June 27, 2012

Speakers

• Julie Ufner, Associate Legislative Director, National Association of Counties (NACo) • Carolyn Berndt, Principal Associate, National League of Cities (NLC) • Tyler Frisbee, Legislative Assistant, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) • Jon Pawlow, Counsel, Water, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

Water Infrastructure Needs

• Local governments fund 95 to 98 percent of all water and wastewater infrastructure investments, including over $103 billion in 2009. • EPA Clean Watershed Needs Survey - $298 billion over 20 years http://water.epa.gov/scitech/datait/databases/cwns • EPA Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey $334.8 billion over 20 years – http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/drinkingwater/dwns

Water Infrastructure Needs

(con.) • American Water Works Association - $1 trillion/20 years – http://www.awwa.org/Government/Content.cfm?ItemNumber=1062&n avItemNumber=58521 • Black & Veatch survey of utility leaders - aging infrastructure is the most pressing concern within the water utility industry – http://bv.com/survey/2012-water-utility-report • American Society of Civil Engineers - has given the nation’s wastewater and drinking water infrastructure a grade of “D-” in their most recent report card – http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/

State Revolving Loan Funds

• Prior to the 1987 CWA amendments - federal share of project costs was generally 55 percent; state and local governments were responsible for the remaining 45 percent. • After 1987 CWA amendments - local communities are now responsible for 100 percent of projects costs.

• Total federal appropriations to the Clean Water SRF (since FY1986) and Drinking Water SRF (since FY1994): $69.214 B • Congressional Budget Office concluded in 2003 that “current funding from all levels of government and current revenues generated from ratepayers will not be sufficient to meet the nation’s future demand for water infrastructure.”

Tyler Frisbee

Legislative Assistant Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) (202) 225-4811 [email protected]

Clean Water Trust Fund

• Funding: small fees on a broad base of those who use water and contribute to water pollution, expected to raise around $9 billion per year.

• Most of the funding created by the Water Protection and Reinvestment Act would be distributed as grants and loans through the existing Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund.

• 10% of the funds will be used to finance an innovative financing program, example: set up a Water Infrastructure Financing Innovations Authority to provide low-cost capital to clean water infrastructure projects.

Jon Pawlow, Esq.

Counsel, Water House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (202) 225-4360 [email protected]

Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Authority (WIFIA)

• What is WIFIA? WIFIA would offer loans, loan guarantees, and other credit support for large water infrastructure projects.

• How would WIFIA work? WIFIA would access funds from the U.S. Treasury at long-term Treasury rates and use those funds to provide loans or other credit support for water projects.

• How would WIFIA help local governments? Ideally, WIFIA should allow projects and State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs to obtain financing through a streamlined process.

Thank you for viewing this webinar!

Carolyn Berndt Principal Associate National League of Cities [email protected]

(202) 626-3101

Contact Information:

Julie Ufner Associate Legislative Director National Association of Counties [email protected]

(202) 942-4269