Engineering Inc. - September/October 2005 - 10

program, boosts funding in other areas and includes ACEC-backed gation and
environmental restoration projects. language to address competition issues
with the U.S. Geological The Senate version of WRDA passed the Survey USGS
. Environment and Public Works Committee in The Environmental Protection
Agency was funded at $7.9 billion, April, and is expected to be taken up
on the a reduction of $194 million from current spending. While some envi-
Senate floor when Congress returns from the Rep. Sue Kelly ronmental
programs received minor increases in funding, including August recess. It
includes over $7 billion in R-N.Y. Superfund and federal funding for state
drinking water revolving loan project authorizations. funds, funding for
wastewater was set at $900 million next year, a The House funding level
would represent reduction of $191 million from the F.Y. 2005 funding
level. the largest funding level since the original House and Senate
conferees included ACEC-backed report lan- WRDA bill was enacted in 1986.
WRDA is guage, which was sponsored by Congressman Ernest Istook R-
traditionally reauthorized on a biannual cycle, Okla. , and expressed
concern over the extent to which the USGS but has not been reauthorized
since 2000, pri- water resources program provides commercial services to
federal marily because of conflicts over Corps envi- ronmental policies.
and non-federal entities in direct competition with the private sec- Both
bills include Corps reform policy tor. The language goes on to urge the
agency to use the services of provisions supported by ACEC that create a
the private sector wherever feasible and consistent with performing Rep.
Ellen Tauscher new review process to enhance oversight on its governmental
functions. D-Calif. major proposed projects. New Energy Bill Becomes Law;
ACEC is opposed to amendments expected Extends Price Anderson Program in
the Senate that would impose stricter reviews and cost-benefit President
Bush has signed into law the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ratios on Corps
projects, changes that would add at least nine H.R. 6 , a comprehensive
package of energy provisions designed to months to the project planning
phase. stimulate energy production and conservation measures. Significant
funding is included in both bills for major lock mod- Conference
Co-Chairmen Joe Barton R-Texas and Pete ernization work on the Upper
Mississippi River and Illinois water- Domenici R-N.M. , called the
legislation the most comprehensive ways, as well as environmental and
ecosystem restoration projects, energy bill in the last 30 to 40 years.
Tax including restoration of the Everglades, Coastal Louisiana, Great J.
SCOTT APPLEWHITE/AP/WIDE WORLD PHOTOS breaks and other incentives are
included Lakes, Chesapeake Bay, Long Island Sound and Salton Sea. that
will create more work for ACEC mem- In related news, the Senate
Environment and Public Works EPW b e r s engaged in energy development,
Committee passed the $38-billion Water Infrastructure Financing including
oil, gas and coal-based produc- Act S.1400 in late July. The bill
authorizes a total of $20 billion tion, as well as electrical transmission
capac- over five years for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean
ity development. Water State Revolving Fund SRF and $15 billion to the
Drinking Renewable energy projects will get a Water SRF, and includes
significant grant provisions. boost from solar, wind, geothermal, bio- In
the House, the Clean Water Infrastructure Financing Act of m a s s and
landfill gas incentives. The 2005 H.R. 2684 was introduced in late May by
Rep. Sue Kelly R- Senator Pete Domenici nuclear power sector also will
benefit from N.Y. and Rep. Ellen Tauscher D-Calif. , increasing
authorization R-N.M. funding to create technological advances in levels to
a total of $25 billion over five years in the Clean Water SRF. nuclear
energy power production, as well as In addition, ACEC and its Water
Infrastructure Network WIN a $2-billion risk insurance measure partners
are finalizing work on draft legislation to create a water trust designed
to guard against potential regulatory delays when building fund, with a
target of introduction this fall. Both H.R. 2684 and the new-generation
nuclear reactors. WIN bill include QBS provisions for selection of A/E
services. The bill also includes an ACEC-endorsed 20-year reauthorization
of ACEC is lobbying the Senate EPW committee to include QBS the Price
Anderson Act, the federal insurance provision critical to engi- language
in S. 1400 when the measure goes to the Senate floor for neering companies
engaged in waste cleanup work at Department of consideration. Energy DOE
nuclear sites. In securing the extension of Price Ander- Interior Spending
Bill Cuts Water Funding; s o n , ACEC also successfully defeated a
troublesome financial Includes ACEC Language on Competition accountability
subrogation provision that was included in the House As ACEC and its
industry allies fight to pass legislation in Congress version of the bill.
This provision FOR MORE NEWS that sets funding targets for water
infrastructure, a parallel effort has would have imposed new liability
been taking place to convince House and Senate appropriators to on DOE
contractors for damages For weekly legislative news, boost actual spending
in this area. caused by nuclear accidents. visit ACEC's Last Word online at
www.acec.org. The recently passed F.Y. 2006 Interior-Environment
Appropriations bill, which has been signed into law, cuts funding for one
key water 1 0 ENGINEERING INC. S e p t e m b e r l October 2005
http://www.acec.org
Engineering Inc. - September/October 2005

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