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Member Pipeline
Clean Water Current - February 13, 2009
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February 13, 2009 NACWA Efforts Garner $4 Billion in SRF Funds, Improve Provisions in Stimulus BillThe House and Senate agreed to a final compromise on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) this week providing $787 billion to stimulate the economy, including $4 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and $2 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). Passage of this important piece of legislation represents a significant victory for NACWA and its member agencies, who devoted significant resources to ensuring the inclusion of funding for wastewater. Both houses of Congress are expected to vote on the final package today in time for President Obama to sign it into law on President’s Day. NACWA applauded Congress and President Obama for their efforts in a press release and pointed out that enactment is merely the first step in an ongoing effort to ensure a long-term sustainable source of funding. NACWA also appreciates the hard work of its public member agencies who wrote letters, provided information on their projects needs, and made regular contact with their congressional representatives to ensure the clean water community was heard.NACWA worked hard to help shape the legislation, and the final package reflects these efforts. Most notably, the package mandates that at least 50 percent of the SRF funds be in the form of principle forgiveness, negative interest loans, or grants. NACWA argued strongly that additional subsidization/grants were needed to ensure the money could be put to use as quickly as possible. To expedite use of the funds, the recovery package waives the mandatory 20 percent state matching requirements for both SRFs; directs EPA to reallocate SRF funding not committed for projects that are not under contract or construction within 12 months of the date of enactment (the “use it or lose it” provision); and gives priority to projects on state priority lists that are ready to proceed to construction within 12 months of enactment. In addition, up to 20 percent of the SRF funding will be made available for projects to address green infrastructure, water and/or energy efficiency, and other innovative water quality improvements. NACWA had supported such a set-aside in a Dec. 18 letter  to Congress. NACWA also worked hard to ensure the final bill did not contain provisions that would have required communities to meet affordability criteria in order to be eligible for the additional subsidization/grants. However, the conference report to the bill directs states to target, as much as possible, additional funds to communities that could not otherwise afford an SRF loan. The ARRA targets several other funding programs for investments in water resources: $3.8 billion is targeted for water and wastewater investments for small communities under 10,000 through the Rural Utility Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This money will provide additional assistance to small, rural communities that need help financing their water and wastewater projects, relieving some degree of pressure for financing these projects through the SRF programs. Another $4.6 billion is targeted to authorized Army Corps of Engineers projects under the Water Resources Development Act of 2007, including local community wastewater infrastructure investments. Other funding in the stimulus package includes $1 billion for Bureau of Reclamation water resources projects in western states including $126 million for water reclamation and reuse and $60 million for rural water projects. An additional $340,000 is provided through the Department of Agriculture for watershed protection and flood prevention. NACWA Web Seminar, Other Key Tools to Provide Information about Stimulus FundingNACWA will host a web seminar Thursday, Feb. 19 from 1:00 – 2:30 pm EST to provide vital information to its member agencies and affiliates about the implementation of the stimulus package. NACWA Vice President, Kevin Shafer, executive director of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, will facilitate the free seminar, Access Granted . . . Getting the Most out of Economic Stimulus Funding, on the funding available for water-related infrastructure and how to best access it. Presenters will include key congressional staffers as well as representatives from EPA, the Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators (ASIWPCA), and the Council of Infrastructure Financing Authorities (CIFA).NACWA is also developing a detailed written analysis on the implementation of the recovery package that will provide valuable guidance on accessing this new funding, which will be made available to our members next week. This guidance will provide details of the recovery package as well as information about how states will set up their programs to distribute SRF funds to communities. For example, monies distributed in the form of grants may have to meet specific federal requirements not mandated for loans. The guidance will distinguish among these forms of funding and help communities determine the best financing options to meet their needs. In addition to these educational tools, NACWA will develop a monitoring and tracking program for wastewater utilities nationwide to ensure that the funds from the ARRA are effectively spent and have the desired economic impact. NACWA will develop this web-based tracking system within the next several weeks and will provide access to utilities that participate in the stimulus programs as well as to those who seek to participate. While NACWA fought hard for a higher level of water infrastructure funding, the recovery package is an important first step in re-establishing a sustainable, long-term federal-state-local partnership needed to ensure communities can provide vital clean water services. Clearly, Congress recognizes the need for a strong federal role in ensuring the viability of our nation’s infrastructure. NACWA will use this momentum to achieve a dedicated, long-term funding source for clean water infrastructure and will continue to work with its members to urge Congress to reauthorize the CWSRF reauthorization and enact aclean water trust fund in the 111th Congress. NACWA Primer to Help POTWs with Issues, Opportunities Related to Climate ChangeNACWA released its climate change primer, Getting Into the Game: How POTWs Can Take Advantage of Carbon Trading, designed to help municipal clean water utilities better understand the challenges and opportunities presented by emerging carbon markets, including potential financial benefits through participation in carbon trading or offset projects. The primer, funded through NACWA’s Critical Issues Action Initiative (CIAI), provides an overview of carbon markets and carbon trading with insight and analysis on issues clean water utilities should consider when evaluating entry to the carbon market. More information is available in a Feb. 12 Member Update (MU 09-03). The document is free to Association members and can be downloaded from the Member Pipeline on the NACWA website.NACWA’s Pretreatment Workshop to Explore Source Control IssuesWith a theme, Pretreatment and Source Control – Providing the Foundation for Clean Water’s Future, NACWA’s 2009 National Pretreatment and Pollution Prevention Workshop, to be held March 25-27 at the Hilton Charlotte University Place in Charlotte, N.C., will highlight emerging source control issues that are becoming increasingly important to pretreatment programs and clean water agencies. For example, one panel presentations will focus on source control issues, including the control of antimicrobials, such as triclosan and nanosilver, which are used in a multitude of consumer products. Others will focus on the use of amalgam separators to control mercury discharges from dental offices and the control of emerging contaminants for a water reuse program. The Workshop will also provide information and updates about traditional pretreatment issues. Online registration is now available for the Workshop. The deadline for reserving a room at the special group rate of $149 is March 3. Hotel information and a draft agenda for the Workshop are available on NACWA’s Conferences and Professional Development webpage. |
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