During the week of March 5th, the House passed three key water quality bills. On Wednesday, the House passed H.R. 569, Reauthorizing Sewer Overflow Control Grants. On Thursday, the House passed H.R. 700, Reauthorizing A Pilot Program for Increasing Usable Water Supply. And on Friday, the House passed H.R. 720, Reauthorizing the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund. These three water quality bills will help ensure clean water, create jobs, and stimulate economic development in local communities.
Read Speaker Pelosi's remarks on the passage of these bills >>
H.R. 720, Reauthorizing Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund
The Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund is a vital program for state and local governments that addresses critical water infrastructure needs and is popular with local communities across the country. The Republican-led Congress slashed funding for the Clean Water Revolving Fund by 34 percent. Now, President Bush has proposed slashing it again. This bill authorizes a total of $14 billion for the fund over the next four years, ensures clean water and fosters economic development in local communities by helping pay for building and improving wastewater treatment facilities.
Click here to read the bill >>
H.R. 569, Reauthorizing Sewer Overflow Control Grants
There is an increasing problem in many local communities across the country that, after heavy rainfall, sewer systems can overflow
– in some cases due to aging sewer systems. Sewer overflow control grants were authorized for 2002 and 2003, but the Republican-controlled Congress never appropriated any funds and let the authorization expire. This bill authorizes $1.5 billion in grants to local communities over the next five years to construct treatment works to deal with sewer overflows. This bill is crucial because sewer overflows represent a major public health hazard.Click here to read the bill >>
H.R. 700, Reauthorizing Pilot Program for Increasing Useable Water Supply
This pilot program was authorized for 2002 through 2004, but the Republican-controlled Congress never appropriated any funds and let the authorization expire. This pilot program to increase usable water supply will be particularly critical in California, the Southwest and other arid parts of the country. This bill authorizes a total of $125 million to fund projects that increase usable water supply by encouraging innovation in water reclamation, reuse and conservation.
