Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona, and John Curtis, a Republican from Utah, are collaborating on a bipartisan effort to enhance water infrastructure in the western United States.
This week, the senator put forth a bill named the Restoration of the WiFIA eligibility law, aiming to access federal funding specifically for western water infrastructure projects.
Curtis expressed concern about the significant pressure that rapid population growth in Utah puts on local water resources, stating that the bill will assist local governments and utilities in investing in crucial water initiatives to meet community demands.
WiFIA stands for the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014, which established a credit program for both public and private entities working on projects related to wastewater, drinking water, and stormwater.
According to the senator, WiFIA loans are intended to enable communities to undertake essential water projects more affordably; however, certain stipulations in the law hinder access for federally involved projects.
Many of these projects are overseen by non-federal organizations, yet a misclassification issue has deemed them “federal,” limiting WiFIA loans for “non-federal borrowers.”
The new legislation aims to clarify that WiFIA assistance should be considered non-federal when recipients are non-federal entities responsible for repayment.
Additionally, the bill seeks to allow a wider range of critical water infrastructure projects, even those that involve shared costs between federal and non-federal participants.
Kelly pointed out that this flexibility would enhance community benefits from such important developments. He emphasized that improving Arizona’s water infrastructure is vital for the growth and well-being of the nation, mentioning that the bill seeks to minimize bureaucratic hurdles to access federal funding.
These joint efforts are intended to modernize water infrastructure and tackle urgent water challenges faced by communities in Arizona and other western areas.
Similar laws have also been proposed in the House by representatives Jim Costa, a Democrat from California, and Dan Newhouse, a Republican from Washington.
