Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Creates Lead Pipe Replacement Fund,
But NEMWI Report Shows Funds Could Better Target States Most in Need
The Northeast-Midwest Institute has issued a report analyzing the new Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) in terms of how federal funding for lead service line replacement is being distributed among the states, including both total funding by state and funding per capita by state.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has supplemented the preexisting Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program with $15 billion in funding over five years to be used for lead service line (LSL) identification and replacement projects. This historic investment in water infrastructure demonstrates a key step in the Biden-Harris Administration’s roadmap to eliminating these public threats by providing local governments with access to affordable financing options.
The NEMWI report notes that while five of the ten most funded states under the BIL program are located in the northeast and midwest region, namely Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, a number of states in the region are underfunded when considering their per capita allotments, most notably Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. This per capita under-funding is especially noteworthy, the report notes, because an estimated 65 percent of the nation's lead service lines are located in the northeast and midwest.
The NEMWI report states that while the increased federal investment aims to help local communities in the process of LSL removal, the allocation formula currently being used to determine each state’s allotment fails to prioritize states with higher inventories of lead pipes. Looking forward to fiscal years 2023-2026, the NEMWI report recommends that it is crucial that the EPA modify its current allotment formula to better reflect the needs of states with the highest prevalence of lead service lines.
To learn more about how the northeast and midwest states compare to other regions in terms of LSL removal funding, click here to read NEMWI’s full report.
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Approves WRDA Bill
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure last Wednesday approved the 2022 Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA). WRDA, which Congress typically passes every two years, authorizes U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) projects and programs that are essential in managing the nation’s coastal lands. The bill, which has bipartisan support:
Authorizes 16 pending Corps Chief’s Reports;
Authorizes 72 feasibility studies for water resources development projects; and
Directs the Corps to expedite the completion of 15 feasibility studies currently underway, including the Great Lakes Resiliency Study.
The bill also revises the federal cost share for the Brandon Road Lock and Dam project from 80% federal to 90% federal, which will help expedite the completion of the project. This critical project will help prevent invasive carp and other invasive species from entering the Great Lakes.
WRDA also looks to address climate change and build greater resiliency in coastal communities by supporting the Corps’ work to:
Rebuild and maintain critical navigation jetties and breakwaters to dimensions necessary to address challenges posed by climate change;
Study the impacts of coastal storms on back bay and riverine flooding as part of an ongoing coastal storm risk reduction project study;
Renew support for water resources projects that promote the beneficial reuse of sediment by establishing a strategic plan for reusing clean dredged materials for ecosystem restoration or storm damage reduction projects;
Promote consideration of the value of preserving open space, critical habitat, and recreational areas in water resources development projects; and
Investigate opportunities to restore natural floodplains and to identify antiquated dams for rehabilitation or removal.
The bill will next make its way to the full House for its consideration in the near future. The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works marked up its version of WRDA earlier this month, but the bill has yet to be considered by the full Senate.
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