Gillibrand Votes for More NY Water Funds

Gillibrand Votes for More NY Water Funds

Earlier today Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand voted to pass a bipartisan measure to increase funding for New York water investments. The bill, H.R. 720, Reauthorizing the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, authorizes $14 billion over the next four years for the fund, including subsisidized loans.

The Clean Water State Revolving Fund provides low-interest loans to local communities for construction of wastewater treatment facilities and other water pollution abatement projects.

In supporting the bill Representative Gillibrand pointed out that a specific provision in the bill will potentially greatly benefit the communities she serves by allowing subsidized loans to communities serving populations under 10,000. This means that a majority of the towns Gillibrand represents will be eligible for these funds.

"Protecting our water supplies is of the utmost urgency," said Gillibrand, a member of the Agriculture Community. "I am particularly supportive of the efforts to directly invest in infrastructure in the rural communities of Upstate New York. Our water systems are aging and badly need repair - we can not want to wait until it is too late."

Since it was created in 1987, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund has been the primary source of federal funding for clean water in initiatives. The fund is enormously popular with state and local governments across the country. Earlier this week Governor Spitzer's office wrote Congresswoman Gillibrand in support of this legislation.

Since the Clean Water Act's enactment, the gains in water quality realized through federal, state, and local investment in wastewater infrastructure have been significant, and have helped to increase the number of fishable and swimmable waters throughout the nation. As a result of dramatic improvements in wastewater infrastructure, discharges of waste into the environment have decreased by one-half since the early 1970's. Today, the nation's farmers, fishermen and manufacturing and tourism industries rely on clean water to carry out activities that contribute well over $300 billion to our economy each year.

The long list of groups that strongly support this bill includes the National Conference of State Legislatures, the National League of Cities, the National Association of Counties, the Clean Water Action, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, and the American Public Works Association.

Earlier this week, Congresswoman Gillibrand voted to pass the Water Quality Investment Act (H.R. 569). That legislation will protect lives, preserve the environment, and help cities and states pay for modernizing their aging sewer infrastructure and has the potential to benefit at least eleven communities in the Congresswoman's district including: Catskill, Coxsackie, Corinth, Hudson, Mechanicville, Saratoga Springs, South Glens Falls, Ticonderoga, the Village of Ballston Spa, the Village of Schuylerville and the Village of Stillwater.

http://gillibrand.house.gov/list/press/ny20_gillibrand/3_9WaterFunds.shtml