Reported in House

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 9616 Reported in House (RH)] Union Calendar No. 720 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 9616 [Report No. 119-821] To establish a program for the recovery of critical materials from contaminated sites, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 9, 2026 Mr. Pfluger (for himself and Mr. Landsman) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce September 14, 2026 Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To establish a program for the recovery of critical materials from contaminated sites, 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.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Environmental Monitoring and Remediation Technology Assessment Initiative Authorization Act of 2026'' or the ``EMRTAI Authorization Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND CRITICAL MATERIAL RECOVERY

SEC. 2. ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND CRITICAL MATERIAL RECOVERY PROGRAM. (a) Establishment.--The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall carry out a program to investigate, evaluate, and support processes, methods, and systems which may be utilized in-- (1) the identification of sources of critical materials at contaminated sites, including contaminated media and solid waste sources at such sites; and (2) the recovery of such critical materials from such sites. (b) Assistance.--In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Administrator may provide assistance, including by entering into contracts and cooperative agreements and making awards, to persons, State, local, and Tribal government entities, and nonprofit organizations. (c) Limitation.--The Administrator may not, under such program, provide assistance-- (1) in the aggregate, in an amount that exceeds $10,000,000 in any fiscal year; or (2) to any person, State, local, or Tribal government entity, or nonprofit organization, in an amount that exceeds $3,000,000. (d) Evaluation of Applications.--The Administrator shall establish a system for evaluating applications for assistance provided under subsection (b) that includes the following criteria: (1) The extent to which the assistance furthers the identification of nontraditional, domestic sources of critical materials at contaminated sites pursuant to subsection (a). (2) The extent to which the assistance advances processes, methods, and systems for-- (A) recovering critical materials from sources at contaminated sites that may be identified pursuant to subsection (a); and (B) monitoring environmental contamination and remediation of such contaminated sites in the recovery of such critical materials. (3) The extent to which the assistance strengthens national security through the development of domestic critical material supply chains. (4) The extent to which the assistance supports remediation of one or more contaminated sites, especially such sites that are on the National Priorities List. (5) The extent to which the assistance protects human health and the environment. (e) Critical Material Defined.--In this section, the term ``critical material'' has the meaning given such term in section 7002(a) of the Energy Act of 2020 (30 U.S.C. 1606(a)). (f) Sunset.--The program under subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is 10 years after the date of enactment of this section. Union Calendar No. 720 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 9616 [Report No. 119-821] _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To establish a program for the recovery of critical materials from contaminated sites, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ September 14, 2026 Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed