HOUSE PASSES H.R. 720, THE WATER QUALITY FINANCING ACT OF 2007

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 720, the Water Quality Financing Act of 2007, to reauthorize the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (CWSRF) program at $14 billion over the next four years. AGC supported this measure which passed 303-108.  The administration threatened a veto due to Davis-Bacon provisions contained in the bill but the 303-108 vote exceeds the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto.  The bill now goes to the Senate for deliberation where AGC will continue to push for passage.

In addition to the investment called for in H.R. 720, AGC supports creation of a long-term, sustainable, off-budget source of funding for clean water by creating a dedicated trust fund to finance the construction and maintenance of wastewater facilities.  Recent polling shows that an overwhelming majority - 86 percent of Americans - would support the creation of such a trust fund. H.R. 720 makes a first step toward the creation of a trust fund calling on the GAO to conduct a study to assist Congress in quickly identifying a dedicated source(s) of revenue to establish a Clean Water Trust Fund that would ensure the availability of appropriations to fund clean water needs over the long-term.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and the Water Infrastructure Network (WIN) report a funding gap of $300 billion to $500 billion that is needed over the next 20 years to address wastewater collection and treatment needs nationwide.  For more information, contact Stu Megaw at 703/837-5321 or megaws@agc.org or Karen Bachman at 703/837-4733 or bachmank@agc.org