43 U.S.C. § 510b
The Secretary or the transferred works operating entity may carry out, in accordance with subsection (b) and consistent with existing transfer contracts, any extraordinary operation and maintenance work on a project facility that the Secretary determines to be reasonably required to preserve the structural safety of the project facility.
For reserved works, costs incurred by the Secretary in conducting extraordinary operation and maintenance work will be allocated to the authorized reimbursable purposes of the project and shall be repaid within 50 years, with interest, from the year in which work undertaken pursuant to this subchapter is substantially complete.
For transferred works, the Secretary is authorized to advance the costs incurred by the transferred works operating entity in conducting extraordinary operation and maintenance work and negotiate appropriate 50-year repayment contracts with project beneficiaries providing for the return of reimbursable costs, with interest, under this subsection: Provided, however, That no contract entered into pursuant to this subchapter shall be deemed to be a new or amended contract for the purposes of section 390cc(a) of this title.
The interest rate used for computing interest on work in progress and interest on the unpaid balance of the reimbursable costs of extraordinary operation and maintenance work authorized by this subchapter shall be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, as of the beginning of the fiscal year in which extraordinary operation and maintenance work is commenced, on the basis of average market yields on outstanding marketable obligations of the United States with the remaining periods of maturity comparable to the applicable reimbursement period of the project, adjusted to the nearest 1/8 of 1 percent on the unamortized balance of any portion of the loan.
The Secretary or the transferred works operating entity shall carry out any emergency extraordinary operation and maintenance work on a project facility that the Secretary determines to be necessary to minimize the risk of imminent harm to public health or safety, or property.
The Secretary may advance funds for emergency extraordinary operation and maintenance work and shall seek reimbursement from the transferred works operating entity or benefitting entity upon receiving a written assurance from the governing body of such entity that it will negotiate a contract pursuant to this section for repayment of costs incurred by the Secretary in undertaking such work.
If the Secretary determines that a project facility inspected and maintained pursuant to the guidelines and criteria set forth in section 510a(a) of this title requires extraordinary operation and maintenance pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretary may provide Federal funds on a nonreimbursable basis sufficient to cover 35 percent of the cost of the extraordinary operation and maintenance allocable to the transferred works operating entity, which is needed to minimize the risk of imminent harm. The remaining share of the Federal funds advanced by the Secretary for such work shall be repaid under subsection (b).
There is established in the general fund of the Treasury a special account, to be known as the "Aging Infrastructure Account" (referred to in this subsection as the "Account"), to provide funds to, and provide for the extended repayment of the funds by, a transferred works operating entity or project beneficiary responsible for repayment of reimbursable costs for the conduct of extraordinary operation and maintenance work at a project facility, which shall consist of-
Subject to paragraphs (3) and (6), the Secretary may expend amounts in the Account to fund and provide for extended repayment of the funds for eligible projects identified in a report submitted under paragraph (5)(B).
The Secretary may not expend amounts under paragraph (2) with respect to an eligible project described in that paragraph unless the transferred works operating entity or project beneficiary responsible for repayment of reimbursable costs has entered into a contract to repay the amounts under subsection (b)(2).
Amounts repaid by a transferred works operating entity or project beneficiary responsible for repayment of reimbursable costs receiving funds under a repayment contract entered into under this subsection shall be deposited in the Account and shall be available to the Secretary for expenditure, subject to paragraph (6), in accordance with this subsection, and without further appropriation.
Beginning with fiscal year 2022, not less than once per fiscal year, the Secretary shall accept, during an application period established by the Secretary, applications from transferred works operating entities or project beneficiaries responsible for payment of reimbursable costs for funds and extended repayment for eligible projects.
A project eligible for funding and extended repayment under this subsection is a project that-
Not later than 60 days after December 27, 2020, the Secretary shall issue guidelines describing the information required to be provided in an application for funds and extended repayment under this subsection that require, at a minimum-
The Secretary shall review each application submitted under subparagraph (A)-
Not later than 90 days after the date on which an application period closes under paragraph (4)(A), the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Energy and Natural Resources and Appropriations of the Senate and the Committees on Natural Resources and Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report that-
Appropriations Acts may provide for alternate allocation of amounts reported pursuant to paragraph (5)(D) that are made available under this subsection.
If Congress has not enacted legislation establishing alternate allocations by the date on which the Act making full-year appropriations for energy and water development and related agencies for the applicable fiscal year is enacted into law, amounts made available under paragraph (1) shall be allocated by the Secretary.
If Congress enacts legislation establishing alternate allocations for amounts made available under paragraph (1) that are less than the full amount appropriated under that paragraph, the difference between the amount appropriated and the alternate allocation shall be allocated by the Secretary.
Nothing in this subsection affects-
43 U.S.C. § 510b
EDITORIAL NOTES
AMENDMENTS2020-Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 116-260 added subsec. (d).