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Home My WebLink About08.a. Receive update on pending legislative matters (federal legislative advocacy update) 8.a. AIX . Central Contra Costa Sanitary District March 2, 2017 TO: THE HONORABLE BOARD OF DIRECTORS VIA: ROGER S. BAILEY, GENERAL MANAGER FROM: EMILY BARNETT, COMMUNICATION & INTERGOVFRNMENTAL RELATIONS MANAGER SUBJECT.- FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY UPDATE Key Administrative Focus The President recently issued an executive order aimed at accelerating environmental reviews for "high-priority" infrastructure projects. 9 Without Congressional support, the President cannot make concrete changes to the National Environmental Policy Act and other environmental laws that govern permitting for pipelines, highways and other infrastructure. a House and Senate Rep ubticalls have taken a '"wait and see}' approach on what will be the, key prig n ti es/i n iti atives with recent ap poi ntm e ints of Off ice of Manag em erpt and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney and Secretary of Transportation Ellaine Chao. is Senate and House Democrats are advocating for direct spending on infrastructure, that would be paid tar with federal funds by closing tax loopholes. Democrats released a I -year $1 T i nf rastructu re plan - "A Blueprint to Rebu 1 Id America's I nf rastru tune'". Lite, to a sr.M mar of the pi an: https-://www.dpc;c.senate.gov/fiIes/documents/ABluei2rinttoRebuiIdAmericasInfrastrLi cturel.24.17.0f Items of Interest 1 The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently launched the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program providing $1 B in credit assistance to state and local governments to build drinking water, wastewater, and drought prevention projects. W I FIA prow es orate r age n c'ies with a sou rce of Cow-cost f i nancl ng to support m aj or Ovate r projects. The EPA will accept letters of interest from prospective borrowers through April 10 1 2017. Borrowers must match the W i F I A fund and the EPA estimates that the $1 B in f i nanci ng wi I I support approxi m atel y $2 B i n total infrastructure investim e nts. 2. Th e H ou se FY 17 tnteri or Appropri ati ons Bi 11 p rovides $1 B f or th e C I ea n Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) and $401 for W I FIA, The Senate bill provides $1.35B for the Clean,, Water S R F and $30M for W1 FIA. FY 16 appropriations included $20M for W1 FIA. 3, Th e 9LN ear Water Re cyc I i n g and Re use Projects" gra rpt p rog ram u nde r the Water Infrastructure I m provements for the Nation Act (MIN) specified that guidelines f or feasibility studies must be issued within 60 days of enactment (Feb. 16t 2017). The following are key takeaways' A. W11N staff would like to keep existing study guidelines, due to limited staff available to develop new guidelines or to re-review studies already determined to be feasible B. Competitive rankings will be similar to Title XVI and WaterSMART criteria G. Currently monies are sot aside for the following: $335M for storage, $150M for recycled water, and $30M for desalinatlon construction projects for western states - including CA, AZ, NIM, and TX D. There are new WIFIA changes for drought and alternative water supplies projects, which includes modifications of WIFIA terms and conditions to allow: financing fees to b e f inanced as part of th e I can s, and i n-k i nd co ntrib uti ons a nd costs i neu rre d p rior to receiving a loan to be credited to the non-Federal share Key Legislation H.R.434-115th Congress (2017-2018) New Water Available To Every Reclamation State Act or the New W.ATER Act Summary: Bill would provide financial assistance (seCU red loans or loan guarantees), to carry out water projects within the, 17 western states served by the Bureau of Reclamation., Projects eligible for assistance include: non-federal water infrastructure projects that would contribute to a safe, adequate water supply for domestic, agricultural, environmental, or municlpal and industrial use: projects for enhanced energy efficiency in the operation of a water system} projects for accelerated repair and replacement of aging water distribution facilities, brackish or sea water desalination projects; and the acquisition of real property or an interest the rain for water storage, reclaimed or recycled water, or wastewater that is integral to such a project. Projects must be $20M or more in cost. parson- Rep. D e n h am, Jeff [R-c -10] (1 ntroduced 1/11/2017) Cosponsors: (5, 4 from CA) Committees: House - Natural Resources Latest Action: 01111/2017 Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. H.R.23— 11 Sth Congress (2017-2018) Gaining Responsibility on Water Act of 2017 Su m ma ry: D roug ht relief f or California, https://www.con q ress.gov/11 5/bills/hr /131 LLS- 115 h r23i h,.pof Sponsor: Rep. Valaclao, David G. [R-CA-21) (Introduced 01/03/2017) Cosponsors: (13 - all from CA) Committees: House - Natural Resources, Agriculture Latest Action: 01/03/2017 Referred to House Agriculture H.R.465-115th Congress .(2017-2018) To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to provide for an integrated planning and 1p,ermitting process, and for other purposes. S'ummary: https://www.c.ongress-clov/1 15/bills/hr465/13ILLS-1 15hr465ih Sponsor: Rep. Gibbs, Bob [R-OH-71 (Irtroduced (1/12/2017) Cosponsors: (1) Committees: House - Transportation and Infrastructure Latest Act!on: 0 1/12/2017 R of erre d to th e H cruse Comm ittee o in Transportati on a n d I of rastru ctu re H.R.547-115th Congress (2017-2018) National Infrastructure Development Bank Act of 2017 Summary: To facilitate efficient investments and financing of infrastructure projects and new job creation through the establishment of a National Infrastructure Development Bank, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep. DeLau ro, Rosa L. [D-CT-31 (Introduced 01/13/2017) Cosponsors: (76, 14 from CA including Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, [D-CA-1 11) Committees: House - Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, Financial Services, Ways and Means Latest Acti on: 0 1/13/2017 Ref e rred to H cure Ways an d Means