Feb. 28, 2002 -- The Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies (AMSA) testified today before the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, which is introducing the Water Investment Act of 2002 (S. 1961).
Paul Pinault, Executive Director of the Narragansett Bay Commission and AMSA's Vice President, testified before EPW's Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Water Thursday to provide feedback on the bill.
"Water quality should be a priority at every level of government, and America's municipalities should not be left alone to face the challenge of providing clean and safe water to every citizen," Pinault said. "Existing and new regulatory requirements continue to strain local budgets, including the tremendous expenses needed to comply with total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), and combined sewer (CSO) and sanitary sewer (SSO) overflow programs and requirements.
"The events of September 11, 2001 added to these already tremendous operating costs by requiring expensive facility security upgrades. The reality is that without a significant fiscal partnership that includes long-term federal participation to meet these core infrastructure challenges, we will see a continued and devastating decline in both our national wastewater treatment and collection systems and the nation's public health and environmental well being."
Pinault said AMSA believes Senators John Graham, Michael Crapo, James Jeffords, and Bob Smith have taken an important step to improve financial and environmental sustainability of the water programs of the United States.
The organization recommended that the bill be streamlined to direct funds to support what it called the core needs of communities -- wastewater and drinking water infrastructure repair and replacement and compliance with costly regulatory requirements.
Several key recommendations would improve the bill, Pinault said, including:
o focus on core infrastructure needs, including repair and replacement of aging pipes and facilities;
o fully fund the documented water infrastructure funding needs at an authorized level of $57 billion over five years through a combination of grant and loan funding options and ensure federal participation over the long-term;
o streamline state funding procedures without adding new administrative or regulatory requirements; and
o increase investment in clean and safe water technology and management innovation to reduce infrastructure costs, prolong the life of America's water and wastewater assets, and improve the productivity of utility enterprises.
AMSA's Executive Director, Ken Kirk, says, "S. 1961 is an important first step toward recognizing the need for increased wastewater infrastructure funding. At the same time," Kirk adds, "we recommend that S. 1961 focus more specifically on the urgent wastewater infrastructure needs this country faces, while also streamlining the SRF to facilitate municipal access to these key funds."
AMSA's testimony is available at http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/advocacy/testimony/2-28-02testimony.cfm.
AMSA represents more than 270 publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) across the country which treat more than 18 billion gallons of wastewater each day and service the majority of the U.S. sewered population.
For more information about AMSA, visit http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org.
