Tonight is the night that the US House intends to put people to work modernizing this nation’s water infrastructure. The jobs bill that is expected to pass tonight provides $1 billion for clean water and $1 billion for drinking water giving Great Lakes states an additional $400 million to update our sewers this year.
Healing Our Waters signed onto a letter that urged the House to set aside some funding for green infrastructure projects and efforts to institute water efficiency. The House has done so, setting aside 20 percent of the funding for such projects. The House is also waiving the cost share requirements which should allow localities to jump start projects. Anyone using the funds has to have working projects within 8 months or the funding will be relocated. That means jobs on the state priority list will get funds first.
Related posts:
- Report: Upgrading infrastructure would stimulate economy, create jobs, improve water quality
- Hallelujah: We Have A Restoration Water Bill
- Coalition to Congress: Don’t Cut Successful Great Lakes Programs that Protect Drinking Water, Public Health, Jobs
- White House Budget Leaves Great Lakes Programs 'Treading Water'
- U.S. House Passes Budget Bill that Slashes Programs to Restore Great Lakes and Prevent Sewage Overflows