Search
AMSA Legislative Alert LA02-02

Member Pipeline - Legislative - Alert (LA02-02)

To: Members & Affiliates, Legislative Policy Committee,
Legal Affairs Committee
From: National Office
Date: March 1, 2002
Subject: CONTACT YOUR SENATORS TO AMEND S. 1961
Reference: LA02-02
Attachments: - AMSA's Suggested Modifications to S. 1961 (PDF ~67 KB)
- Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works — Reference List of AMSA Members (PDF ~61 KB)
- Contact Information for Senate Environment Legislative Assistants (PDF ~93 KB)

print Printer friendly version

Immediate
Action Requested

Your immediate assistance is needed to help support modifications to the Senate's water and wastewater infrastructure bill, S. 1961 or "The Water Investment Act of 2002". The bill increases funding in the state loan program, but fails to provide for many of AMSA's and the Water Infrastructure Network's (WIN) major recommendations. AMSA has developed a set of modifications, Suggested Modifications to S. 1961 (see attachment), which you should use in all communications with your Senators.

Time is of the essence! In order to ensure that the members of the EPW Committee understand the widespread impacts of S. 1961 and the broad support for modifying the bill, we need your participation now. Please read below for how to help modify this legislation by contacting your Senators, especially those with Senators on the Environment & Public Works (EPW) Committee.

Background on S. 1961
The Senate Environment & Public Works (EPW) Committee has introduced its version of a water and wastewater infrastructure funding bill, S. 1961, the "Water Investment Act of 2002". The bill authorizes $20 billion over the next five years for the clean water state revolving fund (CWSRF). A copy of the bill can be found on AMSA's web site at http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/private/legreg/legalrts/la02-1.cfm. The bill does not include AMSA's and the Water Infrastructure Network's (WIN) recommendations for a grant component, and adds numerous new requirements for each loan applicant to satisfy when applying for CWSRF funding, including mandates for POTWs to develop asset management plans, to consider privatization, and to demonstrate adequate rate structures.

Call Your Senators Now to Amend S. 1961
We ask that you call your Senators today to tell them about the bill and to provide them with the AMSA-supported revisions.

The following instructions will assist you in contacting your Senators' offices. We have provided you with a copy of AMSA's Suggested Modifications to S. 1961 (see attachment), a reference sheet matching AMSA members with Senate EPW Committee members (see attachment), and a list of contact information for the EPW Committee's key legislative assistants. If you need additional contact information for your Senators, go to AMSA's Write Congress Now section of the Member Pipeline (http://63.66.87.48/entry.cfm?orgcode=AMSA).

For Members With Senators on the EPW Committee
If one of your Senators sits on the EPW Committee (see attached reference sheet), please contact their committee legislative assistant (see attached list environmental assistants) and indicate the following:

  • We greatly appreciate the funding increases for water and wastewater infrastructure proposed in S. 1961, "The Water Investment Act". However, we believe the bill must be modified to streamline the loan process and to direct funds to core infrastructure needs to protect water quality and public health.
  • We recommend that modifications be made to S. 1961, consistent with the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies' (AMSA) list suggested revisions. (You should offer to email or fax them a copy of AMSA's list of Suggested Modifications to S. 1961.)
  • These recommendations should be made prior to a mark-up on S. 1961, scheduled for March 7. If necessary, we recommend that the scheduled Committee mark-up be delayed for these changes to be made.

For All Members
Even if you do not have a Senator on the EPW Committee, you should still contact the environmental legislative assistant in your Senators' offices immediately and indicate the following:

  • An important bill addressing funding needs for wastewater and water infrastructure has been introduced in the Senate as S. 1961, "The Water Investment Act". While we support the increased funding in the bill, we believe it must be modified to streamline the loan process and to direct funds to core infrastructure to protect water quality and public health.
  • We ask that the Senator support the list of bill modifications being proposed by the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies (AMSA). (You should offer to email or fax them a copy of AMSA's list of Suggested Modifications.)
  • We also ask that the Senator contact the EPW Committee as soon as possible to urge that the Committee's mark-up on S. 1961 be delayed if necessary in order for these changes to be made.

Thank you for your time and assistance! For further information regarding this request or relating to wastewater infrastructure legislation generally, contact Lee Garrigan, AMSA's Legislative Affairs Director, at 202/833-4655 or lgarrigan@amsa-cleanwater.org.

 

Attachments: