Member Pipeline - Fax Alerts - April 29, 2005
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April 29, 2005
AMSA, Coalition Help Ensure
Stormwater Funding Remains in Senate Highway Bill
Debate began on the Senate floor this week to pass the massive $284 billion, six-year highway bill with a lively debate over the AMSA-supported section that would authorize $867.6 million over five years for stormwater mitigation projects, using just 2% of the Surface Transportation Program funds. After a close vote of 51-49, the Senate rejected an amendment by Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee Chairman Christopher S. Bond (R-MO) to remove the 2 percent set-aside. AMSA worked closely with a broad coalition of supporters to ensure defeat of the Bond amendment and will continue to work to ensure that the stormwater discharge mitigation program remains in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2005 (S. 732), which the Senate is expected to consider in May. Sen. Bond did, however, state that clean and safe water funding deserves federal attention and that he would continue to champion this cause but that the highway bill was not the appropriate place for such funding. The author of the stormwater program, Virginia Senator John Warner (R), read part of an April 22 AMSA letter (http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/advocacy/co/2005-04-22EPWltr.pdf) on the Senate floor that supported using the fund for projects such as stormwater retrofits, stream restoration, and innovative technologies.AMSA Urges Member Agencies
to Become Clean Water America Website Supporters
AMSA is pleased to announce that the Clean Water America website (www.cleanwateramerica.org) is up and running and to request that your agency or organization join this critical effort as a listed website supporter. Adding your organization’s name as a Clean Water America website supporter will be critical for demonstrating to Congress, the Administration and the public the nationwide support that exists for a federal re-commitment to clean water funding. The Clean Water America website was created via the support of AMSA’s Clean Water Funding Task Force to provide a unique site dedicated to growing a base of organizational and grassroots activism to guarantee a renewed federal commitment to clean and safe water funding. The specific focus of the site is to develop an activist base in support of both short-term and long-term clean water funding through the State Revolving Funds and a dedicated trust fund respectively. The content of the site supports the funding goal through a variety of pro-active grassroots functions including its ‘Sign a Pledge’, ‘Contact Congress’ and ‘Tell a Friend’ features. An AMSA Member Update will be distributed to all Association members with additional details about the website soon. To become a supporter, please contact Adam Krantz at 202/833-4651 or at akrantz@amsa-cleanwater.org.Updated 2005 Policy Forum Speakers to Offer Legislative Insight
There have been some notable speaker additions to next week’s 2005 National Clean Water Policy Forum program, including that of Charlie Cook. Cook is one of the nation’s leading authorities on U.S. election politics and congressional trends and will replace Frank Luntz on the May 3 afternoon program. Cook was a highlight at AMSA’s 2004 Policy Forum and the Association looks forward to another insightful presentation from him. AMSA is also pleased to have Claudia Copeland, a specialist in Resources and Environmental Policy for the Congressional Research Service (CRS), also speaking on the afternoon of May 3. The CRS is the public policy research arm of the U.S. Congress and Copeland’s studies inform and affect congressional legislative priorities. AMSA wishes those of you traveling to Washington, DC, for the Association’s 35th Anniversary Annual Meeting and the 2005 National Clean Water Policy Forum a safe trip.
- Yesterday the Senate confirmed Stephen Johnson as Administrator of EPA. The Association looks forward to working with him on municipal clean water issues.
- Please note that next week’s FaxAlert will be the first with the Association’s new name — the National Association of Clean Water Agencies or NACWA.