Clean Water Advocacy - Newsroom - AMSA in the News
Proposal in House to Authorize $25 Billion
Over Five Years for Wastewater Projects
Legislation that would provide $25 billion over five years for the Clean Water Act state revolving fund was introduced in the House Jan. 7.
The bill (no bill number yet) is sponsored by Reps. Sue Kelly (R-N.Y.) and
Ellen O. Tauscher (D-Calif.) and is similar to legislation (H.R. 3792) the two
introduced in the 107th Congress, according to a Kelly aide.
The Clean Water Infrastructure Financing Act of 2003 also would provide grants
to financially distressed communities to pay 25 percent of the cost of projects
on states' priority lists that exceed $1.4 billion.
The state revolving fund has been funded in the past several fiscal years at
about $1.35 billion annually through the Environmental Protection Agency's
budget. EPA issued a report in the fall of 2002 showing the funding gap for
wastewater infrastructure ranging between $270 billion to $442 billion over 20
years, depending on different factors (190 DEN A-1, 10/1/02 ).
The Kelly aide said the bill includes Davis-Bacon Act provisions, which require
locally prevailing wages be paid on projects that receive federal funding.
Legislation (H.R. 3930) introduced by Rep. John J. Duncan (R-Tenn.) and Peter
DeFazio (D-Ore.), chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the
Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and
Environment, passed the full committee in March 2002. It was similar to the
Kelly-Tauscher bill, including an amendment to incorporate the Davis-Bacon
provisions. No further House action was taken (50 DEN A-3, 3/14/02 ).
The House Republican leadership was accused by Democrats of bottling up H.R.
3930 bill because of opposition to the Davis-Bacon provisions.
A spokesman for the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies said the bill
shows the "continuing dedication" of some in Congress to water infrastructure,
but suggested a long-term, dedicated funding source ultimately is needed.