Cities Celebrate Passage of America’s Water Infrastructure Act

October 10, 2018 - (2 min read)

Following the passage of America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (S. 3021), National League of Cities (NLC) President Mark Stodola, mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas released the following statement:

“The National League of Cities commends Congress for the passage of America’s Water Infrastructure Act with broad bipartisan support. This comprehensive legislation represents an important investment in American communities and infrastructure, and it could not have come at a better time.

“Local governments currently fund 95 to 98 percent of all water and wastewater infrastructure investment, and cities and their leaders have long called for a renewed federal partnership to help communities upgrade their drinking water and wastewater infrastructure and improve stormwater management. America’s Water Infrastructure Act is crucial to building, maintaining and improving our nation’s levees, dams, ports, harbors and inland waterways, and will help reduce the backlog of authorized infrastructure projects lacking funding for completion.

“This is a great victory and an important step forward to addressing our nation’s infrastructure crisis. But our work is not over. Cities will continue to advocate for full allocation of Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund dollars and codifying the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Integrated Planning Framework, which is not addressed in the final version of the bill. We look forward to partnering with Congress on these issues and ensuring that the revitalization and restoration of America’s water infrastructure systems remain a top national priority.”

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The National League of Cities (NLC) is the voice of America’s cities, towns and villages, representing more than 200 million people across the country. NLC works to strengthen local leadership, influence federal policy and drive innovative solutions. Stay connected with NLC on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.