Title
To support U.S. House Resolution 725 commemorating the 35th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act and urge Congress and the Administration to identify and enact a plan to provide financial support to protect our waterways, provide rate relief to local ratepayers and develop long-term solutions to the nation's decaying water infrastructure.
Body
WHEREAS, the federal government enacted the Clean Water Act in 1972, which provided substantial financial assistance nationwide for local wastewater and water quality improvement projects that benefited the health and prosperity of cities; and
WHEREAS, the federal government, through the Clean Water Act, invested more than $72 billion to help cities build wastewater treatment plants that significantly contributed to progress in clean water practices during the formative years of the Act; and
WHEREAS, Clean Water Act funding played a key role in the City of Columbus' construction of treatment plants and other essential infrastructure during the 1970s and 1980s; and
WHEREAS, this federal funding has since evaporated, leaving local ratepayers to bear the full burden of funding local infrastructure projects, including the EPA-mandated $2.5 billion, 40-year Wet Weather Management Plan; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus is committed to providing customers superior and dependable drinking water and sewer services that fully meet all regulations and set an industry standard for excellence; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. House of Representatives on October 16 marked the 35th anniversary of the Clean Water Act by approving HR 725, sponsored by Oregon Representative Earl Blumenauer and 36 co-sponsors; and
WHEREAS, HR 725 is a statement "to recognize and celebrate the Nation's accomplishments under the Clean Water Act," and "to renew their commitment to restoring and protecting the Nation's rivers, lakes, streams, marine waters and wetlands for future generations;" and
WHEREAS, HR 725 states the House of Representatives "dedicates itself to working toward a sustainable, long-term solution to address the Nation's decaying water infrastructure;" and
WHEREAS, the Nation's cities face an estimated $300 to $500 billion funding gap to address infrastructure needs over the next 20 years; and
WHEREAS, Congressman Blumenauer and other congressional leaders have stated their support of an effort to identify and enact a plan to provide financial support that would renew the federal government's role in funding their fair share local water and sewer infrastructure projects; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That the Columbus City Council lends its full support to HR 725, and urges Congress and the Administration to identify and enact a plan to provide financial support to protect our waterways, provide sorely-needed rate relief to local ratepayers and develop long-term solutions to the nation's decaying water infrastructure that will promote the health and prosperity of neighborhoods across Columbus, central Ohio and other communities nationwide.