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Welcome
to the Water Resources Coalition newsletter. The
Coalition was formed to hightlight the fact
that America's
water resources are critical to the nation's
well being. This monthly newsletter
will profile the investment that is needed,
as well as the progress being made as the
Coalition works for the development,
implementation, and funding of a comprehensive,
national water resources policy to ensure a
sustainable, productive economy; a healthy
aquatic ecology; and public health and
safety. |
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WATER
RESOURCES ON PBS
This
week two programs premiered regarding the
current state of our nation's water resources.
The first show, The American Southwest: Are We
Running Dry, looks into the evolving water
crisis in the region and the ever growing need
for water infrastructure replacement as the
population continues to swell.
http://www.runningdry.org/americansouthwest/america.html
The second
program Liquid Assets: The
Story on Water
Infrastructure, seeks to
inform the nation about the critical role that
our water infrastructure plays in protecting
public health and promoting economic prosperity.
http://liquidassets.psu.edu/
Please
check your local listings for upcoming air dates
for each program.
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CONTINUING
RESOLUTION KEEPS FEDERAL PROGRAMS
AFLOAT
On
September 30th, President Bush signed a
continuing resolution (CR) package that
funds the federal government through March 6,
2009. The bill is part of a package that also
includes three of the 12 annual appropriations
measures Congress was able to complete prior to
the end of the fiscal year, including Military
Construction and Veterans Affairs, Defense, and
Homeland Security Appropriations Acts for fiscal
year 2009, as well as a disaster relief package.
Fiscal Year 2009 begins on October 1, 2008 and
the CR provides funds from October 1 through
March 6, 2009. Under the terms of the CR,
programs will be funded at their FY 2008 level.
Highlights affecting WRC members are detailed
at:
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On
September 26, the United States House of
Representatives passed H.R. 7110, the Job
Creation and Unemployment Act of 2008, by a vote
of 264 - 158. The legislation includes $6
billion for upgrades to the nation's aging
waterways infrastructure and will help spur a
recovery from our current economic crisis. The
Water Resources Coalition sent a letter to House
and Senate Leadership thanking the
House for passing the much needed bill and
expressing our hope that the Senate will also
pass the legislation and send it to the
President before the end of the year.
Speaker
Nancy Pelosi announced on October 9th that
House Democrats will convene on
Monday, October 13th for a forum to discuss
a recovery package to help the nation's economy.
The discussion will include a focus on
rebuilding the nation's infrastructure as a way
to create
jobs.
To
read the full text of the letter please visit
the link
below.
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SENATE
EPW COMMITTEE APPROVES WATER AND DAM
INFRASTRUCTURE BILLS
The
Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW)
Committee approved two bills at the end of
September aimed at fixing the nation's crumbling
water infrastructure.
The EPW
Committee approved the Clean Water Act
State Revolving Loan Fund and the Safe Drinking
Water Act, S. 3500. The bill would
authorize $20 billion for the CWSRF through 2012
and $15 billion for the drinking water SRF over
the same time period. Additionally, towns
receiving both loans for wastewater or
drinking-water facilities with 10,000 or more
residents, must hire engineers in the private
sector that meet the qualifications based
selection (QBS) (PL-92-582) requirements of the
Brooks Architect-Engineers Act of
1972.
The
Dam Rehabilitation and Repair Act, (H.R.
3224), also passed the Committee.
The bill would create a $200 million grant
program for repairing high-hazard, non-federal
publicly owned dams.
Both
bills have already been passed by the House of
Representatives.
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PRESIDENT
BUSH SIGNS ECONOMIC RECOVERY
PACKAGE
On
October 3, President Bush signed the Emergency
Economic Stabilization Act (EESA) of 2008 as an
amendment to a tax extenders package, H.R. 1424.
In addition to the tax extenders package that
includes business and energy tax extenders, the
alternative minimum tax (AMT) patch, and
additional disaster assistance, the primary
difference between the bill the House
defeated September 29th and the
Senate-passed bill is an increase in the Federal
Deposit Insurance Corportation, FDIC, insurance
coverage to a maximum of
$250,000.
As
part of the financial package, Congress passed
legislation to help the middle class and extend
other tax benefits. The alternative minimum tax
"patch" was a late edition added by the Senate.
It is a high priority, as it would stop a
tax increase on middle-class taxpayers. Also
included in the legislation is an extension of
the state and local sales tax deduction,
brownfields expensing, 15-year cost recovery of
leasehold, restaurant and retail improvements
and the research and experimentation tax credit.
Finally,
the bill encourages energy production by
extending the following: production tax credit
for energy produced through biomass; the
investment credits for wind and solar energy;
and the energy-efficiency property tax credits
for both residential and commercial
properties.
For more information, please
contact Marco Giamberardino at (703) 837-5325 or
giamberardinom@agc.org.
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WATER
SECTOR LAUNCHES METRICS REPORTING
TOOL
The
Water Sector Coordinating Council (WSCC) has
developed a reporting tool to measure the
progress of drinking water and wastewater
utilities in improving their "all hazards"
security posture. To ensure that the
sector's data will be safeguarded, the WSCC has
asked the Water Information Sharing and
Analysis
Center
(WaterISAC) to collect and secure all
submitted responses.
All utilities are
encouraged to take part in this voluntary
initiative regardless of their size, type or
WaterISAC affiliation.
The tool can be
accessed at: http://www.water-sector-progress.org |
USGS
AND THE EPA CREATING AN EASY WATER-QUALITY
DATABASE
The
U.S. Geological Survey and the Environmental
Protection Agency are working together to
provide an easier way to access their
water-quality databases. Initial web services
are already available. Details can be found
at:
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ARMY
CORPS ANNOUNCES LEADERSHIP
SHIFT
Major
changes are about to take place at Headquarters
of the Army Corps of Engineers in the coming
weeks. Earlier this year, Major General
(MG) Don Riley was promoted to Deputy
Commanding General, leaving a vacancy in the
Civil Works Directorate. Lieutenant General
Robert Van Antwerp, Commander and Chief of
Engineers recently announced
two significant leadership
changes:
- MG
Bo Temple, the current Deputy Commanding General
(DCG) for Military and International
Operations, will assume the position of DCG for
Civil Works and Emergency Operations later this
fall.
- Jeff
Dorko will become the DCG Military and
International Operations upon his return from a
much-deserved leave following a highly
successful command of the Gulf Region Division
in Iraq.
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The
Infrastructure Security Partnership will be
holding a Forum on the Security of Water and
Wastewater Critical Infrastructure, on
Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008, from 8:00
a.m.-12:00p.m., at the Army and Navy Club in
Washington, D.C.
The
forum is designed to create networking
opportunities for TISP members interested in
issues facing the water infrastructure sector
and will provide a panel of subject-matter
and policy experts who will engage in a
discussion on water-sector security issues among
and between federal, state and local agencies,
water and wastewater service providers, and the
private sector. To register,
Click
here
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Brian
Pallasch and Marco Giamberardino
Water
Resources
Coalition
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