Underground Construction - October 2021 - 22

INSIDEINFRASTRUCTURE
EDITOR'S NOTE
Eben Wyman is a veteran advocate
for key underground utility and
pipeline associations. He points out
that maintaining an effective
advocacy program is fundamental
to the success of any organization
interested in the happenings of the
federal government.
Zack Perconti is an associate with the firm. Together, they will
produce a bi-monthly article for Underground Construction providing
keen insight related to laws, rules and regulations that directly impact
the underground infrastructure markets.
It has become somewhat laughable when lawmakers and
lobbyists use the term " Infrastructure Week. " Proposals to
increase investments in American infrastructure have been
the talk of the town in your Nation's Capital for years. Both
the Trump and the Biden Administrations have referred to
infrastructure legislation as a high priority, but it seems that
this year, things are lining up in the right way.
In July, the House of Representatives passed the $715-billion
INVEST in America Act, largely along party lines. Also, after
months of behind-the-scenes negotiations, the Senate passed a
$1.2-trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework bill followed
by a $3.5-trillion partisan budget " reconciliation, " just before
leaving town for the August recess.
While at the time this article was written, fierce debate
was expected on a range of issues, the prospects for passing
a comprehensive infrastructure package were stronger than
they have been in years. Advocates engaged in underground
utility markets were finally looking at significant investment in
markets that were often considered " out of sight, out of mind. "
The bipartisan infrastructure bill authorizes $550 billion
in new spending for water and wastewater systems, broadband
deployment, and surface transportation infrastructure,
including:
* $55 billion for water and wastewater projects
* $65 billion for broadband deployment
* $65 billion to strengthen the power grid
* $110 billion for highways, roads and bridges
* $66 billion for rail
* $39 billion for public transit
22 OCTOBER 2021 | UCONonline.com
Eben Wyman | Wyman Associates
2021 Shaping Up to be Landmark Year
for Utility Construction
* $25 billion for airports
* $47 billion for cybersecurity and climate change mitigation
The legislation would also spur investment in electric vehicle
charging stations and encourage a transition to electric school
buses, which are major priorities for the Biden Administration
and its goal to transform the American economy to net-zero
emissions. Importantly, the legislation also provided resources
for carbon capture, use and storage, as well as for increased
use of hydrogen, both of which will require significant pipeline
construction work.
Let's take a look at what's on the table for utility construction.
Drinking water
The bill authorizes $14.7 billion from fiscal year (FY) 2022
through 2026 for the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA)
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) program that
provides capitalization grants to states for loans supporting
water drinking water infrastructure projects. It also extends
the EPA grant program that supports replacement of lead water
lines by five years (through FY 2026), while increasing annual
authorization from $60 million to $100 million.
The measure includes $200 million over five years to reduce
lead contamination in school drinking water and provides
increases in compliance assistance grants - from $70 million
in 2022, to $140 million by 2026 - to public water systems
in small and disadvantaged communities. In addition, the bill
would authorize $50 million annually, through 2026, for a pilot
program to award competitive grants to states to implement
improvements to water systems, with priority for states with a
high proportion of underserved communities.
Another $50 million in grants for leak detection, repair and
monitoring in small public and nonprofit water systems is
also part of the water infrastructure language, as well as $50
million per year for larger systems to improve the resilience and
sustainability of their infrastructure.
Wastewater
Like the Drinking Water SRF, the bill authorizes $14.7 billion,
from 2022 through 2026, for EPA's Clean Water SRF program,
which provides capitalization grants to states for loans
supporting water quality improvement projects.
The bill also authorizes $280 million annually, from 2022 to
2026, in grants to states to support municipal planning and
construction of projects that address combined sewer overflows,
including systems to notify the public when untreated overflows
are released into waterways. At least 25 percent of grant funding
in each state would have to be allocated to projects in rural or
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Underground Construction - October 2021

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