Bill Text: NJ SR83 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Memorializes Congress to renew America's water infrastructure by creating dedicated fund to upgrade and repair aging public water and wastewater systems.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-05-19 - Reported from Senate Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading [SR83 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2010-SR83-Amended.html

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[First Reprint]

SENATE RESOLUTION No. 83

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

214th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED SEPTEMBER 20, 2010

 

 

Sponsored by:

Senator  RONALD L. RICE

District 28 (Essex)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Memorializes Congress to renew America's water infrastructure by creating dedicated fund to upgrade and repair aging public water and wastewater systems.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee on May 19, 2011, with amendments.

  

A Senate Resolution memorializing Congress to renew America's water infrastructure by creating a dedicated fund to upgrade and repair aging water and wastewater systems.

 

Whereas, Generations of New Jersey residents have enjoyed access to safe, reliable, and accessible public water, but the lack of investment in critical water systems relied upon to bring clean, accessible water to communities and the aging public water infrastructure, including the growing number of old pipes existing 100 years or more and nearing or passing the end of the expected life span, pose a significant threat to the quality, safety, reliability, and accessibility of public water; and

Whereas, In New Jersey, water is widely viewed to be a public trust to be managed by the public sector for the common good of the public at large; and

Whereas, According to Food & Water Watch, a nonprofit organization advocating for healthy, safe food and access to safe and affordable drinking water, nationally there is an annual shortfall of $22 billion between the amount of money required for necessary water system repairs and the current amount of federal funding available; and

Whereas, New Jersey has faced a particular hardship due to the decrease in federal funding for water infrastructure, and Food & Water Watch estimates that the State's publicly owned wastewater systems currently need $4.5 billion to protect water quality and public health; and

Whereas, In 2010, New Jersey received $84 million in federal funding, which is only enough to finance less than 2% of the $4.5 billion in necessary spending; and

Whereas, The lack of funding will impact future water quality as deteriorating pipes and treatment facilities may result in lower quality water, ¹[and] at the same time that¹ increased funding is necessary to pay for improved testing and treatment of the escalating number of contaminants that pose a risk to water supplies; and

Whereas, Currently no federal funding is available to update or repair water infrastructure in schools, and with scarce funds available, schools have very limited resources to test the water or make necessary repairs to aging water systems; and

Whereas, Small utilities often have a small staff, which may pose challenges to analyzing the system and developing a plan to ensure that it is meeting the federal standards in the "Clean Water Act" and "Safe Drinking Water Act"; and

Whereas, Many pollutants are picked up and carried by stormwater runoff that runs into ¹[the sewer system before being treated and then] storm sewers and is¹  discharged back into surface waters ¹without treatment¹ , thereby driving up the costs of treating drinking water; and

Whereas, Some of the demands on stormwater and sewer systems can be alleviated through the effective use of green infrastructure, such as green roofs, rain gardens, rain barrels, porous construction materials and other projects, and green infrastructure are cost effective measures that can prevent runoff and rainwater from entering sewers and straining existing infrastructure; and

Whereas, New Jersey is facing historic unemployment levels, and investing in public drinking water and wastewater systems will create well-paid, career track jobs ¹[with] that meet high¹ standards for wages and benefits; and

Whereas, The reductions in federal funding ¹[towards] for¹ water infrastructure are leading communities across the State to be pressured into leases on, and the privatization of, water resources, in order to close budget holes, despite the inability of these actions to sustainably support local budgets; and

Whereas, Public-public partnerships between municipalities can improve public services, reduce costs, and allow communities to retain local control, while water privatization can result in the loss of local control, serious environmental problems, and greater long-term costs; and

Whereas, It is altogether fitting and proper and in the public interest for this Legislature to encourage the United States Congress to enact legislation protecting the public interest and ensure that municipalities have adequate resources to maintain public drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, and avoid the potential pitfalls of privatizing or leasing these systems; now, therefore,

 

     Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    This House memorializes the United States Congress to enact legislation to renew America's water infrastructure by creating a dedicated fund to upgrade and repair the nation's aging water and wastewater systems to ensure that the nation has safe, clean and affordable water for all.

 

     2.    This House further respectfully urges Congress to enact legislation to: (1) provide an adequate level of federal funding to close funding gaps ¹for water and sewer infrastructure needs¹; (2) dedicate federal funding to renew America's water infrastructure, and prevent these funds from being used for other purposes; (3) restrict eligibility for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to publicly owned, operated, and managed systems, or to municipalities ¹[towards the] to¹ purchase ¹[of]¹ privately owned water systems or ¹[in order]¹ to pay for the canceling of contracts with privately managed and operated systems; (4) provide grants for workforce development to offer targeted training and hiring of local residents, low-skilled workers, and low-income residents, to ensure that all communities receive training in the management and operation of public drinking water and wastewater systems and ¹enjoy¹ the benefits of employment in this sector; (5) allocate federal funding to support a grant program for schools to provide safe, affordable tap water to students; (6) dedicate a portion of the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and Clean Water State Revolving Fund to green infrastructure projects ¹[and] to¹ alleviate stress on stormwater infrastructure; (7) provide funding to clean up and mitigate nonpoint source pollution from industrial, urban, and agricultural runoff; (8) provide funding to large systems regularly serving populations of 100,000 of more, and by reserving funding for large systems, further benefitting both large and small systems; (9) support grants to small communities for technological support necessary to meet the requirements of federal laws and regulations concerning surface and drinking water, and specifically dedicating some funds to Native American communities; and (10) provide funds to systems eligible for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to facilitate public-public partnerships to meet technological, personnel, and equipment needs.

 

     3.    Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and attested by the Secretary thereof, shall be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Majority and Minority leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Majority and Minority leaders of the United States House of Representatives, and each member of Congress elected from this State.