AMSA offers support for H.R. 3930's funding increase
March 20, 2002 -- In a letter delivered to the leadership of the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee on March 18, the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies (AMSA), representing over 270 publicly-owned wastewater treatment agencies, expressed its appreciation for the introduction of H.R. 3930, the "Water Quality Investment Act of 2002."
AMSA applauds the T&I Committee's commitment to the critical issue of wastewater infrastructure funding.
The letter, from Gurnie Gunter, AMSA President and Director of Kansas City Water Services Department, to Representatives Young, Oberstar, Duncan and DeFazio offers support for H.R. 3930's investment of $20 billion over five years. The letter states that that this funding will "help our communities meet the national environmental priorities of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and to replace aging and failing infrastructure." AMSA commends the leadership for increasing the authorization for the CWA and for their commitment to working with appropriators to fully fund the state revolving loan funds at the authorized levels.
AMSA fully supports the bill's specific provisions making loan funds available for security projects, which will assist our communities in protecting both their employees and utility assets and the bill's watershed management provisions. AMSA also supports the provisions of an additional 25 percent subsidization for eligible projects on the state's priority list where funds provided to the SRF are above $1.4 billion.
The Water Infrastructure Network (WIN), the Environmental Protection Agency, and the General Accounting Office all have documented the significant and daunting funding shortfall facing thousands of wastewater utilities. Over the next 20 years, according to WIN, America's wastewater systems will have to invest $12 billion a year more than current investments to replace aging and failing pipes and meet the increasing mandates of the Clean Water Act. This simply cannot be accomplished without a long-term, financial partnership with the federal government.
As the March 18 letter states, the Water Quality Investment Act of 2002 "is an important first step in meeting that infrastructure gap. Additionally, H.R. 3930 will create tens of thousands of jobs and will help to protect and preserve America's rivers, lakes and coastlines. AMSA and its member agencies thank you for the time and effort you and your staff have dedicated to the reauthorization of the CWA state revolving loan fund." AMSA is committed to working with the T&I Committee as H.R. 3930 moves to the House floor.
