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Write to Your Members of Congress to Oppose House’s Proposed 83% Cut to the Clean Water SRF

NACWA is asking all its public agency members to write to their Members of Congress this week opposing the drastic 83% cut to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) proposed in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 House Appropriations spending package for Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) budget.

Yesterday, the House Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees EPA’s budget passed its FY2014 Interior and EPA appropriations package, proposing to reduce EPA funding by 34% and slash the CWSRF from $1.2 billion to just $250 million.  The package also proposes a similarly drastic cut to the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) of $559 million, providing only $350 million for that program.

The full House Appropriations Committee is expected to take up the measure next week, with House of Representatives consideration in September. While the House Appropriations package is the first salvo in Congress’ struggle to establish an FY14 budget for the federal government, it likely will not prevail in its current form if the Senate offers a higher number or Congress ultimately moves in the direction of a Continuing Resolution that would maintain funding closer to current spending levels. The bottom line, however, is that the House’s proposed cuts to the SRF programs indicate that many in Congress are willing to step away from a longstanding federal-state-local partnership that has been critical in helping communities finance their clean water and drinking water needs and comply with the requirements of Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act.

Members of Congress need to hear from their utilities back home that these cuts are not acceptable and that funding for the CWSRF and DWSRF programs must be restored.  Please write to your member of Congress using this letter as a template and urge them to oppose these cuts and support investments in clean and safe water. 

For information on how to contact your Members of Congress, please see NACWA’s Congressional Toolbox. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Hannah Mellman at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .