Congress extends stormwater research funding, adds Great Lakes focus
H.R. 10162 — STORMWATER Act · Filed by Timothy Kennedy (D-NY) · 2 cosponsors · Introduced Aug 27, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill extends and expands a federal program that funds centers of excellence researching stormwater control technologies. It increases the number of centers from a flexible 3–5 to a fixed 5, extends funding authorization from 2022–2026 to 2027–2031, and mandates that one center be located in and focused on the Great Lakes region.
Why we flagged it
The bill is a straightforward reauthorization and expansion of an existing federal research program. It increases funding authorization, fixes the number of centers, and adds a geographic mandate — all routine legislative amendments to a prior infrastructure law.
What the text implies
- Mandating one center in the Great Lakes region may concentrate research capacity geographically, potentially leaving other water-stressed regions (e.g., Southwest, Southeast) with fewer dedicated research resources.
- Fixed center count (5) removes flexibility to scale the program up or down based on funding availability or research priorities, potentially locking in resources even if priorities shift.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
universities and research institutions hosting centers of excellence; stormwater technology companies and contractors partnering with centers