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| Regulatory Matters -
10/22/2001 1:12:57 PM |
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| Cities seeking $7B for water
infrastructure |
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WASHINGTON —
The National League of Cities has called on Congress and the Bush
Administration to enact an economic stimulus package that takes into
account the needs of America's cities and towns, including water
infrastructure.
Detroit Mayor Dennis W. Archer, president of
the National League
of Cities (NLC), recommended to President
Bush and the Senate leadership several targets for economic
stimulus, including expedited
investment in the nation's water
infrastructure and aid to small
businesses at risk for failure
in local post-11 September
economies.
These
recommendations for economic stimulus are based on
feedback from
cities collected by the NLC.
The NLC recommends expedited
federal funding of not less than $7
billion, which would create
approximately 280,000 jobs over 12
months to complete water
infrastructure rehabilitation and
replacement projects that are
ready to commence.
The NLC also recommends increased access
to the Small Business
Administration's low-interest or no-cost
economic injury recovery
loans for all small businesses that
have suffered directly or
indirectly due to the terrorist
attacks — not just those unable to
get credit elsewhere.
In addition, the NLC asked for federal action on
radio-spectrum
allocation for public safety communications and
funding to
supplement local investment in public safety since
the attacks.
Citing growing concerns about anthrax attacks,
Archer again
pledged the support of the nation's cities and
towns in ensuring
homeland security. In his letters to President
Bush and to the Senate leadership, Archer said, "The daily news
about this new threat to American safety and security reinforces the
importance of all levels of government working together to respond
to challenges and risks that seemed unthinkable just six weeks ago.
Please be
assured that the leaders of the nation's cities and
towns stand
ready to support all coordinated efforts to ensure
homeland
security."
An NLC survey of 401 cities,
conducted 5-10 October, found that one in three American cities
reports that since 11 September, their local economy, municipal
revenues and public confidence have all declined while public-safety
spending is up. Among larger cities (100,000-plus population), 59
percent reported weaker economies. Twenty-two percent of all cities
and 40 percent of the larger cities said they will seek state or
federal aid to defray higher security costs.
The NLC is the
oldest and largest national
organization representing municipal
governments throughout the
United States.
In other
related news, President Bush sent Congress a letter through the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) detailing how he would like to
see the $40 billion Emergency Response Fund spent. The fund,
approved in wake of the 11 September terrorist attacks, was provided
to assist victims and deal with other consequences of the attacks.
Included in the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA)
allotment is funding requested by the Association of Metropolitan
Water Agencies (AMWA) to conduct drinking water system vulnerability
assessments. The letter proposes that a total of $76 million be
allotted to EPA to "support activities such as drinking water
assessments, replacement of equipment destroyed in New York, and
various security enhancements."
AMWA and key congressional
committee leaders had requested $100 million, as well as $55 million
for developing emergency response plans. However, the President only
requested $34.5 million for the assessments.
Sources say the
spending package will be attached to the Defense Department's FY02
appropriations bill, which is expected to be the last of the 13
appropriations bills passed, likely in early November, according to
AMWA.
In other related news, last week's anthrax incident in
Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's office forced thousands of
Congressional staff to go home early last week, delaying legislative
business until authorities conduct environmental sweeps through
offices. Both House and Senate staff are expected to be back by
tomorrow, 23 September. Among the meetings postponed were a Senate
Environment and Public Works subcommittee hearing on financing water
infrastructure and a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on
methyl tertiary-butyl ether.
For more of the latest news,
click here.
For
related information on this story, click here.
To
discuss this topic with other water and wastewater industry
professionals, click here. |
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