Water Quality Investment Act
On March 12, the House passed the Water Quality Investment Act, H.R. 1262, which makes a number of key investments to improve water quality and better ensure safe, clean water for all Americans.
The major section of this bill is the section reauthorizing the vital Clean Water State Revolving Fund (similar to H.R. 720 in the 110th Congress, which the House passed on March 9, 2007, by a bipartisan vote of 303-108.) These provisions authorize $13.8 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund over the next five years -- if its authorizations are fully appropriated, creating about 480,000 jobs over this five-year period.
A second section of the bill authorizes $250 million for pilot projects for increasing usable water supply over the next five years (similar to H.R. 700 in the 110th Congress, which the House passed on March 8, 2007, by a bipartisan vote of 368-59.)
A third section of the bill authorizes $1.8 billion for sewer overflow control grants over the next five years (similar to H.R. 569 in the 110th Congress, which the House passed on March 7, 2007, by a bipartisan vote of 367-58.)
A fourth section of the bill requires notification of sewer overflows, which sicken millions of Americans each year, to federal and state agencies (similar to H.R. 2452 in the 110th Congress, which the House passed on June 23, 2008, by voice vote).
The fifth section of the bill increases the authorization for eligible projects for cleaning up contaminated sediment in the Great Lakes to $150 million a year (the authorization level first passed by the House last year by a bipartisan vote of 371 to 20). Ultimately, the final version of the bill signed by President Bush last year authorized only an inadequate $50 million a year.
A detailed overview of the bill:
Clean Water State Revolving Fund
After years of underfunding by a GOP-controlled Congress, Title I of the bill authorizes a robust level of funding for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Title I authorizes a total of $13.8 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund over the next five years. It is similar to H.R. 720 in the 110th Congress, introduced by Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-MN), which the House passed on March 9, 2007, by a bipartisan vote of 303-108.
The Clean Water State Revolving Fund is a vital program. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund provides low-interest loans to local communities for construction of wastewater treatment facilities and other water pollution abatement projects. Since it was created in 1987, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund has been the primary source of federal funding for wastewater infrastructure projects. The fund is enormously popular with state and local governments across the country.
Title I will create approximately 480,000 jobs over the next five years, if its authorizations are fully appropriated. The estimates are that every $1 billion in funding for wastewater infrastructure projects creates 34,800 jobs. Title I authorizes a total of $13.8 billion for wastewater infrastructure over the next five years – thereby creating about 480,000 jobs over the five-year period.
Title I is aimed at renewing the federal commitment to addressing our nation’s substantial needs for wastewater infrastructure. Title I is designed to begin closing the approximately $3.2 billion to $11.1 billion annual gap that exists between wastewater infrastructure needs and current levels of spending. To achieve this goal, the bill seeks to increase investment in wastewater infrastructure, and to reduce the cost of constructing and maintaining that infrastructure.
Title I is vitally needed because the achievements of the Clean Water Act are currently at risk. The nation currently faces a clean water crisis. A recent report from the EPA warns, “Without continued improvements in wastewater treatment infrastructure, future population growth will erode away many of the Clean Water Act achievements.” Indeed, many experts are saying that, unless significant investments are made in clean water infrastructure in the next few years, water quality will decline back to the distressing levels of the early 1970s. As the Council of Great Lake Governors has stated, “America deserves better than to slip back to a time when rivers caught on fire and there were unsanitary conditions [in our rivers and lakes].”
Much of the clean water infrastructure in this country is rapidly approaching or has already exceeded its projected life. A key reason that the nation now faces a clean water crisis is that so many cities and communities throughout the U.S. are dealing with aging water infrastructure. For example, several U.S. cities still rely on sewer pipes that were installed more than 100 years ago to collect and treat domestic sewage. In addition, many of the wastewater treatment facilities constructed soon after enactment of the Clean Water Act are now reaching the end of their expected useful life and are in need of repair or replacement. This is why Title I of this bill is crucial.
Alternative Water Source Projects
Title II authorizes alternative water source projects in order to expand the supply of usable water. Title II authorizes $250 million over five years for pilot projects to expand the supply of usable water in shortage-plagued areas through the development of alternative water sources. Title II authorizes federal grant funding for projects to increase usable water supplies that are done in an environmentally sustainable manner by conserving, managing, reclaiming or reusing water or wastewater, or by treating wastewater. It is similar to H.R. 700 in the 110th Congress, introduced by Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA), which the House passed on March 8, 2007, by a bipartisan vote of 368-59.
Title II is needed in California and other states with chronic water shortage problems. The funding in this bill would be used to help finance pilot projects to develop new water sources in states like California that have long faced chronic water supply shortages amid continuing population booms.
Title II will fund new technologies. Title II will provide a necessary source of funding for ideas like aquifer storage and recovery and membrane filtering technologies that have the potential to greatly increase our ability to use water more effectively and efficiently.
Under Title II, the grant recipient would have to pay 50 percent of the cost of a project. Federal funding could provide no more than 50 percent of the costs of a project. Eligible recipients include state water resource development agencies, local government agencies, private utilities, and nonprofit organizations, provided the recipient is authorized to provide water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural uses. Recipients can use the grants on engineering, design, construction, and final testing of alternative water source projects designed to meet critical water supply needs.
Sewer Overflow Control Grants
Title III of this bill addresses the problem of sewer overflows – and will protect lives, preserve the environment, and help cities and states pay for modernizing their aging sewer infrastructure. Title III of this bill authorizes $1.8 billion for sewer overflow control grants over the next five years and is similar to H.R. 569 in the 110th Congress, introduced by Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), which the House passed on March 7, 2007, by a bipartisan vote of 367-58.) Title III aids cities and states that find building or improving sewer infrastructure financially impossible without help from the federal government.
Title III is needed because sewer overflows are a growing problem in the United States today – creating a significant public health hazard. Many of our municipalities utilize sewer systems constructed as far back as when Abraham Lincoln was president. This antiquated infrastructure is deteriorating, and as a result, state and local governments are often unable to stop raw sewage and untreated waste from flowing into streets, basements, rivers and lakes.
Combined sewer systems, found mainly in older cities, are one source of these dangerous sewer overflows. A combined sewer system is the type of sewer system which provides partially separated channels for sewage and stormwater runoff. It is an antiquated system that is vulnerable to sewer overflows during periods of peak rainfall. EPA estimates that each year, overflows from combined sewer systems discharge about 850 billion gallons of wastewater and storm water containing untreated waste, toxic debris, and other pollutants into the environment.
Separate sewer systems often overflow as well, releasing untreated waste into our environment in all 50 states. For example, in 2003, New Jersey closed over 30,000 acres of classified shellfish growing areas due to a large separate sewer overflow. Another year saw over 1,000 separate sewer overflows in Michigan, totaling over 20 billion gallons in spilled sewage.
Monitoring, Reporting, and Public Notification of Sewer Overflows
Title IV requires notification of sewer overflows, which sicken millions of Americans each year, to federal and state agencies. Title IV requires sewage operators eligible for federal clean water funds to monitor for, and provide timely notification of sewer overflows to federal and state agencies, public health officials, and the public. It is similar to H.R. 2452 in the 110th Congress, introduced by Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY), which the House passed on June 23, 2008, by voice vote.
It is critical to protect Americans from hazardous overflows in beaches, rivers, and lakes. It has been estimated that between 1.8 million and 3.5 million Americans become sick every year just from swimming in waters contaminated by sewer overflows. In addition, the loss of recreational revenue due to contamination has been valued at between $1 billion and $2 billion while economic losses due to swimming-related illnesses are estimated at $28 billion annually.
Title IV is needed because there is currently no federal law requiring sewage operators to monitor for hazardous leaks. Currently, instead of clear federal regulations, there is a patchwork of regulations in states and localities. Title IV is necessary because there is no federal law requiring sewage operators to monitor for hazardous leaks or notify the public of such leaks.
Great Lakes Legacy Act Reauthorization
Title V increases the authorization for eligible projects for cleaning up the Great Lakes to $150 million a year. Title V is based on the original version of H.R. 6460 in the 110th Congress, introduced by Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-MI), which the House passed on September 18, 2008, by a vote of 371 to 20. The original version of the bill authorized $150 million a year for these projects. Hence, Title V authorizes $150 million a year for the next five years for eligible projects for cleaning up the Great Lakes. Unfortunately, the final version of H.R. 6460 signed into law last year by President Bush only authorized $50 million a year for FY 2009 and FY 2010.
Cleaning up the Great Lakes is critical. The Great Lakes Legacy Act is considered one of the most effective federal water cleanup projects ever. The Great Lakes are the upper Midwest region’s most valuable natural asset and the toxic sediment that is the legacy of the Great Lakes’ industrial past is a continuing source of harm to the overall ecological health of the Lakes. Title V’s funding level of $150 million a year creates a roadmap that will ensure that the polluted areas of concern that have been identified around the Great Lakes are cleaned up within the next 10 years. We owe it to future generations to get this clean-up job completed.