Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions S. 1539

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

S. 1539. A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to establish a National Clean and Sage Water Fund and to authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to use amounts in the Fund to carry out projects to promote the recovery of waters of the United States from damage resulting from violations of that Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, we often don't think about how important water is to our everyday lives, for our health and for our economy. As Americans, we take for granted that when we turn on the tap that clean and safe water will flow from the faucet.

Over the last three decades, the United States has made substantial progress in reducing the pollution flowing into our waters and safeguarding drinking water supplies for our communities. Despite our progress, we still face many challenges.

Population growth is increasing demand for water, and pollution from point and nonpoint sources threaten the quality and quantity of water available to us. According to EPA, the overwhelming majority of the population of the United States—218 million people—live within 10 miles of a polluted river, lake, or coastal water. Nearly 40 percent of these waters are not safe for fishing, swimming, boating, drinking water, or other needs. And while overall water pollution levels decreased dramatically over the last 30 years, recent data may be revealing a disturbing trend. Indeed, EPA's most recent National Water Quality Inventory found that the number of polluted rivers and estuaries increased between 1998 and 2000.
Water pollution represents a real and daily threat to public health and to the wildlife that depend on clean water.

This year, we are celebrating the Year of Clean Water. To honor our national commitment to reduce the pollution flowing into our waters and provide safe drinking water for our communities, I am introducing the National Clean and Safe Water Fund Act of 2003. The legislation, cosponsored by Senators VOINOVICH, SARBANES, SNOWE, JEFFORDS, LEVIN and HARKIN will create a fund to carry out projects to promote water quality and protect watersheds and aquifers. It would establish a fund whose sole purpose is to advance the restoration of U.S. waters, particularly in the watersheds where these violations occurred. The bill is supported by a wide variety of organizations, including: the Narragansett Bay Commission, the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, American Rivers, Environmental Integrity Project, Friends of the Earth, National Audubon Society, Natural Resources Defense Council, The Ocean Conservancy and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. I asked unanimous consent that the bill and letters of support be included in the record following my statement.

Last year, the Federal Government collected $52 million in civil and criminal penalties from violations of the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Acts. The money was deposited in the Treasury with no guarantee that the fines collected would be used to correct the water pollution for which the penalties were levied. Our legislation would make these funds available to local communities, tribes, States and non-profit organizations to protect and preserve watersheds and aquifers and to improve water quality.

This legislation would target this money to worthy projects, such as wetland protection and stream buffers to help filter out pathogens and pollutants that contaminate drinking water; land acquisition and conservation easements to protect watershed and aquifers; best management practices to prevent pollution in the first place; and, treatment works to control combined sewer or sanitary sewer overflows. Our legislation will continue progress to reduce the number of impaired waterways in our Nation, and to reduce, or better yet, prevent contamination of groundwater and drinking water sources.

It is imperative that we increase Federal investment in clean water and drinking water infrastructure and devote greater resources and attention to protecting and improving our watersheds and aquifers.

The Congressional Budget Office released a report that estimated the spending gap for clean water needs could reach as high as $388 billion and the spending gap for drinking water needs could reach $362 billion over 20 years. The CBO concluded the current funding from all levels of government and current revenue generated from ratepayers will not be sufficient to meet the Nation's future demand for water infrastructure. Yet, despite these grim statistics, the Federal Government is investing only $1.35 billion in Clean Water infrastructure each year and $850 million in Drinking Water infrastructure. And unfortunately, the President's budget proposes to cut this funding by $500 million this year.

Given the tremendous need in our communities, and the importance of water infrastructure to our economy, it is vital that the Federal Government maintain a strong partnership with States and local governments to avert this massive funding gap.
We need to find new funding sources for watershed and aquifer protection. Clean, safe and abundant drinking water can no longer be taken for granted.

The costs of building new reservoirs and treatment facilities threaten to overrun our ability to pay, especially during the current fiscal crisis. Technology also has limitations in its ability to treat polluted water. Many water agencies are focusing on protecting watersheds and aquifers and conserving valuable clean water resources. In my State, the Providence Water Supply Board collects 1 cent per 100 gallons in a water usage tax to fund watershed acquisition. This may be our best and cheapest way to guarantee water quality and quantity.

Congress needs to increase support for efforts to protect our water resources. Polluted runoff from urban and agricultural land is now the most significant source of water pollution in the nation and the greatest threat to our drinking water. Our greatest future gains in pollution control will, therefore, come from reducing non-point source pollution.

There are cost-effective and environmentally sound projects that could help reduce this pollution, but currently, many non-point source projects cannot participate in the State revolving loan programs since they often do not have a guaranteed source of revenue. Also, without making new Federal resources available it is unlikely we will be able support increased investment in green infrastructure projects such as wetland conservation and stream buffers. The legislation that we are introducing today will make greater funding available for water quality projects.

I hope that my colleagues will join Senators VOINOVICH, SARBANES, SNOWE, JEFFORDS, LEVIN, HARKIN and me in supporting this legislation. Creating this fund will help further the Nation's goals of providing safe and clean water for our communities and restoring water quality for wildlife.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of bill and letters of support be printed in the RECORD.