The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved its version of FY19 EPA spending legislation that would maintain level funding for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs, as well as the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program. The full Senate could vote on the spending bill later this summer.
The bill would provide the Drinking Water and Clean Water SRF programs $1.164 billion and $1.694 billion, respectively – about equal to current levels. WIFIA funding would also stay level at $63 million, including $8 million reserved to cover administrative expenses. In a press release, committee Democrats said the WIFIA appropriation could be leveraged into $6 billion worth of loans.
Other parts of the bill include $15 million for an EPA grant program to help communities and low-income homeowners replace lead service lines. It would also extend a provision that requires projects funded by the DWSRF to use domestic iron and steel products.
The Senate EPA spending proposal is modestly higher than a similar measure approved by a House committee earlier this month. The Senate measure will now head to the floor for consideration by the full chamber, potentially before the end of the summer.
The update appeared in the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies’ Monday Morning Briefing for June 18, 2018.
