Legislation Creating Clean Water Trust Fund Introduced

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) introduced legislation that would create a trust fund to be used to assess user fees on water users and products that affect the water stream in attempts to generate around $9 billion per year to pay for water infrastructure projects. To generate $9 billion annually, the bill proposes fees at the manufacturer level on bottled beverages, pharmaceuticals, and flushable products (personal hygiene, toiletries, cooking oils, etc.). None of these groups are supportive of the legislation and the bottlers have come out strongly opposed to paying into the fund. Differing from the version introduced last Congress; this legislation directs funds only to the EPA-administered Clean Water (waste water) State Revolving Fund and lacks a blanket tax on corporations. The bill (H.R. 6249) was introduced without cosponsors and is unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled chamber. For more information, please contact Scot Berry at (703) 837-5321 or berrys@agc.org.