WASINGTON — The American Water Works Association (AWWA) announced that a U.S. House/Senate conference committee approved spending legislation for the 2015 fiscal year that includes funding to set up the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA), according to a press release.
This legislation will now go before the full House and Senate for votes and then to President Obama before it can become law, stated the release.
The release reported that since the 2015 fiscal year began Oct. 1, the federal government has been operating on a continuing resolution, which expired as of Dec. 11.
Congress is expected to pass another short-term resolution until the new bill is enacted, continued the release.
The WIFIA portion of the bill provides $2.2 million, authorized by Congress earlier this year, for EPA to set up the WIFIA program, noted the release.
“We have been hearing [in Capital Hill] that Congress believes WIFIA is a great, new idea, and in providing this funding to get the program established, Congress has proven that it believes in WIFIA,” said AWWA Legislative Director Tommy Holmes. “Next we will focus on obtaining appropriations so the WIFIA program can issue the actual loans. This will be a key topic at our annual Fly-In this spring.”
Read the entire release here.
