More CIP for Water Authorized

Statement

The America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, passed by the Senate this week and now on the President's desk, could double water project funding for the Marianas. The Act increases the authorization for the Safe Drinking Water Act, from the current $1 billion to $1.95 billion in 2021. The Marianas has received about $3.5 million annually from this fund since 2010, when I increased the insular area set-aside from 0.33 to 1.5 percent. The new Act gives us opportunity to double that amount through the annual appropriations process. It also cancels a proposed deauthorization of $20 million for Saipan water infrastructure, from the 2007 Water Resources Act. The Army Corps sought the deauthorization for this and hundreds of other projects nationwide, because funds have never been appropriated. Keeping the $20 million authorization means we can keep working for that funding in the next Congress. We need the money: the Environmental Protection Agency estimates $198.4 million is needed in the Marianas to provide water service to households and protect our environment.

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