H.R 3930 – The Water Quality Financing Act of 2002

Download Report

Transcript H.R 3930 – The Water Quality Financing Act of 2002

U.S. Conference of Mayors Legislative Agenda

USCM/Urban Water Council Meeting Albuquerque, New Mexico September 30, 2005

USCM Water Priorities

 Infrastructure Financing  Water/Watershed - Protection, Supply and Development Issues (MTBE, Drought Commission, Great Lakes Issues, Aquatic Invasive Species)  Water and Wastewater Security  Army Corps of Engineers (WRDA)  Response to Hurricanes Katrina & Rita

Chicago Resolutions

 Local governments should strongly consider the use of alternative project and service delivery methods for development of water and wastewater infrastructure.

 Congress should enact the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act of 2005 in order to help prevent the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species in the nation’s waters.  Congress should approve legislation that would complement the Drinking and Clean Water SRFs by providing more targeted and direct federal resources to help with water infrastructure-related issues, including $50.6 billion for CSOs, and $88.5 billion for SSOs and stormwater management.

Infrastructure Financing

Urban Water Council 3-Prong Approach:  Grants to Communities with Severe Environmental or Economic Hardship  30-year no interest loans  Removal of Private Activity Bonds from the State Volume Cap

Infrastructure Appropriations

Fiscal Year 2006  $850 million for Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Funds (level funding)  $900 million for Clean Water State Revolving Loan Funds (down from $1.1 billion in 2005 and an all-time high of $1.3 billion)

S.1400 – The Water Infrastructure Financing Act

 Authorizes $20 billion to EPA’s CWSRF and $15 billion for DWSRF over the next 5 years.

 Authorizes $3 billion in grants over the next 5 years for technical assistance to small and rural communities.

 Encourages alternatives ways of doing business.

 All Upgrades Using Federal Dollars Need to Comply with the Davis-Bacon prevailing wage law.

Status – Passed out of Full Senate Committee, Awaiting Floor Action

Private Activity Bonds

 Mayors Have Met with House and Senate members as well as Treasury officials  Representatives Shaw, Davis, English, Thompson, and Turner introduced H.R. 1708 on April 19, 2005.

 Referred to House Ways and Means Committee  The bill would remove private activity bonds from state volume cap for sewage and water supply facilities. (23 cosponsors) Looking for Senate counterpart

Army Corps of Engineers

 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA)  Authorizes the Sec. of the Army to construct improvements to rivers and harbors.

 H.R. 2864, H.Res.346 – passed the House on July 13, 2005  S. 728 – little movement

Hurricane & Water Issues

 Over 1,200 drinking water systems impacted from Katrina.

 Countless sewer systems impacted. Back up causing environmental contamination and potential public health risks.

 Municipal and other bonds impacted  Tremendous Need for Technical Assistance and Recovery Efforts

Legislative Response

  Senate passed by Unanimous Consent S. 1709, the Gulf Coast Emergency Water Infrastructure Assistance Act on September 27, 2005.

For the States of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, the bill would allow the SRF program to be used to repair or rebuild water treatment plants affected by Katrina  Allow forgiveness on the principal borrowed or a zero-percent interest rate on the loan itself.

- Referred to the House

Legislative Response

 Need to pay for a potential $200 billion recovery effort  Where does the money come from?

 Republican Study Committee targets Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund for elimination.

 Question remains – how do you rebuild the Gulf Coast’s water infrastructure?

 What can the UWC and WDAB do?