(a) Allotment—(1) General. Each State will receive a minimum of one percent of the funds available for allotment to all of the States.

(2) Allotment formula. Funds available to States from fiscal year 1998 appropriations and subsequent appropriations are allotted according to a formula that reflects the infrastructure needs of public water systems identified in the most recent Needs Survey submitted in accordance with section 1452(h) of the Act.

(3) Period of availability. Funds are available for obligation to States during the fiscal year in which they are authorized and during the following fiscal year. The amount of any allotment not obligated to a State by EPA at the end of this period of availability will be reallotted to eligible States based on the formula originally used to allot these funds, except that the Administrator may reserve up to 10 percent of any funds available for reallotment to provide additional assistance to Indian Tribes. In order to be eligible to receive reallotted funds, a State must have been obligated all funds it is eligible to receive from EPA during the period of availability.

(4) Loss of primacy. The following provisions do not apply to any State that did not have primacy as of August 6, 1996:

(i) A State may not receive a capitalization grant from allotments that have been made if the State had primacy and subsequently loses primacy.

(ii) For a State that loses primacy, the Administrator may reserve funds from the State's allotment for use by EPA to administer primacy in that State. The balance of the funds not used by EPA to administer primacy will be reallotted to the other States.

(iii) A State will be eligible for future allotments from funds appropriated in the next fiscal year after primacy is restored.

(b) Withholdings—(1) General. EPA will withhold funds under each of the following provisions:

(i) Capacity development authority. EPA will withhold 20 percent of a State's allotment from any State that has not obtained the legal authority or other means to ensure that all new community water systems and new nontransient, noncommunity water systems commencing operations after October 1, 1999, demonstrate technical, financial, and managerial capacity with respect to each national primary drinking water regulation in effect, or likely to be in effect, on the date of commencement of operations. The determination of withholding will be based on an assessment of the status of the State program as of October 1 of the fiscal year for which the funds were allotted.

(ii) Capacity development strategy. EPA will withhold funds from any State unless the State is developing and implementing a strategy to assist public water systems in acquiring and maintaining technical, financial, and managerial capacity. The amount of a State's allotment that will be withheld is 10 percent for fiscal year 2001, 15 percent for fiscal year 2002, and 20 percent for each subsequent fiscal year. The determination of withholding will be based on an assessment of the status of the State strategy as of October 1 of the fiscal year for which the funds were allotted. Decisions of a State regarding any particular public water system as part of a capacity development strategy are not subject to review by EPA and may not serve as a basis for withholding funds.

(iii) Operator certification program. Beginning on February 5, 2001, EPA will withhold 20 percent of a State's allotment unless the State has adopted and is implementing a program for certifying operators of community and nontransient, noncommunity public water systems that meets the requirements of section 1419 of the Act. The determination of withholding will be based on an assessment of the status of the State program for each fiscal year.

(2) Maximum withholdings. The maximum amount of funds that will be withheld if a State fails to meet the requirements of both the capacity development authority and the capacity development strategy provisions is 20 percent of the allotment in any fiscal year. The maximum amount of funds that will be withheld if a State fails to meet the requirements of the operator certification program provision and either the capacity development authority provision or the capacity development strategy provision is 40 percent of the allotment in any fiscal year.

(3) Reallotment of withheld funds. The Administrator will reallot withheld funds to eligible States based on the formula originally used to allot these funds. In order to be eligible to receive reallotted funds under the withholding provisions, a State must have been obligated all funds it is eligible to receive from EPA during the period of availability. A State that has funds withheld under any one of the withholding provisions in paragraphs (b)(1)(i) through (b)(1)(iii) of this section is not eligible to receive reallotted funds made available by that provision.

(4) Termination of withholdings. A withholding will cease to apply to funds appropriated in the next fiscal year after a State complies with the specific provision under which funds were withheld.