West SGV News

This Subcommittee has a long history of success in addressing the bipartisan water resources needs of our nation as clean water is essential to our livelihoods, to our environment, and to our businesses.

The strength of the American economy is reliant on a clean water supply as it is a key ingredient for manufacturing, farming, food processing, small business development, and tourism and recreational businesses. If we do not protect our nation’s waters, this will have a negative impact on business as they will not have the high quality water they need for production and growth. The decline of water quality will require consumers, businesses, and residents to pay more in water utility bills to treat water before it comes to the tap.

This is true whether you live along the coast or in the middle of the country, whether you live in a big city or small town, or whether you live in an affluent community or a community struggling to make ends meet.

Over the past 50 years, the Clean Water Act has made considerable progress in addressing our nation’s water quality concerns.

Through a substantial investment of resources—spurred by federal dollars from the Clean Water Act—this nation was able to fundamentally address the discharge of raw or partially treated sewage into our rivers, streams, and lakes.

However, challenges remain.

Over the last decade, communities and states have called for additional federal resources to address lingering water quality concerns.

In response, last Congress, House Democrats delivered with enactment of the largest investment in wastewater infrastructure in generations through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

Over the five years covered in the BIL, this critical legislation will provide approximately $13.8 billion in federal clean water resources to address local water quality challenges.

Further, in recognition that not all communities are on equal financial footings, the BIL ensured that roughly half of the funding would be provided in the form of grants or other flexible financing to address the needs of economically disadvantaged communities, including rural and tribal communities—many of which have borne the burden of environmental contamination for too long.

Yet, as important as robust water infrastructure financing might be, there are limits to what can be done relying solely on wastewater infrastructure investment.

Over the past few years, more and more communities have experienced recurring outbreaks of harmful algal blooms that can produce toxins, kill fish, mammals, and birds, contaminate drinking water sources, and cause human illness or even death in extreme cases.

As shown on the map on the screens, harmful algal blooms have become a national concern because they affect not only the health of people and marine ecosystems, but also the “health” of our economy—especially coastal communities dependent on the income of jobs generated through fishing and tourism.

We all know that a major cause these blooms is excessive nutrients—such as nitrogen and phosphorous—in U.S. waters. Unfortunately, according to state data, excessive nutrients continue to be one of our nation’s leading water quality issues.

Today, approximately 58% of rivers and streams, 40% of lakes, and 21% of coastal waters are impaired due to high levels of nutrients.

You can see the location of many of these contaminated waters on this second map on the screen—and, Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that both maps be made part of today’s hearing record.

What is worse is that, according to EPA data, the percentage of nutrient impaired waterways is increasing, even with substantial investment in our nation’s wastewater infrastructure.

Clearly, more needs to be done.

Unfortunately, in my opinion, every water bill advanced by this Committee in this Congress would needlessly weaken federal and state efforts to protect our waters from pollution, such as excessive nutrients.

In my opinion, every water bill advanced in this Congress would result in more waterbodies being impaired by contamination, such as harmful algal blooms, not less.

Now is not the time to pull back on federal investments in our wastewater infrastructure.

Now is not the time to weaken federal and state efforts to protect our nation’s waters.

Now is not the time to weaken our clean water future.

I welcome our panelists here today, and look forward to their valued input.