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December 11, 1998
Interest in Infrastructure Funding Active and Escalating
AMSA this week was actively engaged in an array of initiatives focusing attention on one of its key legislative priorities for the 106th Congress — the issue of funding. AMSA is finalizing the draft text for The Cost of Clean… Meeting Water Quality Challenges in the New Millennium (working title). This joint project of AMSA and the Water Environment Federation (WEF) will document the need for increased federal investment in the control of the next generation of water quality challenges — combined sewer overflows, sanitary sewer overflows, stormwater and nonpoint source pollution — and will serve as an excellent outreach vehicle to support AMSA's legislative agenda. The report will be similar in presentation to the Association's 1994 publication The Cost of Clean.
Plans call for the report to be released at a Washington, DC, press conference on February 11, 1999. AMSA plans to promote extensive coverage via press release to ensure national dissemination of the report's findings. AMSA member agencies will be provided with advance copies of the study, background materials, and a press release, and will be encouraged to notify their local press sources about the release of the study.
AMSA Active Within Rebuild America Coalition
In a related development, the Rebuild America Coalition (RAC) this week asked AMSA Executive Director Ken Kirk to chair a task force that will focus attention on water/wastewater financing issues. The formation of this RAC task force marks the first time the Coalition has focused attention specifically on water and wastewater infrastructure and is evidence that the Association's affiliation with the Coalition over the past year has proven to be a valuable investment.
In support of their ongoing agenda to heighten awareness and support for investment in our nation's infrastructure, the RAC has hired prominent pollster Frank Luntz to conduct a public survey over the next 30 days to assess how Americans value infrastructure, role of the Federal government, and whether the public would support paying higher taxes to finance infrastructure projects. A press briefing announcing the results of the survey is scheduled for late January in Washington, DC.
EPA to Study of Resources Needed for Implementation and Management of Water Programs
At a meeting today attended by AMSA and other clean water stakeholders, EPA's Office of Water announced plans to conduct a three month study to develop a comprehensive estimate of state, federal, and municipal resources required for both implementing and managing water programs to effectively meet fundamental state and national water quality goals. EPA has identified a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including AMSA, to participate on a work group to reach consensus on what comprises a national water quality program, and to develop a consistent approach which may be utilized at both the state and federal level in costing programs and justifying resources. EPA will be looking at capital costs, operation and maintenance expenditures and needs — and will attempt to develop alternatives on how to meet these needs, such as the implementing a user charge system. The kick-off meeting of the work group is scheduled for December 14–15 in Washington, DC.