Member Pipeline - Fax Alerts SpecialEdition - February 7, 2005
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February 7, 2005
President’s Budget Seeks to Cut Clean Water Loan Program
The Bush Administration sent an austere spending plan for fiscal year (FY) 2006 to Congress today, including a proposed cut for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of nearly 6 percent, from $8 billion to $7.57 billion.The largest reduction in the budget is to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) which would be funded at only $730 million in FY 2006, down from $1.091 billion in FY 2005. The $361 million cut to the CWSRF represents a 33 percent decrease from FY 2005. Prior to last year, the CWSRF received stable funding between $1.2 and 1.35 billion per year. The budget states that if the CWSRF receives $730 million through 2011, the program will meet its targeted goal of revolving at $3.4 billion per year.
The Drinking Water State Revolving fund (DWSRF) is slated to receive a slight increase, from $843 million in FY 2005 to $850 million in the President’s new budget.
Congressional Committees to Hold Hearings on EPA Budget in Coming Weeks
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing February 9 to receive testimony on the EPA's proposed budget for fiscal year 2006. EPA Acting Administrator Steve Johnson will testify. On the House side, the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee is expecting to hear from Johnson on February 16. Hearings in the appropriations committees have not been scheduled, as House appropriators continue to consider a controversial reorganization of subcommittees.AMSA will again join forces with other interested stakeholders to urge Congress to reject the additional cuts to EPA’s water programs. EPA’s budget documents can be found on the Agency’s website (http://www.epa.gov/ocfo/budget/).
AMSA, Water Infrastructure Network Voice Concern over Cuts via Press Releases
AMSA and the Water Infrastructure Network (WIN) also issued press releases today opposing the budget cuts. These press releases also noted that when facing similar shortfalls in funding for critical national infrastructure, Congress has established trust funds supported by dedicated revenue sources. Congressionally established trust funds for highway infrastructure ($30 billion/year) and airport infrastructure ($8 billion/year) provide a strong precedent for moving forward with a similar trust fund for clean and safe water. AMSA and WIN will work aggressively with Congress and the Administration – both to ensure full funding for the CWSRF and to establish a trust fund dedicated to clean and safe water in America. The WIN press release will be available tomorrow on its website (www.win-water.org) and AMSA’s press release will be available on its website (http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/advocacy/old_releases.cfm).Contact AMSA’s Lee Garrigan (202/833-4655) or email (lgarrigan@amsa-cleanwater.org) for additional information.