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EMRTAI Authorization Act of 2026
To establish a program for the recovery of critical materials from contaminated sites, and for other purposes.
Summary
- Establishes an EPA program to investigate and support methods for recovering critical materials from contaminated sites and contaminated waste sources.
- Authorizes the EPA to provide assistance through contracts, cooperative agreements, and awards to government entities, nonprofits, and private organizations for critical material recovery and site remediation efforts.
- Limits total program funding to $10 million per fiscal year with a maximum of $3 million per entity or organization receiving assistance.
- Requires the EPA to evaluate applications based on criteria including identification of domestic critical material sources, effectiveness of recovery methods, national security benefits, remediation support, and protection of human health and the environment.
- Terminates the program 10 years after enactment.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
1 cosponsor
- Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1] (D-OH)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to August Pfluger’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for August Pfluger → · Outside spending →
Actions (8)
- Jul 21, 2026 Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 48 - 0. · house
- Jul 21, 2026 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
- Jul 20, 2026 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
- Jul 14, 2026 Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote. · house
- Jul 14, 2026 Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
- Jul 9, 2026 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. · house
- Jul 9, 2026 Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment. · house
- Jul 9, 2026 Introduced in House
More bills on these subjects (8)
Other bills that carry the most legislative subjects in common with this one (topical discovery — distinct from the procedural related bills above).
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Committee action
What happened to this bill in committee — the meetings where it was considered and every recorded vote taken on it.
Meetings where this bill was on the agenda
Full text
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
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.
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 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. <all>
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