Water Infrastructure Funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Water Infrastructure Funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
Author: Claudia Copeland
Publisher:
Total Pages: 16
Release: 2009
Genre: Water resources development
ISBN:

On January 28, 2009, the House passed H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. On February 10, the Senate passed an amended version of H.R. 1 (S. Amdt. 570). On February 13, the House and Senate adopted a conference report (H. Rept. 111-16) that reconciled differences between the two bills. The President is expected to sign the bill into law on February 17. This report identifies funding for water infrastructure programs and projects contained in the legislation, including amounts in the House- and Senate-passed versions that preceded the conference agreement. Among the purposes identified in the legislation are preservation and creation of jobs and promotion of U.S. economic recovery, and investment in transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits. Under the legislation, additional appropriations are directed to a number of existing federal programs that either directly invest in water infrastructure projects or provide assistance to states and localities for such activities. Water infrastructure funding in the bill, which would be available for obligation for the remainder of FY2009 and through September 30, 2010, is provided to five federal agencies and one commission would total $13.5 billion. The bill provides funding for locally built wastewater and drinking water treatment projects through assistance programs administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). For the EPA wastewater program, the final bill provides $4.0 billion. For the EPA drinking water program, H.R. 1 provides $2.0 billion in additional funds. These funds will be allocated to states according to established formulas, and states will award actual assistance to projects and communities. For the USDA programs that benefit rural communities, the final legislation provides $1.38 billion in grants and loans. Additional funding in the bill for these programs would be three to four times more than the level of current appropriations. The final legislation provides funding for water resources development and management projects administered by four agencies. It provides $4.6 billion for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and $1.0 billion for the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation). The legislation also provides $340 million for USDAs Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) small watershed program, and $220 million for the Department of States International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) levee and dam upgrades. Little is publicly known about how most of these funds will be distributed among individual projects, because water resources programs generally do not distribute based on pre-defined formulas. Which projects and how much each state will receive largely will be determined by the Administration within the eligibility and prioritization direction provided in the legislation and its accompanying conference report. Even after enactment, implementation of the additional water infrastructure funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is likely to raise a number of issues, including how the additional funds included in this legislation will influence decisions on regular appropriations bills for the remainder of FY2009 and for FY2010. Another issue concerns matching fund requirements. Unless project assistance is provided entirely as grants, communities and project sponsors will need to come up with matching funds, which could be very challenging in the current fiscal environment.

Congressional Record

Congressional Record
Author: United States. Congress
Publisher:
Total Pages: 1414
Release: 1952
Genre: Law
ISBN:

The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published daily when Congress is in session. The Congressional Record began publication in 1873. Debates for sessions prior to 1873 are recorded in The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States (1789-1824), the Register of Debates in Congress (1824-1837), and the Congressional Globe (1833-1873)

Congressional Record

Congressional Record
Author: United States. Congress
Publisher:
Total Pages: 804
Release: 2009
Genre: Law
ISBN:

The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published daily when Congress is in session. The Congressional Record began publication in 1873. Debates for sessions prior to 1873 are recorded in The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States (1789-1824), the Register of Debates in Congress (1824-1837), and the Congressional Globe (1833-1873)

The Alabama-Coosa

The Alabama-Coosa
Author: United States. Water Resources Policy Commission
Publisher:
Total Pages: 74
Release: 1951
Genre: Hydraulic engineering
ISBN:

Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States

Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 348
Release: 2009-07-29
Genre: Law
ISBN: 0309142393

Scores of talented and dedicated people serve the forensic science community, performing vitally important work. However, they are often constrained by lack of adequate resources, sound policies, and national support. It is clear that change and advancements, both systematic and scientific, are needed in a number of forensic science disciplines to ensure the reliability of work, establish enforceable standards, and promote best practices with consistent application. Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward provides a detailed plan for addressing these needs and suggests the creation of a new government entity, the National Institute of Forensic Science, to establish and enforce standards within the forensic science community. The benefits of improving and regulating the forensic science disciplines are clear: assisting law enforcement officials, enhancing homeland security, and reducing the risk of wrongful conviction and exoneration. Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States gives a full account of what is needed to advance the forensic science disciplines, including upgrading of systems and organizational structures, better training, widespread adoption of uniform and enforceable best practices, and mandatory certification and accreditation programs. While this book provides an essential call-to-action for congress and policy makers, it also serves as a vital tool for law enforcement agencies, criminal prosecutors and attorneys, and forensic science educators.

Water Code

Water Code
Author: Texas
Publisher:
Total Pages: 570
Release: 1972
Genre: Water
ISBN:

The Global Financial Crisis

The Global Financial Crisis
Author: Dick K. Nanto
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
Total Pages: 127
Release: 2009
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1437919847

Contents: (1) Recent Developments and Analysis; (2) The Global Financial Crisis and U.S. Interests: Policy; Four Phases of the Global Financial Crisis; (3) New Challenges and Policy in Managing Financial Risk; (4) Origins, Contagion, and Risk; (5) Effects on Emerging Markets: Latin America; Russia and the Financial Crisis; (6) Effects on Europe and The European Response: The ¿European Framework for Action¿; The British Rescue Plan; Collapse of Iceland¿s Banking Sector; (7) Impact on Asia and the Asian Response: Asian Reserves and Their Impact; National Responses; (8) International Policy Issues: Bretton Woods II; G-20 Meetings; The International Monetary Fund; Changes in U.S. Reg¿s. and Regulatory Structure; (9) Legislation.