Charleston Leader

The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee has unanimously passed two significant pieces of legislation: the Brownfields Reauthorization Act of 2025 and the Strategies to Eliminate Waste and Accelerate Recycling Development (STEWARD) Act. These bills aim to address environmental issues related to brownfield sites and improve recycling systems across the United States.

The Brownfields Reauthorization Act of 2025 was introduced by U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito, Chairman of the EPW Committee, and Lisa Blunt Rochester. The act seeks to streamline application processes for rural and underserved communities, modernize grant amounts in line with current construction costs, and support economic development while reducing environmental hazards.

Chairman Capito stated, "Rural and underserved communities lack the resources needed to compete with larger entities, putting them in an unfair position. Our bill streamlines the application process to level the playing field." Senator Blunt Rochester added that cleaning up brownfield sites can be costly for local communities. She expressed pride in leading this bill alongside Chair Capito.

The STEWARD Act was introduced by Chairman Capito along with Senators Sheldon Whitehouse, Ranking Member of the EPW Committee, and John Boozman. This legislation aims to make recycling services accessible nationwide by addressing infrastructure gaps. It includes data provisions to help track progress and identify areas for improvement.

Chairman Capito noted that "For too many Americans, recycling remains out of reach – either because facilities don’t exist in their communities or because the infrastructure to make recycling economically viable is not in place." Ranking Member Whitehouse emphasized the importance of tackling plastic pollution through improved recycling efforts.

Senator Boozman highlighted that strengthening commitment to recycling benefits all Americans by preserving resources, spurring economic growth, and encouraging industry innovation.

Both acts have seen unanimous support from the EPW Committee previously, with components of these bills having passed through Congress before.