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ATTEMPTS TO BOLSTER CLEAN WATER SRF FAIL IN THE HOUSE
AGC is working to obtain federal funding for infrastructure. Here is a brief overview of recent legislative activity related to water infrastructure funding.
HOUSE
Rep. David Obey, the House Appropriations Committee's ranking member, tried and failed to increase fiscal year 2006 funding for the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF) on May 19th by offering two amendments during the House floor debate on the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2006.
Obey first tried to add $500 million through an offset that would have restored a tax on individuals earning more than $1 million per year. The Congressman's second attempt was a more modest $100 million that would have been paid for out of the EPA's State and Tribal Grant (STAG) account that provides funds for earmarks for individual water, wastewater and stormwater projects in Members' districts.
The House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment will hold two days of hearings to receive testimony on how to finance water infrastructure projects on June 8 and June 14. AGC will be represented and is preparing testimony.
Clean Water / Great Lakes Funding Bill
Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) recently introduced H.R.2129, Great Lakes Environmental Protection and Restoration Programs Reauthorization Act.
Although primarily a Great Lakes bill, the legislation would reauthorize the Clean Water Act's state revolving loan fund at $20 billion over five years and was referred to four House committees.
Additional five-year authorization levels include the following:
* $4 billion for various Great Lakes programs
* $750 million for technical assistance for rural and small treatment works
* $20 billion for the Clean Water SRF
SENATE
The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies began deliberation of EPA's budget on May 19th with a hearing that featured EPA Assistant Administrator Stephen Johnson. The Subcommittee's leadership told the Administrator that they intended to try to increase spending for the clean water SRF in the Interior appropriations bill.
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