Clean Water Advocacy - News Releases - February
26, 2002
For Immediate Release: February 26, 2002 Contact: Adam
Krantz, 202/833-4651, AMSA
AMSA to Testify on Senate Water Investment
Act The Association of Metropolitan Sewerage
Agencies (AMSA) applauds the leadership of the Senate Environment
and Public Works (EPW) Committee in introducing the Water Investment
Act of 2002 (S. 1961). AMSA believes Senators Bob Graham, Michael
Crapo, James Jeffords, and Bob Smith have taken an important step
to, as the bill title states, "improve financial and environmental
sustainability of the water programs of the United States." AMSA
recommends, however, that S. 1961 be significantly streamlined to
direct the bill's funds to support the core needs of our communities
? infrastructure repair and replacement and compliance with costly
regulatory requirements.
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. 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,
"this legislation should focus more specifically on the urgent water
and wastewater infrastructure needs this country faces, without new
hurdles placed in the way of municipal access to these key funds."
On February 28, AMSA's Vice President and Executive Director of
the Narragansett Bay Commission in Providence Rhode Island will
provide EPW's Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Water with
AMSA's assessment of S.1961. Paul Pinault's testimony will go
in-depth into several key recommendations that POTWs believe will
improve the bill, including changes to S.1961 that would:
- focus on core infrastructure needs, including repair and
replacement of aging pipes and facilities;
- 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;
- streamline state funding procedures; and
- invest 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 looks forward to continuing its work with EPW and thanks the
Committee for taking this first important step towards ensuring and
building upon the environmental and public health gains made over
the past 30 years since enactment of the Clean Water Act.
1816 Jefferson Place, Washington, DC 20036-2505 •
202.833.AMSA • 202.833.4657 FAX
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