Comments on: Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funds cannot be spent on region’s ailing sewers http://greatlakesecho.org/2009/08/11/great-lakes-restoration-initiative-funds-cannot-be-spent-on-regions-ailing-sewers/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:59:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Report: Healthy Great Lakes depend on federal money for region’s polluting sewers | Great Lakes Echo http://greatlakesecho.org/2009/08/11/great-lakes-restoration-initiative-funds-cannot-be-spent-on-regions-ailing-sewers/comment-page-1/#comment-8183 Report: Healthy Great Lakes depend on federal money for region’s polluting sewers | Great Lakes Echo Fri, 13 Aug 2010 13:56:30 +0000 http://greatlakesecho.org/?p=9211#comment-8183 [...] to beach closures and threatens drinking water — are expensive. That’s one reason that keeps the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative money from funding sewer projects. So the coalition calls for a funding hike in the federal program that gives cities low-interest [...] [...] to beach closures and threatens drinking water — are expensive. That’s one reason that keeps the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative money from funding sewer projects. So the coalition calls for a funding hike in the federal program that gives cities low-interest [...]

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]]> By: jeffgillies http://greatlakesecho.org/2009/08/11/great-lakes-restoration-initiative-funds-cannot-be-spent-on-regions-ailing-sewers/comment-page-1/#comment-1346 jeffgillies Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:06:05 +0000 http://greatlakesecho.org/?p=9211#comment-1346 <a href="http://nemw.org/images/2009-06%20Clean%20Water-Drinking%20Water%20SRF%20Allotment%20Formulas%20and%20CWA.pdf" rel="nofollow">Here</a> is the Northeast-Midwest report on the SRF allocation changes. Based on their numbers, the eight Great Lakes states' share would shrink by 5 percent compared with the old formula. But it varies from state to state. Indiana, Minnesota, Illinois and Pennsylvania would all get a bigger percentage. But Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and New York lose enough to bring the eight-state average down. The Senate has already approved the new formula, but the House is working on a different version of the bill that wouldn't put the new formula into play unless the program gets funded for more than around $1.3 billion annually. And that level of funding could happen, as President Barack Obama's budget requests $2.4 billion for the sewer program next year. Last year the program only got $689 million. Congress hasn't yet approved that increase. But if it does, Chip Heckathorn, the head of Michigan's sewer loan program, said the funding boost should outweigh the smaller percentage share, so no Great Lakes states will actually pull in less money than they have previous years. Here is the Northeast-Midwest report on the SRF allocation changes. Based on their numbers, the eight Great Lakes states’ share would shrink by 5 percent compared with the old formula.

But it varies from state to state. Indiana, Minnesota, Illinois and Pennsylvania would all get a bigger percentage. But Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and New York lose enough to bring the eight-state average down.

The Senate has already approved the new formula, but the House is working on a different version of the bill that wouldn’t put the new formula into play unless the program gets funded for more than around $1.3 billion annually.

And that level of funding could happen, as President Barack Obama’s budget requests $2.4 billion for the sewer program next year. Last year the program only got $689 million.

Congress hasn’t yet approved that increase. But if it does, Chip Heckathorn, the head of Michigan’s sewer loan program, said the funding boost should outweigh the smaller percentage share, so no Great Lakes states will actually pull in less money than they have previous years.

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]]> By: Tiffany Pache http://greatlakesecho.org/2009/08/11/great-lakes-restoration-initiative-funds-cannot-be-spent-on-regions-ailing-sewers/comment-page-1/#comment-1343 Tiffany Pache Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:03:42 +0000 http://greatlakesecho.org/?p=9211#comment-1343 Vicki Thomas is right that the stimulus and the State and Clean Water State Revolving Funds are the places to get money to upgrade the sewers. What people really need to know now is that Congress is planning to change the funding formula for the CWSRF and the Drinking Water and at least half the Great Lakes states will get less money if this goes through. So far, no one seems to be making a stink of it with their representatives or senators. You can read more about this at the Northeast Midwest Institute. I also wrote a blog about this at the Great Lakes Town Hall last week. Vicki Thomas is right that the stimulus and the State and Clean Water State Revolving Funds are the places to get money to upgrade the sewers. What people really need to know now is that Congress is planning to change the funding formula for the CWSRF and the Drinking Water and at least half the Great Lakes states will get less money if this goes through. So far, no one seems to be making a stink of it with their representatives or senators. You can read more about this at the Northeast Midwest Institute. I also wrote a blog about this at the Great Lakes Town Hall last week.

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