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National
Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association (NOWRA) Urges
Your Support In Protesting Budget Cuts For The Wastewater
Industry.
As you may
be aware, significant cuts are being proposed to the
nation’s wastewater infrastructure funding in the
CAW within the 2006 budget. NOWRA is taking action to
urge that this proposal not occur. Below is a copy of
the letter NOWRA has sent.
Address questions or concerns, to NOWRA headquarters
at 800/966-2942.
_______________________________________________________________
COPY OF NOWRA LETTER SENT:
February 28, 2005
The Honorable Judd Gregg The Honorable Kent Conrad
Chairman Ranking Member
Committee on the Budget Committee on the Budget
United States Senate United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senators
Gregg and Conrad:
As you prepare
the fiscal year 2006 budget resolution, the National
Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association (NOWRA) urges
that action be taken to restore funding for the Clean
Water State Revolving Funds (SRF) to at least the fiscal
year 2004 level of $1.35 billion. The proposed cuts
would have a devastating impact on the ability of our
states and communities to continue upgrading their wastewater
infrastructure and meeting Clean Water Act requirements.
Equally important is that the needs of the decentralized
wastewater industry must be addressed. Correspondence
to Senators Sarbanes and Milkulski is enclosed, which
discusses this issue.
The President’s
proposed budget to cut the Clean Water SRF by more than
33 percent (33%) will dramatically exacerbate the current
spending gap to address nations wastewater infrastructure
needs. In May 2002, the Congressional Budget Office
released a report that estimated the spending gap for
Clean Water needs between $132 billion and $388 billion
over 20 years and the spending gap for drinking water
needs at between $70 billion and $362 billion over 20
years. In September 2002, the EPA released a Clean Water
and Drinking Water Infrastructure Gap Analysis, stating
that a $535 billion gap between current spending and
projected needs for water and wastewater infrastructure
will occur by 2019 if additional investments are not
made. In fiscal years 2004 and 2005, the Senate Budget
Resolution supported $3.2 billion for the Clean Water
SRF and $2 billion for the Drinking Water SRF in order
to address this financial need for infrastructure projects.
NOWRA believes
that the federal government must sustain a strong partnership
with states and local governments to avert this massive
funding gap and share in the burden of maintaining and
improving the nation’s water infrastructure. We
urge you to restore funding for the Clean Water SRF
to $1.35 billion and to ensure that the funding needs
of the decentralized wastewater industry are incorporated
into this measure. NOWRA is available and willing to
support the Senators in this endeavor by contacting
the headquarters office, located in Maryland. Supporting
documentation is provided within the enclosed materials.
Sincerely,
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