Crapo Amendment Prioritizes Clean Water

Washington, DC - Local communities and states will get much-needed federal help in protecting clean water and drinking water under an amendment included in the Fiscal Year 2005 budget resolution by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo. This is the second consecutive year Crapo has been successful in gaining Senate support for raising the federal commitment to help improve local water infrastructure improvements. As the chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water, Crapo has increased assistance to states and local communities under the Water Investment Act of 2002. The measure contributes to the Clean Water and Safe Drinking Water revolving loan funds distributed by individual states to utilities and water providers in those states. The measure, backed by many groups including the National League of Cities and the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators, would pump a combined $5.2 billion in assistance for water treatment plant construction and upgrades. Crapo and a bipartisan group of amendment supporters say the amendment can be made revenue-neutral by shifting funding from unobligated accounts.â??Clean water is everyoneâ??s priority,â?? Crapo said. â??Not only do states and municipalities need to keep drinking water and waste water clean with the most modern technology, they also have the federal government mandating those improvements. The federal government has a role, and needs to fully fund those responsibilities.â?? â??Our nation will suffer environmental and public health emergencies if we do not make wise use of our resources,â?? Crapo added. "Improving the safety of our drinking water and protecting the environment by improving our clean water infrastructure is one of the most important efforts we can help states with from the federal level.â?? Crapo has won awards from consumer groups for his past work on safe water and groundwater issues.# # #