# Urban Waters Federal Partnership Act of 2021

This bill makes permanent and strengthens a federal program that helps reconnect urban communities with their local rivers, streams, and waterways. The program brings together multiple federal agencies—including the EPA, Department of Interior, and Department of Agriculture, along with others like FEMA and the Department of Housing and Urban Development—to work together on water-related projects in cities and towns.

The core idea is pretty straightforward: many urban neighborhoods, especially lower-income and environmentally stressed communities, have lost their connection to nearby water. Rivers might be polluted, inaccessible, or forgotten. This bill authorizes the federal government to coordinate efforts to clean up these waterways, make them accessible for recreation, improve water quality, and help communities understand and benefit from their local water resources. Instead of different federal agencies working separately, they pool their resources and expertise to tackle these problems more effectively.

To make this work, the bill establishes a steering committee led by the EPA to coordinate between agencies and sets up "Urban Waters ambassadors"—local coordinators who work on the ground in specific neighborhoods to bring together federal and local partners, develop action plans, and oversee projects. The program can fund everything from habitat restoration and infrastructure improvements to community education and planning efforts. Communities that already participate can continue receiving support, and new communities can apply to join the program.

The bill authorizes $10 million per year from 2022 through 2026 to support this work, though the actual funding would need to be approved by Congress each year. For residents in participating urban areas, this could mean cleaner waterways, new parks and recreation areas, job training opportunities, and a stronger voice in decisions about their local environment.

Urban Waters Federal Partnership Act of 2021

Urban Waters Federal Partnership Act of 2021 This bill provides statutory authority for the Urban Waters Federal Partnership Program. Under the program, the Environmental Protection Agency and other specified agencies must reconnect urban communities, particularly urban communities that are overburdened or economically distressed, with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies.