Just as MITA is affiliated with the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), on the federal level, to help advocate for our members on the road and bridge building side, MITA also belongs to the Clean Water Construction Coalition (CWCC), which retains the lobbying firm Federal Advocates, Inc. to advocate for our members on all underground issues occurring on the federal level.
Monthly updates from the Coalition, as well as action items, help us to keep a close eye on Washington with regard to our underground system nationwide and the laws that affect it. From time to time, we will forward updates on these issues.
Most recently, the Water Resources Development Act of 2013 (WRDA) is being debated between the House and Senate in Congress. Both chambers have passed their own version, and House and Senate Committee staffs estimate that completion of the conference will occur sometime in April. As part of the negotiations, inclusion of a new $250 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act pilot program to finance regionally significant water, wastewater and flood control projects is being considered.
Also, conferees from the House have proposed including a 2-year, $4 billion Clean Water State Revolving Fund reauthorization package in the WRDA bill. This would represent a significant increase in funding for the SRF program as compared to the two most recent federal fiscal years. It would also ensure that the revolving fund continues to be the primary source of clean water funding and that the new program would be a complement to – and not a replacement for – the SRF programs.
The major items that are being advocated for include: all projects should be funded at 100% federal share, there should be flexibility in setting loan interest rates, total project cost de minimus requirements should be eliminated and reauthorization of the Clean Water SRF should be set at the very highest levels.
For more information or questions, please do not hesitate to contact Lance Binoniemi, Vice President of Government Affairs, at lancebinoniemi@mi-ita.com or call him at 517-347-8336.
