Newhouse Introduces Bill to Improve Federal Water Infrastructure in Central Washington

Press Release

Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) introduced H.R. 2979 to amend the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) of 2014 to make public water projects eligible for low-interest, longer-term federal loans from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

"Federal water projects play a significant role in our way of life throughout Central Washington. Removing barriers to securing federal financing for the much-needed repair and maintenance of these projects is imperative," said Rep. Newhouse. "This bill will help our local water managers and operators finance long-term projects, enabling us to ensure long-term success for all who rely on this infrastructure for clean water and irrigation in rural communities."

"This bipartisan legislation would unlock nearly $6 billion in low-interest federal financing for western water storage projects, including to build the off-stream Sites Reservoir in California's northern Sacramento Valley," said Rep. Garamendi. "We need all the federal and state resources we can get to meet California's future water supply needs and achieve a truly drought-resilient water system capable of responding to the impacts of climate change. This critical legislation offers smart federal investment to upgrade California's water supply by building new off-stream reservoirs necessitated by climate change."

The WIFIA Improvement Act would allow water projects with longer useful lifecycles to receive federal WIFIA financing for 55-year loan terms instead of the current 35-year loan terms, thereby lowering the capital costs for such projects.

Click here to read the full text of the bill.

The legislation has received support from the following organizations: Family Farm Alliance, American Society of Civil Engineers, National Water Resources Association, and the American Public Works Association.

Background:

The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 (WIFIA) established the WIFIA program, a federal credit program administered by EPA for eligible water and wastewater infrastructure projects. WIFIA and the WIFIA implementation rule outline the eligibility and other requirements for prospective borrowers. Click here to learn more.

Approximately $11.5 billion is available each year in low-interest federal financing from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WIFIA loan program.

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