To date the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced several rounds of funding for rural water and waste water projects and has announced that projects totaling over $800 million dollars are ready to proceed to bid.Click here for a list of projects provided by USDA Rural Utilities Service (RUS).For USDA RUS contacts in your state, please visit http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/scrty/sdirs.htmlUSDA Press Releases by DateAugust 3. 2009AGRICULTURE DEPUTY SECRETARY MERRIGAN ANNOUNCES $154.8 MILLION FOR RURAL WATER PROJECTSJuly 15, 2009AGRICULTURE SECRETARY VILSACK ANNOUNCES $250 MILLION IN RECOVERY ACT FUNDS FOR RURAL WATER PROJECTSJune 17, 2009AGRICULTURE SECRETARY VILSACK ANNOUNCES $123 MILLION FOR RURAL WATER PROJECTS IN 24 STATESMay 28, 2009AGRICULTURE SECRETARY VILSACK ANNOUNCES $143 MILLION FOR RURAL WATER PROJECTSFor more information, contact Perry Fowler at (703) 837-5321 or fowlerp@agc.org

Trey Pebley, Vice President of McAllen Construction, Inc., of McAllen, Texas, testified Wednesday July 22, before the House Small Business Committee on the impact of federal regulation over water and wetlands on small businesses and family farmers.The Committee conducted the hearing to gather testimony on the impact of legislative efforts to remove the term "navigable waters" from the Clean Water Act.  Pebley, an elected Trustee of the McAllen Public Utilities Board, explained to the Committee that such a legislative change would fundamentally expand federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act to include all waters and wetlands and would increase the need for federal discharge permits (i.e., Section 404 permits).Pebley also expressed concern that a bill called the Clean Water Restoration Act would also extend federal jurisdiction over groundwater, as well as all surface waters.  If the bill were enacted, underground contractors, could be required to obtain a federal permit for every project.Pebley reiterated AGC's commitment to water quality and the protection of public health and welfare as builders.  However, he continued that the federal reach over waters and wetlands should have a limit and that states and local governments are best equipped to look after their water and land use.  To provide the long sought-after clarity that the construction industry needs to comply with the existing complex regulatory process, the U.S. Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency should conduct an administrative rulemaking to define crucial terms to delineate federal jurisdiction, Pebley added.Last month, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved its version of the Clean Water Restoration Act, S. 787, with a so-called "compromise" amendment.  As the amended legislation would still fundamentally expand federal jurisdiction over all waters and wetlands, AGC opposes the bill.To contact your Senators to oppose S 787, use AGC's Legislative Action Center.To view a copy of Pebley's written statement to the House Small Business Committee, click here.For more information, contact Karen Lapsevic at (202) 547-4733 or lapsevick@agc.org.

The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure met on Friday, July 31, to examine progress to date on implementing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The hearing primarily addressed implementation efforts in non-transportation programs under the Committee's jurisdiction, including environmental, inland waterways and public buildings infrastructure. T&I Committee members received status  updates from agencies receiving Recovery Act dollars under its jurisdiction, including the EPA , U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the General Services Administration and Coast Guard. With the exception of the highway funds, Chairman Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.) and other members of the committee expressed deep concern with the lack of construction activity underway with Recovery Act dollars and the rate in which Recovery Act funds were translating into contracts. The committee's concerns were in line with those raised by AGC.Click here for video and additional information about the T&I "160 Day Report Card." Click here for a chart detailing Agency dollars.For more information, contact Perry Fowler at (703) 837-5321 or fowlerp@agc.org

On July 27,  AGC sent letters to 27 federal agencies asking them to identify barriers to getting stimulus funds to contracts.  In a letter sent to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson, AGC CEO Steve Sandherr outlined AGC's concerns with the slow progress of funds flowing to actual projects through EPA Recovery dollars for Clean and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund programs. To date EPA has announced awards of $5.91 billion dollars to states and as of June 30,  EPA reported that nineteen states have put 195 projects out to bid totaling $512 million.  However, by their own admission, only $20-30 million or approximately 0.5% has actually been committed to SRF-funded projects in the form of contracts.   AGC has requested that EPA identify barriers to getting funding obligated to contracts for water infrastructure projects and asked that the EPA increase assistance to state and municipal water authorities in order to expedite contracts.Click here for a copy of the letter to EPA.For more information, contact Perry Fowler at (703) 837-5321 or fowlerp@agc.org

AGC Vice President Kris Young testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water and Natural Resources.

AGC Vice President Kris Young, President and CEO of Miller the Driller in Des Moines, Iowa, testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water and Natural Resources  regarding the GAO report titled “Opportunities and Challenges in the Creation of a Clean Water Trust Fund.”

On the eastern front of the U.S. Capitol Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) announced the introduction of bipartisan legislation to establish a Water Trust Fund. The “Water Protection and Reinvestment Act,” H.R.3202, establishes a $10 billion annual fund for repairing America’s corroded pipes and overburdened sewer systems, which pose serious health, environmental and security consequences.

AGC CEO Steve Sandherr called for the establishment of a water trust fund Wednesday during a press conference on Capitol Hill.  Congressman Earl Blumenauer invited AGC to participate in the event in which he set the stage for a long-overdue debate on water infrastructure funding.

On March 12, 2009, The U.S. House of Representatives passed HR. 1262, the Water Quality Investment Act of 2009. This bill authorizes $19.4 billion over five years for wastewater infrastructure projects, including $13.8 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF) and $2.5 billion for the sewer overflow control grants program.  On May 14, 2009, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee passed companion legislation in S.1005, the Water Infrastructure Financing Act of 2009. S. 1005 authorizes $38.9 billion for EPA water infrastructure programs over the next five years, and includes $20 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program, $15 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program and $1.85 billion for Sewer Overflow Grants.New policy in both bills includes language applying Brooks Act qualifications based selection (QBS) for preconstruction design and engineering services with an exemption in S. 1005 for communities of 10,000 persons or less. Both bills also include Davis- Bacon prevailing wage requirements. Key differences between the bills beyond funding levels include changes the current State allocation formula for in the Clean Water SRF in the S. 1005. Largely due to AGC and WIN Coalition lobbying efforts, S. 1005 does not include Buy American provisions included in HR. 1262 which are identical to requirements in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.Senate EPW staff has indicated that the Senate may consider of S. 1005 for a vote before the August recess and it is crucial that AGC members write their Senators and urge them to bring this bill up for a vote in the Senate. Click here to visit the AGC Legislative Action Center and write your Senator.

AGC of America will host our annual Joint Highway and Utility Contractors Issues meeting November 12-14, 2009 at the PGA  Resort in West Palm Beach, Florida. Registration and agenda information will be available soon!