Letter to Senator Durbin
April 21, 2007
The Honorable Richard J. Durbin
United States Senate
309 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-1304
RE: Protect America's Water Quality - Support Clean Water Funding
Dear Senator Durbin:
Clean Water America (CWA) applauds the leadership shown by the U.S.
House of Representatives in taking measures to provide communities
the resources needed to upgrade aging and failing water
infrastructure. The bill, originally sponsored by Rep. James
Oberstar (D-MN), to finance municipal sewer upgrades was
overwhelmingly approved by a bipartisan 303-108 vote.
If passed by the Senate and
signed into law, the Water Quality Financing Act of 2007 (H.R. 720)
will provide $14 billion in federal loan guarantees to help cities
and towns finance water and sewer improvements. The measure would
reauthorize the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to provide low
interest loans to government entities for clean water and nonpoint
source pollution control projects.
As such, I strongly urge you to move quickly to take up this
critically important legislation for our communities, and to take
the next step and fully fund the legislation. This is the sort of
smart investment that America needs to rebuild many of her urban
areas and ensure clean water for families and generations to come.
Clean water remains one of our nation's highest priorities as
well as one of our greatest challenges. Our nation is facing a clean
water infrastructure crisis that will ultimately undermine the
quality of life in American communities. According to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Congressional Budget Office,
and the Government Accountability Office the projected shortfall in
clean water infrastructure investment will approach $500 billion
over the next two decades.
Failure to address this issue and adequately finance our
nation's clean water infrastructure will have disastrous
implications for our economy, public health and the environment.
Manufacturing alone consumes 13 trillion gallons of water annually
and agriculture relies on twice that amount. Plus, EPA warns that a
lack of funding will reverse the water quality gains of the last 35
years and result in pollution levels that pre-date the 1972 Clean
Water Act.
The integrity of America's clean water infrastructure system
is both fundamental and essential to public health, clean waterways,
manufacturing, fishing, tourism and economic growth. I sincerely
hope that you will support this legislation and make every effort to
ensure its passage. This Bill is essential to achieving our nation's
water quality goals while keeping the Federal government's promise
to the American people that our waters will be safe and clean for
future generations. Thank you in advance for your support of this
vital legislation.
Sincerely,
Wayne Strnad
Highlights...
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