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March 31, 2000
House T&I Committee to Take Up Urban Wet Weather Issues
This week, AMSA member agencies sought to build further support for the Urban Wet Weather Priorities Act of 2000 — H.R. 3570 — by contacting their representatives on the House Trans-portation & Infrastructure (T&I) Committee. Because time is short for legislative action and because the Committee will soon be taking up wet weather legislation, the National Office sent a Special Fax, alerting AMSA members with T&I Committee representation of the latest developments and the importance of contacting those lawmakers at this critical juncture.The next four to six weeks presents one of the best opportunities in several years to address AMSA's priority legislative issues. The leaders of the T&I Committee have indicated their interest in moving a package of Clean Water Act amendments through the Committee in the next several weeks. The Committee staff will most likely use language from several of the introduced bills to assemble a non-controversial, bipartisan approach that has the best chance of passage by the Committee. Wet weather pollution control and infrastructure funding are among the priority issues on the list for consideration, and H.R. 3570 appears to be in the mix of possible legislative vehicles. However, key lawmakers are guarded about the chances of definitive action on these issues. In remarks made late last week that underscore the importance of engaging Committee members, Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-N.Y.), Chairman of the House Water Resources & Environment Subcommittee, after noting the Committee's plans for action on bipartisan watershed restoration bills said that “other legislative efforts, if all goes as planned, are likely to involve wet weather flows and reauthorization of the Clean Water Act's State Revolving Loan Fund. These are enormous issues, so we're not likely to solve them overnight. We must keep working.” This underscores the urgency of contacting Congress on this issue.
Water Infrastructure Network Report Complete
The Water Infrastructure Network has finalized its report on the massive funding gaps facing publicly owned water and wastewater systems nationwide, and plans are underway to release the report and involve Congress within the next two weeks. Clean & Safe Water for the 21st Century: A Renewed National Commitment to Water and Wastewater Infrastructure documents the $23-billion-a-year funding gap for water and wastewater infrastructure and makes the case for a greater federal role in financing the nation's drinking water and clean water needs. In advance of the April 12th release of the report, AMSA members will be able to access the report and press materials on AMSA's web site, http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org. Additional plans call for the distribution of the complete report to all AMSA members. Further details will be available on the release of the report in upcoming FaxAlerts, and complete coverage of the event will appear in the April Clean Water News.AMSA's Priorities Gain National Attention for May Conference . . . To capitalize on the increased attention AMSA's priority issues are receiving, a special agenda has been developed for AMSA's 2000 National Environmental Policy Forum & 30th Anniversary Annual Meeting, May 20-24, 2000, in Washington, DC. The program will focus on past and future AMSA achievements. Be sure to make hotel reservations by April 28, 2000, to ensure the special rate of $165 single/double at the Marriott at Metro Center, 202/737-2200. Additional information was mailed to the membership and the March Clean Water News contains details on the program. To register online or to check the latest conference and program information, visit AMSA's web site, http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org.