) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a State (as defined in section 1004 of the
Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6903));
(B) a unit of local government;
(C) an Indian Tribe; and
(D) a public-private partnership or entities
seeking to establish a public-private partnership.
(4) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the
meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(5) Materials recovery facility.--
(A) In general.--The term ``materials recovery
facility'' means a dedicated facility where primarily
residential recyclable materials, which are diverted
from disposal by a generator and collected separately
from municipal solid waste, are mechanically or
manually sorted into commodities for further processing
into specification-grade commodities for sale to end
users.
(B) Exclusion.--The term ``materials recovery
facility'' does not include a solid waste management
facility that may process municipal solid waste to
remove recyclable materials.
(6) Pilot grant program.--The term ``pilot grant program''
means the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Program
established under subsection (b).
(7) Recyclable material.--The term ``recyclable material''
means a material that is obsolete, previously used, off-
specification, surplus, or incidentally produced for processing
into a specification-grade commodity for which a reuse market
currently exists or is being developed.
(8) Transfer station.--The term ``transfer station'' means
a facility that--
(A) receives and consolidates recyclable material
from curbside recycling or drop-off facilities; and
(B) loads the recyclable material onto tractor
trailers, railcars, or barges for transport to a
distant materials recovery facility or another
recycling-related facility.
(9) Underserved community.--The term ``underserved
community'' means a community, including an unincorporated
area, without access to full recycling services because--
(A) transportation, distance, or other reasons
render utilization of available processing capacity at
an existing materials recovery facility cost
prohibitive; or
(B) the processing capacity of an existing
materials recovery facility is insufficient to manage
the volume of recyclable materials produced by that
community.
(b) Establishment.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall establish a pilot grant
program, to be known as the ``Recycling Infrastructure and
Accessibility Program'', to award grants, on a competitive basis, to
eligible entities to improve recycling accessibility in a community or
communities within the same geographic area.
(c) Goal.--The goal of the pilot grant program is to fund eligible
projects that will significantly improve accessibility to recycling
systems through investments in infrastructure in underserved
communities through the use of a hub-and-spoke model for recycling
infrastructure development.
(d) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under the
pilot grant program, an eligible entity shall submit to the
Administrator an application at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Administrator may require.
(e) Considerations.--In selecting eligible entities to receive a
grant under the pilot grant program, the Administrator shall consider--
(1) whether the community or communities in which the
eligible entity is seeking to carry out a proposed project has
curbside recycling;
(2) whether the proposed project of the eligible entity
will improve accessibility to recycling services in a single
underserved community or multiple underserved communities; and
(3)(A) if the eligible entity is a public-private
partnership, the financial health of the private entity seeking
to enter into that public-private partnership; or
(B) if the eligible entity is seeking to establish a
public-private partnership, the financial health of the private
entities that would participate in the public-private
partnership.
(f) Priority.--In selecting eligible entities to receive a grant
under the pilot grant program, the Administrator shall give priority to
eligible entities seeking to carry out a proposed project in a
community in which there is not more than 1 materials recovery facility
within a 75-mile radius of that community.
(g) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity awarded a grant under the
pilot grant program may use the grant funds for projects to improve
recycling accessibility in communities, including in underserved
communities, by--
(1) increasing the number of transfer stations;
(2) expanding curbside recycling collection programs where
appropriate; and
(3) leveraging public-private partnerships to reduce the
costs associated with collecting and transporting recyclable
materials in underserved communities.
(h) Prohibition on Use of Funds.--An eligible entity awarded a
grant under the pilot grant program may not use the grant funds for
projects relating to recycling education programs.
(i) Minimum and Maximum Grant Amount.--A grant awarded to an
eligible entity under the pilot grant program shall be in an amount--
(1) not less than $500,000; and
(2) not more than $15,000,000.
(j) Set-Aside.--The Administrator shall set aside not less than 70
percent of the amounts made available to carry out the pilot grant
program for each fiscal year to award grants to eligible entities to
carry out a proposed project or program in a single underserved
community or multiple underserved communities.
(k) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of a project or
program carried out by an eligible entity using grant funds shall be
not more than 95 percent.
(l) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date on which the
first grant is awarded under the pilot grant program, the Administrator
shall submit to Congress a report describing the implementation of the
pilot grant program, which shall include--
(1) a list of eligible entities that have received a grant
under the pilot grant program;
(2) the actions taken by each eligible entity that received
a grant under the pilot grant program to improve recycling
accessibility with grant funds; and
(3) to the extent information is available, a description
of how grant funds received under the pilot grant program
improved recycling rates in each community in which a project
or program was carried out under the pilot grant program.
(m) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to
the Administrator to carry out the pilot grant program
$30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029, to
remain available until expended.
(2) Administrative costs and technical assistance.--Of the
amounts made available under paragraph (1), the Administrator
may use up to 5 percent--
(A) for administrative costs relating to carrying
out the pilot grant program; and
(B) to provide technical assistance to eligible
entities applying for a grant under the pilot grant
program.
SEC. 3. RECYCLING AND COMPOSTING DATA COLLECTION.
(a) Definitions.--
(1) In general.--In this section:
(A) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator''
means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency.
(B) Compost.--The term ``compost'' means a product
that--
(i) is manufactured through the controlled
aerobic, biological decomposition of
biodegradable materials;
(ii) has been subjected to medium and high
temperature organisms, which--
(I) significantly reduce the
viability of pathogens and weed seeds;
and
(II) stabilize carbon in the
product such that the product is
beneficial to plant growth; and
(iii) is typically used as a soil
amendment, but may also contribute plant
nutrients.
(C) Compostable material.--The term ``compostable
material'' means material that is a feedstock for
creating compost, including--
(i) wood;
(ii) agricultural crops;
(iii) paper, such as cardboard and other
paper products;
(iv) certified compostable products
associated with organic waste;
(v) other organic plant material;
(vi) organic waste, including food waste
and yard waste; and
(vii) such other material that is composed
of biomass that can be continually replenished
or renewed, as determined by the Administrator.
(D) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has
the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25
U.S.C. 5304).
(E) Recyclable material.--The term ``recyclable
material'' means a material that is obsolete,
previously used, off-specification, surplus, or
incidentally produced for processing into a
specification-grade commodity for which a reuse market
currently exists or is being developed.
(F) Recycling.--The term ``recycling'' means the
series of activities--
(i) during which recyclable materials are
processed into specification-grade commodities
and consumed as raw-material feedstock, in lieu
of virgin materials, in the manufacturing of
new products;
(ii) that may, with regard to recyclable
materials and prior to the activities described
in clause (i), include sorting, collection,
processing, and brokering; and
(iii) that result, subsequent to processing
described in clause (i), in consumption by a
materials manufacturer, including for the
manufacturing of new products.
(G) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning
given the term in section 1004 of the Solid Waste
Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6903).
(2) Definition of processing.--In subparagraphs (E) and (F)
of paragraph (1), the term ``processing'' means any mechanical,
manual, or other method that--
(A) transforms a recyclable material into a
specification-grade commodity; and
(B) may occur in multiple steps, with different
phases, including sorting, occurring at different
locations.
(b) Reports on Composting and Recycling Infrastructure
Capabilities.--
(1) In general.--Subtitle D of the Solid Waste Disposal Act
(42 U.S.C. 6941 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 4011. REPORTS ON COMPOSTING AND RECYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE
CAPABILITIES.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Incorporation of certain terms.--The terms `compost',
`compostable material', `recyclable material', and `recycling'
have the meanings given the terms in section 3(a) of the
Strategies To Eliminate Waste and Accelerate Recycling
Development Act of 2025.
``(2) Composting facility.--The term `composting facility'
means a location, structure, or device that transforms
compostable materials into compost.
``(3) Indian tribe.--The term `Indian Tribe' has the
meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
``(4) Materials recovery facility.--
``(A) In general.--The term `materials recovery
facility' means a dedicated facility where primarily
residential recyclable materials, which are diverted
from disposal by the generator and collected separately
from municipal solid waste, are mechanically or
manually sorted into commodities for further processing
into specification-grade commodities for sale to end
users.
``(B) Exclusion.--The term `materials recovery
facility' does not include a solid waste management
facility that may process municipal solid waste to
remove recyclable materials.
``(C) Definition of processing.--For purposes of
this paragraph, the term `processing' has the meaning
given the term in section 3(a)(2) of the Strategies To
Eliminate Waste and Accelerate Recycling Development
Act of 2025.
``(b) Report.--
``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall request
information and data from, collaborate with, or contract with,
as necessary and appropriate, States, units of local
government, and Indian Tribes, for the provision, preparation,
and publication of a report, or to expand work under the
National Recycling Strategy to include information and data, on
compostable materials and efforts to reduce contamination rates
for recycling, including--
``(A) an evaluation of existing Federal, State, and
local laws that may present barriers to implementation
of composting strategies;
``(B) a description and evaluation of composting
infrastructure and programs within States, units of
local government, and Indian Tribes;
``(C) an estimate of the costs and approximate land
needed to expand composting programs; and
``(D) a review of the practices of manufacturers
and companies that are moving to using compostable
packaging and food service ware for the purpose of
making the composting process the end-of-life use of
those products.
``(2) Submission.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall submit to
Congress the report prepared under paragraph (1).
``(c) Inventory of Materials Recovery Facilities.--Not later than 3
years after the date of enactment of this section, and every 4 years
thereafter, the Administrator, in consultation with relevant Federal
agencies and States, units of local government, and Indian Tribes,
shall--
``(1) prepare an inventory or estimate of materials
recovery facilities in the United States, including--
``(A) the number of materials recovery facilities
in each State; and
``(B) a general description of the materials that
each of those materials recovery facilities can
process, including--
``(i) in the case of plastic, a description
of--
``(I) the types of accepted resin,
if applicable; and
``(II) the packaging or product
format, such as a jug, a carton, or
film;
``(ii) food packaging and service ware,
such as a bottle, cutlery, or a cup;
``(iii) paper;
``(iv) aluminum, such as an alumi