Engineering Inc. - July/August 2005 - (Page 8)

L E G I S L AT I V E AC T I O N CONGRESS CLOSES IN ON FINAL TEA-21 ACCORD; WATER INFRASTRUCTURE MOVES TO FRONT-BURNER STATUS Highway Bill Conferees Nearing Possible reauthorize the Clean Water Act state revolving fund SRF and TEA-21 Deal; ACEC at White House increase authorization levels to $25 billion over five years. The bill, Congress has extended federal surface transportation programs H.R. 2684 , mirrors legislation introduced in the last Congress and until July 19 as House and Senate conferees consider a potential includes a QBS provision for selection of A/E services. In the Senate, compromise on funding for the TEA-21 reauthorization bill, Fisheries, Wildlife and Water Subcommittee Chairman Lincoln which would provide $286.5 billion for the nation's highways and Chafee R-R.I. plans to introduce legislation that would authorize transit systems. about $40 billion over five years for both the clean water and safe On June 23, lead negotiators on the TEA-21 reauthorization drinking water SRF programs. ACEC is working with Sen. Chafee's conference committee floated the compromise funding level, office to incorporate QBS into the base bill. which essentially splits the difference between the House-passed While authorizing committees in the House and Senate work to reauthorization bill, funded at $284 billion, and a $290-billion pass legislation to increase the amount allocated to water programs, compromise offered by the Senate on June 20. congressional appropriators are having a difficult time securing the In related news, ACEC President David Raymond participated money to be spent on water projects next year. in a key White House meeting in June to discuss the progress of The House-passed appropriations bill that funds EPA programs the negotiations between the House, Senate and White House. included $850 million for the drinking water SRF program in 2006, The meeting included Chief of Staff Andrew Card and Trans- essentially level funding from 2005. The wastewater SRF program portation Secretary Norman Mineta. also was funded at $850 million, a $250 million decrease from 2005. A s of this writing, the Federal Highway Administration The Senate appropriations committee has acted to restore the waste- FHWA and individual state DOTs are calculating individual water funding to the $1.1 billion level of 2005, and ACEC will be state returns under the $286.5-billion compromise proposal. In working on House and Senate conferees to accept the Senate-passed addition to the overall funding level, other major issues to be funding level. decided include the scope of the federal program to be used for ACEC Provision Addresses calculating the minimum rate of return states would receive from Competition at USGS the highway trust fund, as well as how to allocate funding for ACEC has drafted language that limits the ability of the U.S. Geo- high-priority projects between the House and the Senate. logical Survey USGS to compete with the engineering industry. Congress Sets Sights on Water This language was included in a report accompanying the House Infrastructure version of the $26.3 billion F.Y. 2006 Interior appropriations bill. With the transportation bill nearing completion, Congress has ACEC members continue to express concern over competition begun to shift its focus to water infrastructure. from USGS and, in particular, the extent to which the agency pro- Ho u s e Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee vides matching funds for state and local projects. These funds typi- Chairman John Duncan R-Tenn. held a two-day hearing in June cally are used for USGS to perform the work, which includes bridge on potential funding mechanisms for water infrastructure invest- ment, including a dedicated trust fund, private activity bonds and ISSUES ON THE MOVE WHAT'S NEXT other alternative funding strategies. Duncan set the tone for the hearings by Conference report TEA -21 conference stressing at the outset the very real need for finalized in July i n c re a s e d investment. We all are well aware that our national wastewater infra- s t r u c t u re is aging, deteriorating and in Water Infrastructure Funding bills in the Fall need of repair and replacement, he said. Increased investment must still take place. That leads to the question: Where is the money going to come from? Spending bill Anti-competition language On a related note, Representatives Sue completed in the Fall Rep. John Duncan Ke l l y R-N.Y. and Ellen Tauscher D- R-Tenn. C a l i f. have reintroduced legislation to 8 ENGINEERING INC. J u l y l August 2005

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Engineering Inc. - July/August 2005

Contents
From ACEC To You
News & Notes
Market Watch
Legislative Action
Cover Story: Interview with Senator Jim Talent
Well-Prepared Leadership
Remembering the Codes
Premium Increase Slowing
ACEC's 2005-2006 Executive Committee
Business Insights
Members in the News
ACEC Fall Conference
One on One
EEA Call for Entries
Institute for Business Management

Engineering Inc. - July/August 2005