U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) joined a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers in urging congressional appropriators to rectify the significant shortfalls states face in funding water infrastructure projects.
Since 2021, more than $3.7 billion has been redirected from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) to the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) to fund the Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending (CPF/CDS) process, the lawmakers wrote in a July 9 letter sent to appropriators in both houses of Congress.
While CPF/CDS projects are critical investments to support local water infrastructure needs, redirecting money away from the State Revolving Funds means that states will experience funding shortfalls for important water infrastructure projects, they wrote.
“The Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds have been critical to expand access to clean water, modernize aging water infrastructure, and safeguard our public health,” wrote the lawmakers. “If funding shortfalls and diversions continue, a major lifeline of our federal water infrastructure funding will run dry at a time when costs for infrastructure, design, and planning are skyrocketing.”
Specifically, they urged appropriators to provide a more supportable federal funding source for America’s critical water projects.
“As you develop the fiscal year 2025 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, we urge the [appropriations committees] to take two steps,” wrote Rep. Armstrong and his colleagues. “First, increase funding for SRFs to account for CPF/CDS. Second, provide a more sustainable funding source for critical water projects through the CPF/CDS process, particularly one that does not siphon funds from essential projects reliant on SRF financing.”
Among the 17 lawmakers who joined Rep. Armstrong in signing the letter was U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-CO) and U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO).
The letter has been endorsed by numerous entities, including the Colorado Water Congress, the Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority, the National Governors Association, the American Water Works Association, the Council of Infrastructure Financing Authorities, the National Association of Counties, the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators, and the Association of Clean Water Administrators, among many others.