AGC PUSHES FOR RENEWED INVESTMENT IN CLEAN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE

On Tuesday House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.) introduced the Water Quality Financing Act of 2007 (H.R. 720) to reauthorize the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF).  The measure was approved Wednesday by the Committee’s Water Resources Subcommittee.

H.R. 720 includes a provision to require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study to assist Congress in quickly identifying a dedicated source(s) of revenue to establish a Clean Water Trust Fund to ensure the availability of appropriations to fund clean water needs over the long-term.

AGC strongly supports the creation of a dedicated trust fund to fund water infrastructure investment.  Polling data also shows that 86 percent of Americans would support legislation by the U.S. Congress that would create a long-term, sustainable, and reliable trust fund for clean and safe water infrastructure. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Water Infrastructure Network (WIN), and GAO all report a funding gap of $300 billion to $500 billion over 20 years between what is needed and what is actually spent on our water infrastructure.  H.R. 720 will authorize a total of $20 billion in capitalization grants to state SRF programs over five years.  Provisions are also included in the bill to increase access to the SRF program in small and disadvantaged communities. 

The full Committee is expected to act on the bill in early February.  Chairman Oberstar is working with House Leadership to bring the measure up for consideration by the full House as early as mid-February.  [ return to top ]