This week Congress is working to address the approaching end of fiscal year 2022 on September 30 by taking up a continuing resolution (CR). Congress has yet to pass any of the current FY 2022 appropriations bills (the House has passed six of the twelve, while the Senate has not acted on any of the bills), and therefore needs to pass a CR which will extend current fiscal year funding through a yet-to-be-released date (likely mid-December).
In addition to extending FY 2022 funding beyond September 30, the CR could include a handful of other priorities, including: military aid to Ukraine; the reauthorization of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) user fee programs; funding to address the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi; resettling Afghan refugees; and heating assistance for low-income families. Additionally, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) will likely attach a permitting reform proposal authored by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) that expedites the federal permitting process for energy projects. During negotiations over the Inflation Reduction Act, Sen. Schumer promised Sen. Manchin that the Senate would consider a permit reform package.
The Senate is scheduled to begin moving a CR forward on Tuesday when it is expected to take up a cloture vote to limit debate which will require the support of at least 60 Senators.
NEMWI Provides Insights to Conservation Funding
In an op-ed published last Friday in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Director of the Great Lakes Washington Program, Matthew A. McKenna, provided insights into new federal resources being made available through the Inflation Reduction Act to increase funding for federal conservation programs.
In the op-ed, McKenna states, “While the new law includes a host of tools to achieve these reductions at a national level, it also has essential new conservation resources that will improve soil health and increase water quality in the Great Lakes region.” More specifically, he highlights $5 billion in spending for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, “a pivotal program aimed at improving water quality and combating issues such as freshwater harmful algal blooms by creating strong private-public partnerships.”
House Subcommittee Hosts Hearing on Landmark Clean Water Act
The House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment convened a hearing on September 20 to highlight the progress and consequences of the Clean Water Act as the landmark legislation marks its 50th year.
The 1948 Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA) was the first major law to regulate pollution in United States waters. It was amended in 1972 to include the establishment of basic guidelines and federal authority for regulating pollution discharge, as well as funding for sewage treatment plants. Since then, FWPCA became known as the Clean Water Act (CWA). The hearing featured testimony on permitting programs, financing for wastewater infrastructure, and a reflection on the successes and future directions of the law.
Laura Gatz, analyst of environmental policy for the Congressional Research Service, presented a by-the-numbers view of the progress of the CWA. She noted that among the largest projects included in the CWA is the funding of wastewater infrastructure. Between 1970 and 1993, Congress appropriated around $52 billion for the construction of wastewater plants, constituting one of the largest public works projects in U.S. history. The CWA also introduced a permitting system which requires permits for pollution into U.S. waters from point sources. The permitting system as described in the 1972 CWA amendments took major steps toward reducing pollution from discrete sources and has since attempted to improve pollution control from nonpoint sources. The law was amended in 1987 with stipulations to address pollution from nonpoint sources, mainly agricultural and municipal runoff, two sources estimated to be a major contributor to poor water quality. Section 319 of the CWA now provides assistance to states, territories, and tribes to help address pollution from nonpoint sources.
Michael Witt of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies attested to the economic returns on clean water initiatives, stating that “it is estimated that one out of every 300 working Americans is employed in the clean water sector in a variety of well-paid, local jobs. These jobs span a diverse spectrum of education and skills ranging from technology, science, and engineering to finance, legal, human resources, and communications, to tradespeople of all kinds,” said Witt. Outdoor activities such as fishing, swimming, and kayaking generate $175 billion dollars in spending annually and create 1.5 million jobs. Access to clean water spurs real estate development as access to recreational waters generates additional value for properties. Witt commended the CWA for its contributions to clean water in the U.S., and urged the subcommittee to push for more funding to wastewater treatment initiatives.
There is no question of progress towards the 1972 Clean Water Act’s goals, however 33 percent of United States waters still fail to meet the cleanliness criteria established by the amendment. The hearing’s speakers emphasized the need for more funding toward wastewater and stormwater treatment. The EPA Clean Water Needs Survey found that the nation’s total needs for these services amount to about $271 billion. Additionally, nonpoint sources of pollution continue to be the greatest threat to water quality in the nation’s rivers, streams, and lakes.
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