Senate Environment and Public Works Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Ranking Member James Inhofe (R-OK), Senate Water & Wildlife Subcommittee Chairman Ben Cardin (D- MD) and Ranking Member Senator Mike Crapo (R-IL) are expected shorty to introduce the Water Infrastructure Financing Act of 2009. This bi-partisan bill will authorize $38.9 billion for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) water infrastructure programs over the next five years.
Highlights of the Senate bill include $20 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program, $15 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program and $1.85 billion for Sewer Overflow Grants. AGC and the WIN Coalition worked closely with Senate staff on this companion legislation to H.R. 1262, the Water Quality Investment Act of 2009, which passed out of the House of Representatives on March 12 authorizing a total of $19.4 billion over five years for wastewater infrastructure projects.
In addition to revising the SRF distribution formula for States, The Water Infrastructure Financing Act of 2009 creates a new Agricultural Pollution Control SRF, includes technical assistance grants for small systems and $250 million for Critical Water Infrastructure Projects (Watershed Improvements).
AGC is particularly pleased that the bill does not include any Buy American Provisions similar to those included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. While the bill will not include any Davis Bacon provisions it is likely that amendments for and against the inclusion of Davis Bacon will be introduced in the full committee markup which will occur on Thursday May 14.
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