Clean Water Advocacy - Newsroom - AMSA in the News
Groups Urge new Congress to Make Water Issues a Priority
By Maureen Lorenzetti
With the start of a new Congress, various water trade associations are hoping
lawmakers will refocus on issues that failed to reach consensus last session,
including water infrastructure funding and water resource management.
US Reps. Sue Kelly, R-NY, and Ellen O. Tauscher, D-CA, in early January
introduced in the House of Representatives a bipartisan Clean Water
Infrastructure Financing Act of 2003 (HR 20) designed to provide $25 billion
over five years for state revolving funds used to maintain and improve water and
wastewater infrastructure.
The Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies endorsed the action, saying
the proposal demonstrated that the 108th Congress remains committed to clean
water infrastructure funding and is an important first step in 2003 toward water
infrastructure funding shortfalls.
"The United States faces a looming crisis to the nation's wastewater
infrastructure, as pipes and systems age and are in desperate need of upgrade
and repair," said Ken Kirk, AMSA executive director. "Municipalities now
shoulder 90% of these infrastructure costs but they cannot continue to foot this
massive infrastructure bill alone, especially as local budgets continue to
shrink and municipalities face daunting security costs. Without a serious,
long-term commitment from the federal government, the wastewater infrastructure
funding need over the next twenty years will only rise dramatically and we will
have missed our opportunity to ensure the nation's clean water future.e"
AMSA has also been a vocal member of the Water Infrastructure Network (WIN) — a
coalition that issued a report that stated there is a $12 billion annual
shortfall for wastewater infrastructure over the next 20 years.
To overcome the funding shortfall, AMSA said it wants Congress and President
George W. Bush "to act swiftly on new legislation to finance a long-term,
sustainable, and reliable source of funding for clean water, focusing on
critical "core" wastewater infrastructure needs."
In a similar action the American Water Resources Association told policy makers
on Capitol Hill and the White House that states face drought and wetlands losses
if a national water strategy is not considered
AWRA policymakers should: develop a national water policy that expands
coordination between states, local authorities and federal officials on water
resources projects.
What resources Congress or the White House considers for water resources and
infrastructure are still uncertain given it is early in the session.
Nevertheless there are growing indications that looming fiscal pressures may
further limit chances that large new sources of funding are found, lobbyists
say. Congress still must finish work on a delayed 2003 fiscal year budget; the
original deadline was last October. And in early February the White House is
expected to issue new proposals for the 2004 budget, slated to start this coming
October.
AWWA, Commerce Support Public/Private Partnerships
The American Water Works Association in December announced an agreement with the
US Department of Commerce to enhance international opportunities for US drinking
water companies through public-private partnerships.
"This alliance creates an opportunity to enhance international trade of
environmental technologies and to develop infrastructure projects that support
growing populations, economic development, and protect the public health for
people worldwide," said Jack Hoffbuhr, AWWA executive director. "AWWA is truly
very honored to partner with the U.S. Department of Commerce and to exchange
resources so that we may collectively work toward a unified goal of protecting
public health."
"This agreement demonstrates our commitment to public-private partnerships that
stimulate international trade," said Linda Conlin, Assistant Secretary of
Commerce for Trade Development. "This will benefit the U.S. environmental
industry, enhance U.S. exports and advance the Administration's commitment to
provide better access to safe drinking water to people around the globe."
AWWA said the partnership would be useful in several ways including the
opportunity to continue advancing programs to deliver safe, clean drinking water
to those most in need. Working with the Commerce Department will also support
sustainable development overseas, protect public health, encourage responsible
growth, and minimize the impact of population growth on the environment and the
world population as a whole, the association said.
Industry Groups Praise Homeland Security Bill
The American Water Works Association said it endorses a new law passed late last
year creating a Department of Homeland Security. The group specifically endorses
the creation of an "Information Analysis & Infrastructure Protection
Directorate."
The directorate will conduct a comprehensive inventory, collect and analyze
intelligence, and identify potential threats to the nation's critical
infrastructure, including drinking water systems. Federal officials will then
communicate relevant security information to the water sector via the
Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC), a private organization run by
the drinking water and wastewater communities.
"The Homeland Security Act of 2002 benefits water utilities by promoting an
increased federal focus and coordination concerning the vulnerability of
drinking water infrastructure," said Jack Hoffbuhr, executive director of AWWA.
"The Act designates a single source of threat information for the ISAC that will
go a long way toward better coordination, as well as a streamlined method of
communication, between water utilities and the top levels of government."
In June, President Bush signed the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism
Response Act ("Bioterrorism Act") of 2001 (H.R. 3448), which requires drinking
water systems to conduct and submit vulnerability assessments to the EPA. Under
the Bioterrorism Act, these assessments are exempt from disclosure under federal
FOIA, but are not exempt under state or local disclosure laws. The Homeland
Security Act of 2002 does not change the requirement to submit vulnerability
assessments to EPA.
The critical infrastructure information submitted voluntarily under the Homeland
Security Act will be exempt from disclosure via federal Freedom of Information
Act (FOIA) requests, as well as under local and state FOIA-type laws.
WaterWorld February, 2003
Author(s) : Maureen Lorenzetti