PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 18, 2025
Contaminated Wells Relocation Act
This bill permits the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to enter into an agreement to reimburse the town of Chincoteague, Virginia for costs directly associated with the removal and relocation of drinking water wells currently situated on NASA property.
(Drinking water wells located at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility near Chincoteague have tested positive for perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS, resulting from the use of certain firefighting foams at the site beginning in the 1970s. NASA currently operates a water treatment system to remove PFAS from the affected water supply.)
Any such agreement must include, to the extent practicable, (1) a provision for the removal and relocation of the wells remaining on NASA property, (2) a description of the location to which the wells are planned to be relocated, and (3) a current cost estimate of such relocation. Replacement wells must be established on property under the administrative control of the town of Chincoteague.
People & committees
Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2] · R–VA
Legislative record
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Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
Source last updated: Feb 4, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-02-18 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
The proposed Contaminated Wells Relocation Act would let the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) reimburse Chincoteague, Virginia, for planning to remove drinking water wells from NASA property and establishing replacement wells on land controlled by the town. Reimbursement would depend on NASA entering an agreement with the town; the bill would not require NASA to enter one.
This Act may be cited as the Contaminated Wells Relocation Act.
the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration may enter into an agreement, as appropriate, with the Town of Chincoteague, Virginia, for a period of up to five years, for reimbursement of the Town of Chincoteague's costs directly associated with— (1) the development of a plan for removal of drinking water wells currently situated on property administered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and (2) the establishment of alternative drinking water wells on property under the administrative control, through lease, ownership, or easement, of the Town of Chincoteague.
NASA could enter a reimbursement agreement lasting up to five years. The authority would apply notwithstanding other provisions of law, and reimbursement would cover costs directly associated with the specified planning and replacement work.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration may enter into an agreement, as appropriate, with the Town of Chincoteague, Virginia, for a period of up to five years, for reimbursement of the Town of Chincoteague's costs directly associated with— (1) the development of a plan for removal of drinking water wells currently situated on property administered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and (2) the establishment of alternative drinking water wells on property under the administrative control, through lease, ownership, or easement, of the Town of Chincoteague.
Replacement wells would have to be on property the town controls through ownership, a lease, or an easement—a right to use property for a particular purpose.
the establishment of alternative drinking water wells on property under the administrative control, through lease, ownership, or easement, of the Town of Chincoteague.
To the extent practicable, an agreement would have to provide for removing and relocating the three remaining wells and describe their actual or planned relocation site.
An agreement under subsection (a) shall include, to the extent practicable— (1) a provision for the removal and relocation of the three remaining wells described in that subsection; (2) a description of the location of the site to which such wells will be relocated or are planned to be relocated
To the extent practicable, the agreement would also have to include a current relocation cost estimate covering additional property purchase, lease or use, as well as engineering, design, permitting and construction.
An agreement under subsection (a) shall include, to the extent practicable
a current estimated cost of such relocation, including for the purchase, lease, or use of additional property, engineering, design, permitting, and construction.
Within 18 months after enactment, NASA's Administrator would have to submit any agreement entered into under the bill to the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, coordinating with relevant entities.
Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, in coordination with the heads or other appropriate representatives of relevant entities, shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress any agreement entered into under subsection (a).
the term appropriate committees of Congress means— (1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; and (2) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives.
The supplied official-actions snapshot, updated February 4, 2026, records introduction in the House and referral to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology on February 18, 2025.
Source snapshot updated 2026-02-04T04:26:28Z. 2025-02-18: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. 2025-02-18: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-02-18. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy change attached to appropriations was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion does not cover other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
Evidence is limited
The text supports identifying a possible place-specific funding benefit, but does not establish formal earmark status. Member disclosures, committee reports and other relevant funding materials are not supplied.
The proposed reimbursement authority names Chincoteague as the recipient and could warrant earmark scrutiny. It authorizes an agreement rather than itself specifying an appropriation or an amount to be spent.
the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration may enter into an agreement, as appropriate, with the Town of Chincoteague, Virginia, for a period of up to five years, for reimbursement of the Town of Chincoteague's costs directly associated with— (1) the development of a plan for removal of drinking water wells currently situated on property administered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and (2) the establishment of alternative drinking water wells on property under the administrative control, through lease, ownership, or easement, of the Town of Chincoteague.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
Findings to examine
The supplied text contains a narrowly tailored benefit for a named municipality. Its classification does not establish whether the benefit is justified.
Chincoteague would receive a special opportunity for NASA reimbursement of specified well-planning and replacement costs, under authority that applies notwithstanding other law. This geographically narrow treatment is the bill's main policy.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration may enter into an agreement, as appropriate, with the Town of Chincoteague, Virginia, for a period of up to five years, for reimbursement of the Town of Chincoteague's costs directly associated with— (1) the development of a plan for removal of drinking water wells currently situated on property administered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and (2) the establishment of alternative drinking water wells on property under the administrative control, through lease, ownership, or easement, of the Town of Chincoteague.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Feb 4, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI