The House of Representatives passed an economic stimulus package Sept. 26 that includes $7.5 billion to help finance clean water and drinking water infrastructure improvements, but efforts by the Senate to pass its own stimulus bill faltered.


The bill's fate is uncertain because the Bush administration is opposed to the increase in infrastructure spending, along with a number of other provisions in the bill, and Congress is focused on tackling a financial package to solve the nation's credit crisis.
Also, Senate Republicans blocked the measure Sept. 26 after failing to reach cloture.


Included in the $61 billion House supplemental appropriations bill (H.R. 7110) is $6.5 billion for the clean water state revolving fund under the Clean Water Act and $1 billion for the drinking water state revolving fund under the Safe Drinking Water Act.


The House legislation, which passed by a 264-158 vote, would greatly increase the amount of money for water infrastructure compared with current appropriations.


The Environmental Protection Agency was allocated $689 million for fiscal 2008 for the clean water revolving fund and $842 million for the drinking water revolving fund (247 DEN A-1, 12/27/07).


The clean water SRF provides low-interest loans to states to help pay for building and updating infrastructure needed to keep raw sewage, toxic chemicals, and other pollution out of lakes, rivers, streams, and coastal waters.


Under the SRF program, established in 1987, EPA makes capitalization grants to states, which in turn make low-interest loans to wastewater utilities. States are required to match the funds they use by at least 20 percent. The loans are intended to be repaid into the fund, making it self-perpetuating.
The drinking water SRF provides funds to ensure that water consumed is clean and safe.


Dan Hartnett, manager of legislative affairs for the American Metropolitan Water Association, told BNA Sept. 29 additional funding for aging water treatment facilities is sorely needed. EPA has done a number of studies showing states need more funds just to continue to provide service at their current levels, he said.


Funds Called ‘Huge Help.'
“To have this additional money would be a huge help to communities throughout the country in need of infrastructure upgrades,” he said.
It's tough to predict what might happen. The stimulus bill might get attached to a bailout measure or other legislation, Hartnett said. But he added: “My personal feeling is it doesn't seem like the White House is eager to make a deal. It's too expensive.”

Because a continuing resolution was passed that would continue current funding levels through March, Hartnett said, efforts to increase water infrastructure funding might remain on hold until then.


Susan Bruninga, director of legislative and public affairs for the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, told BNA continuing the status quo poses problems because many of the nation's wastewater treatment plants are more than 100 years old.


“Obviously,” [the House measure's] funding increase would be a big help,” she said.


The House economic stimulus bill also included $3 billion in grants for making schools more energy efficient and environmentally safe, as well as $1 billion in loan guarantees for advanced vehicle battery production.


Another $500 million was included for energy efficiency and renewable energy research, development, and demonstration activities during the 2009 fiscal year, and $100 million was set for the cost of activities aimed at modernizing the national energy grid, enhancing energy infrastructure security and reliability, and recovering from energy supply disruptions.


Measure Targets Schools.

The measure targeted the school funds to “modernizing, renovating, or repairing public school facilities … to be safe, healthy, high-performing, and up-to-date technologically.”


These funds could be used for work such as: installing “green” roofs (such as rooftop gardens); renewable energy systems; replacing wiring and other electrical systems; repairing heating, air conditioning, and ventilation; bringing schools up to health codes; modifying buildings to meet Americans With Disability Act standards; abating or removing asbestos and polychlorinated biphenyls; and reducing exposure to mold and mildew.
The money could also be applied to renewable energy and heating systems.


The bill would require a school district to use at least 25 percent of a grant for modernization, renovation, or repair certified under one of several standards.


These standards include:
• the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system;
• the Energy Star program of EPA and the Department of Energy;
• the Collaborative for High-Performing Schools;
• the Green Building Initiative's Green Globes rating system, or
• an equivalent program adopted by the state or other jurisdiction with authority over the local educational agency.


Battery Development Aided.
The $1 billion for advanced battery development would help implement the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (Pub. L. No. 110-140), which authorized loan guarantees for construction of manufacturing facilities for advanced vehicle batteries and battery systems.
The bill's energy research and demonstration provision was aimed at accelerating “the development of technologies that will diversify the nation's energy portfolio and contribute to a reliable domestic energy supply.”

By Linda Roeder and Bill Pritchard