SENATE PANEL ADDS CONTENTIOUS WAGE RULE TO WATER FUNDING BILL

摘要

The Senate environment has approved legislation to boost authorized funding levels for EPA's clean water and drinking water state revolving loan funds (SRFs), which help pay for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure, but has added controversial language requiring construction contracts to pay prevailing wages. The panel approved S. 3500 by voice vote Sept. 17, authorizing a total of $38.5 billion for the SRFs, grants to prevent sewer overflows, and a new agricultural revolving loan fund aimed at technology pilots to reduce water pollution from farms and ranches. The legislation also creates first-time incentives for the use of so-called "green" infrastructure. Relevant document is available on InsideEPA.com. See page 2 for details. After the House approved its funding measure, H.R. 720, in 2007, key environment committee senators vowed to develop similar legislation in the Senate, saying existing SRF appropriations were not enough to meet critical water infrastructure needs. The House bill only covers the clean water SRF. Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), the panel's ranking member, said during markup that he supports the underlying bill but not the amendment adding the Davis Bacon wage provisions. "The Davis Bacon amendment is a poison pill which will kill this important legislation for another year," Inhofe said.