AGC TESTIFIES ON THE NEED FOR A CLEAN WATER TRUST FUND
AGC testified on June 8th at a hearing on Capitol Hill before The House Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee about new ways to finance the nation’s water infrastructure funding gap estimated in the hundreds of billions of dollars over the next 20 years. 

AGC was one of several members of the Water Infrastructure Network (WIN) to participate in the hearing.  Jack Schenendorf, who testified on behalf of AGC, has worked on Capitol Hill for nearly 30 years, dealing with water issues, and the politics and mechanics of trust fund integrity.  Today he urged the House Subcommittee to consider financing water infrastructure projects in the same way Congress pays for transportation infrastructure projects—using self–financed, deficit proof trust funds. 

"We have seen monumental legislative achievements in the past such as the creation of America's economic lifeline—the interstate highway system,” said Schenendorf.  “It is time to make a commitment to our nation’s water infrastructure funding gaps by creating a trust fund to ensure clean, safe water for the American people.” 

 AGC believes the hearing is a critical step towards the introduction and passage of legislation to create a clean water trust fund which would secure the long-term viability of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF).  Through a trust fund, a system of user taxes would be established.  The revenues generated by these user taxes would be credited to the trust fund, ensuring that the revenues are spent for their intended purpose.  The budget authority provided from the trust fund would not be subject to the annual appropriations process and the trust fund would either be outside the unified budget or subject to a guaranteed funding mechanism to ensure a linkage between revenues and spending.

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