Engineering Inc. - November/December 2008 - (Page 10)

LEGIsLatIvE aCtIoN FRom aCEC’s GovERNmENt aFFaIRs dEPaRtmENt Congress Clears HigHway TrusT Fund Fix; aCeC urges Congress To address inFrasTruCTure Crisis in BailouT PaCkage Congress Clears Highway Trust Fund Fix Responding to pressure from ACEC, other industry groups and state departments of transportation, Congress passed and President Bush signed legislation in early September—H.R. 6532—that restores solvency to the Highway Trust Fund. The bill transferred $8 billion from the General Fund into the Highway Trust Fund, averting a potentially devastating funding cut to the states and enabling the funding guarantees of SAFETEA-LU to be met. Passage of the bill became urgent when U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters informed states that the Trust Fund balance was nearly depleted and reimbursement payments would be reduced. “It was imperative that Congress act to prevent what could have Mary Peters become a major crisis facing the nation’s economy,” said ACEC President Dave Raymond. State highway officials are canceling or postponing important projects, creating a “disastrous outcome during a time when the economy is slow and the country faces substantial highway maintenance and improvement needs.” Following the action by Congress, the Federal Highway Administration informed ACEC and other industry groups that the Trust Fund is projected to have an adequate balance through the end of the current fiscal year. However, projections for F.Y. 2010 show that gas taxes and other revenues will be insufficient to maintain current funding levels. aCeC weighs in on student loan Forgiveness regulations Now that the ACEC-backed provision offering student loan forgiveness to engineers is law, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) is writing regulations to implement the program. The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 created a program that will provide up to $10,000 in student loan forgiveness to individuals who are employed full-time in areas of national need, including engineering. DOE asked interested parties to submit comments on the new law. As part of its comments, ACEC said the law should provide a clear definition of who qualifies as an engineer and the role of engineering companies in certifying that an individual has worked as an engineer in a given year. 10 ENGINEERING INC. NovEmbER / dECEmbER 2008 AP Photo/MAnuel BAlce cenetA DOE next will establish a negotiated rulemaking committee charged with drafting regulations to implement the program. senate Committee Clears aCeC-Backed $38.5B water Bill, expands QBs The U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works approved major water infrastructure legislation prior to adjournment that significantly boosts investment in drinking water and wastewater projects. At the Council’s urging, the package also includes a new mandate to require certain municipalities to use Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) on federally funded water projects. The Water Infrastructure Financing Act (S. 3500) authorizes $38.5 billion over five years for projects funded through the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs. The measure would allocate $19.6 billion for wastewater projects and $15.7 billion for drinking water projects over a five-year period. The bill also authorizes nearly $2 billion for municipal sewer overflow control grants, and a new $294 million grant program for “critical drinking water infrastructure projects” to help water systems meet Safe Drinking Water Act requirements. A number of reforms to the SRF programs are included, such as extending loans to 30 years and broadening the list of eligible projects to better assist local communities. The bill also gives greater weight to applications from communities developing asset management and long-term financial plans. The Senate bill requires communities with populations of 10,000 or more to use QBS on projects funded through the SRF programs. The House-passed bill includes a QBS mandate that would cover all federally funded projects. The Council will advocate for the broadest possible application of QBS when the Senate takes this legislation up again in 2009. IssuEs oN thE movE Infrastructure stimulus Package highway trust Fund What’s NExt Possible action after Election day Congress to begin reauthorization of saFEtEa-Lu early in 2009 Further action early in 2009 Regulatory implementation in early 2009 Water Infrastructure Package Engineering Loan Forgiveness Program

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Engineering Inc. - September/October 2008 Contents From ACEC to You News & Notes Market Watch Legislative Action Engineering Goes Back to School Winning the Talent War Mastering A Hard-Luck Economy Education Makes the Grade in Green Construction 2008 Young Professionals of the Year 2008 Fall Conference Highlights Technology Members in the News One On One

Engineering Inc. - November/December 2008

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