DAM REHABILITATION FUNDING – WHAT'S BEING DONE?

摘要

Probably the biggest obstacle to the advancement of dam safety today isrnthe availability of a stable source of funding for dam rehabilitation. Ask any damrnowner what one issue presents the most significant concern, and the majority willrnsay paying for the upgrade of their dam.rnThe importance of this issue has been recognized by ASDSO asrnevidenced by the formation of the Dam Financing Solutions Committee. ThisrnASDSO committee was formed in 2000 to analyze the current rehabilitationrnneeds and compile what is being done now to address those needs, at the staternand federal levels; to write model language for a state revolving loan fund forrnrepairs of privately owned dams; and, to draft federal bill language to create arnnational dam repair loan fund. The report of their activities has recently beenrnmade available.rnWe do not need to wait for federal money, however. Much can be donernon the state level. The Council for Safe Dams (CSD), a committee of thernASDSO Northeast Region made up of owners, consultants and regulators (exofficio),rnhas initiated a legislative outreach program. The CSD developed arnNeeds Document for New Jersey that summarized issues, identified key staternlegislators, and held meetings with these key state senators. Following thernmeetings, two senators from New Jersey sponsored a bill for $200 million inrnwhich $105 million is earmarked for private dam restoration and $15 million forrnState-owned dam repair funding. The bill passed both houses unanimously. Ifrnsigned by the governor, it will be on the November ballot as a bond referendum.rnSenator Rhoades of Pennsylvania is drafting a bill that is calling for $500rnmillion for the rehabilitation of publicly and privately owned dams. The CSD andrnDon Martino, head of Pennsylvania Dam Safety Section, are monitoring thernprogress of this bill closely.rnThe paper will present the current activities in the Northeast region,rnregions elsewhere in the United States, and on the federal level directed towardsrnfunding for dam remediation. The CSD activities in the Northeast will bernhighlighted. The findings of the Dam Financing Solutions Committee report willrnbe summarized.