Government Relations

Jobs Bill on the Horizon; PABs Bill Gains Support

In light of worsening job statistics, Congress and the Obama administration are gearing up for consideration of a broad jobs bill, perhaps sometime shortly after the New Year. The process and legislative components could be similar to what we saw during consideration of the “stimulus” bill that passed at the beginning of 2009 and contained many provisions important to water utilities.

Related to this, Congressman Pascrell (D-NJ) recently wrote a letter to his congressional colleagues noting the jobs-making potential of his bill, H.R. 537, which would bring water projects out from under the private activity bond volume cap. In the letter, Pascrell encouraged his colleagues’ cosponsorship of his bill, saying:

“According to Wall Street experts and the Environmental Protection Agency, my bill will infuse up to $5 billion annually into local water infrastructure. This investment, in turn, will create immediate measurable employment in construction and many other sectors of the economy.

In the near term, every $1 billion invested in water infrastructure will:

• provide 28,000 jobs;
• increase national output by $3 billion;
• increase personal (household) income by $1 billion; and
• increase state and local tax revenue by approximately $82.4 million.”
  

To date, the Pascrell bill has attracted 23 cosponsors, with more expected. Notable among the cosponsors is Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), who recently signed on. As chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Rangel’s support is key.

Secretary Napolitano Meets with Water Sector

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano hosted the first in a series of roundtable meetings with private-sector leaders to discuss critical infrastructure security and unveiled a new Web site designed to inform the public about DHS’ critical infrastructure protection, readiness and resiliency efforts — part of her increased effort to heighten awareness about the importance of protecting America’s vital assets, systems and networks over the coming weeks.

Don Broussard, Water SCC chair and water operations manager, Lafayette Utilities System, and William L. Komianos, Water SCC vice chair and senior director, Operational Risk Management, American Water, participated in the roundtable representing the Water Sector Coordinating Council.

“Securing our nation’s critical infrastructure is vital to maintaining the safety of communities across the country,” said Secretary Napolitano. “DHS is committed to working with federal, state, local, territorial and tribal partners, the private sector and the public to protect against threats to these assets — from cyber networks to drinking water.”

At the meeting with leadership from the Sector Coordinating Councils of the Energy, Nuclear, Water and Chemical Sectors, Secretary Napolitano highlighted her commitment to ensuring a more ready and resilient national approach to critical infrastructure protection — promoting vigilance, preparedness and risk reduction.

This session was the first of three Secretary Napolitano expects to hold with sector leaders. Two additional sessions are scheduled in the next two weeks focusing on public health, transportation, government facilities, information technology, communications, postal and shipping, national monuments and icons, manufacturing, agriculture and food, emergency services, and defense industrial base sectors, among others.

Secretary Napolitano also unveiled a new Web site designed to provide stakeholders and the public with easily accessible information about their role in safeguarding critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR). The Web site features a link to the new CIKR Resource Center, which includes information about how to sign up for free Web-based seminars on the tools, trends, issues and best practices for infrastructure protection and resilience; resources concerning potential vulnerabilities for chemical facilities; and details about the National Response Framework, which outlines guidance for all response partners to prepare for and provide a unified response to disasters and emergencies.

The Web site also provides information about DHS’ ongoing CIKR efforts, including the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP), the U.S. Government’s unified approach, coordinated by DHS, to ensure protection and resiliency of CIKR through partnerships with thousands of public and private members.

CIKR includes physical and digital assets, systems and networks that play significant roles in America’s safety, economy and public health. Their incapacitation or destruction could debilitate the overall stability of the United States and threaten national security.

CIKR is comprised of 18 unique sectors — the vast majority of which is owned and operated by the private sector — including key areas such as food and water, manufacturing, energy, communications and transportation systems, and emergency services. DHS engages with these private-sector partners via Government and Sector Coordinating Councils, which bring together state, local, tribal and private-sector partners to coordinate security efforts.

For more information, click here.

House Approves Bills to Improve the Integration of Energy and Water Research, Efficiency of Natural Gas Turbines

The House of Representatives has approved H.R. 3598, the Energy and Water Research Integration Act. This bill directs the Secretary of Energy, in coordination with other relevant federal agencies, to establish the Energy-Water Architecture Council (EWAC) to provide improved energy and water resource data collection, reporting and technological innovation. The Energy and Water Research Integration Act was introduced by Science and Technology Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) on Sept. 17, 2009 and passed by a voice vote on Dec. 1.

“H.R. 3598 addresses the critical linkage between our nation’s energy and water resources by directing the Department of Energy to better integrate water into existing federal energy research efforts,” stated Gordon. “In the last Congress, the Committee undertook a comprehensive review of federal research and technology development efforts focused on improving utilization of our precious water resources. We have since held five hearings and passed three bills pertaining to this important topic out of the House.”

The Senate has thus far not taken any action on the bill.

EPA May Request Fiscal Sustainability Rules in FY 2011 Budget

The Obama administration may ask Congress for authority to tie a utility’s fiscal sustainability to the receipt of State Revolving Loan Funds (SRF) assistance. Inside EPA (a Washington-based publication) is reporting that the president’s FY 2011 budget request for EPA could include requirements that utilities demonstrated such sustainability as part of the SRF application process. This request would presumably be an extension of the FY 2010 budget, which included language requiring EPA to work with state primacy agencies to develop such a sustainability policy.

Encouraging utilities to embrace sound fiscal policy is something NAWC has long encouraged in legislation, policy and various forums. One such effort NAWC supported was the Effective Utility Management tool kit, which was released in June 2008 and may be the basis for the administration’s potential sustainability requirements.

The administration and EPA are reportedly still in internal discussions on the requirements, but more details should become public early next year, when the 2011 budget process gets going.