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.
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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,