» Legislative Alerts Archive

Background

NACWA continues its aggressive work to broaden support in Congress for significant wastewater infrastructure funding.  Now that implementation of the stimulus package is well under way, Congress is dealing with other key water-related funding bills, including reauthorization of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and the fiscal year (FY) 2010 EPA budget bill.  President Obama’s FY 2010 budget proposal seeks to significantly boost funding for the CWSRF from the current $689 million to approximately $2.4 billion.  The President’s proposal represents the largest proposed increase for the Clean Water SRF base program in decades.    NACWA strongly encourages its public agency members to contact their members of Congress to urge support for the President’s proposal.

Public Agency Members Urged to Contact Members of Congress

The House and Senate have now approved their respective FY 2010 budget resolutions.  The House-passed resolution would limit total federal spending to $3.6 trillion in FY 2010, while the Senate passed a budget resolution of $3.53 trillion.  Though both of these resolutions represent a slight decrease from the President’s overall budget proposal, each version would permit full funding of Obama’s request of $10.5 billion for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) next year, including the $2.4 billion appropriations request for the CWSRF.

Conference negotiators are now working on combining the House and Senate versions into a joint budget resolution, which will serve as a non-binding document that sets funding guidelines for the overall federal budget.  NACWA worked with Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Tex.) and Congressman Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.) on a House “Dear Colleague” letter in support of President Obama’s budget request for the CWSRF, and will continue to work closely with key staff on the House and Senate appropriations committees in the coming months as they craft the FY 2010 appropriations bills.  However, it is critical that Congress hear from public clean water agencies to ensure that there is support for the CWSRF funding level contained in President Obama’s budget request.

Congressman Norm Dicks, Chairman of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, is interested in inserting language which would continue to authorize additional subsidization of at least 50% for funds distributed under the CWSRF.  This language would be similar to the language contained in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.   So it is critical that in your communications with your Representatives and Senators that you urge them to include language from the stimulus package that requires states to use at least 50% of the funds in the form of additional subsidization/grants.  While highly supportive of additional funds via the SRF, NACWA continues to believe that sustainable, long-term federal funding via an equitable, firewalled clean water trust fund is the best method to ensure sustainable water quality progress.

Please contact your Members of Congress to support President Obama’s funding request of $2.4 billion for the CWSRF today.  Contact Byron DeLuke at 202/833-2672 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   or Pat Sinicropi at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   with any additional questions and please send copies of your letters to NACWA for our files.