The Water Resources Coalition was established in 2007 to promote the development, implementation and funding of a comprehensive national water resources policy. With member organizations representing state and local governments, conservation, engineering and construction, ports, waterways and transportation services, the Coalition works to ensure that a comprehensive, national water resources policy is developed, implemented and funded to provide a sustainable, productive economy; a healthy aquatic ecology; and public health and safety. For more information, visit the Water Resources Coalition Web site at www.waterresourcescoalition.org.

Obama Releases FY 2011 Budget Proposal

President Obama released his fiscal year 2011 budget proposal February 1, which includes the requested funding levels for the US Army Corps of Engineers - Civil Works Program and the Bureau of Reclamation.

The FY11 proposed budget of $4.939 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers is a cut of $565 million from the funding level enacted by

Congress for FY10. The Bureau of Reclamation fared no better, receiving only $1.06 billion, a cut of $65 million from FY10 enacted levels. While the EPA Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds both experience minor cuts.

The Water Resources Coalition is concerned about the impact these cuts will have on public safety and is disappointed by the loss of job-creation potential. The programs proposed for cuts in the budget play a vital role in improving our nation's economy, a sentiment that the Coalition has expressed repeatedly to the Obama Administration and Congress.

The Coalition will be closely monitoring the FY11 appropriations process to see if Congress can fund these important programs at a higher level then proposed by President Obama.

Below please find a

copy of the Water Resources Coalition Legislative Brief on Energy and Water Appropriations for FY 11, as well as the Coalition's press release responding to the President's budget.

WRC Press Release in Response to the Proposed FY 11 Budget

WRC Legislative Brief on FY 11 Energy and Water Appropriations

We break out funding for the Environmental Protection Agency, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the US Army Corps of Engineers in the following stories.

Bureau of Reclamation FY 2011 Budget Proposal

The 2011 budget request for the Water and Related Resources (construction) account of the Bureau of Reclamation is $913.6 million, a decrease of $37.6 million from the 2010 enacted level. The request provides a total of $489.9 million for water and energy, land, and fish and wildlife resource management and development activities. The remaining $423.7 million is for facility operations, maintenance, and rehabilitation activities.

Some of the important new Secretarial Initiatives that include involvement of Reclamation are:

The WaterSMART program which seeks to conserve an estimated 350,000 acre-feet of water by 2012;
Examining Climate Impacts through Reclamation's Basin Studies program;
The New Energy Frontier promoting clean energy through Reclamation's hydropower system;
Treasured landscapes such as Reclamation's efforts to restore rivers;
Supporting Tribal Nation's through various Indian Water Right Settlement agreements; and
Increasing the employment of youth in the natural resource programs through a Youth Conservation Corps.

WRC will continue to be involved in funding for the Title 16-Water Reuse program of the Bureau now under the WaterSMART program and funding for rural water projects. WRC will also continue working with our member, the Association of California Water Agencies regarding the ongoing funding needs for the Califnornia Bay-Delta program (CAL-FED). In addition, the WRC will also be tracking the dam and levee safety work efforts that are ongoing in the Reclamation program.

US Army Corps of Engineers FY 2011 Budget Proposal

The President's budget proposal for the US Army Corps of Engineers includes $4.939 billion in gross discretionary funding for the Civil Works program. The newly proposed Federal funding for Civil Works consists of $4.051 billion from the general fund, $764.4 million from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, $82.3 million from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund, and $41 million from Special Recreation User Fees.

The FY11 funding will be distributed among the appropriation accounts as follows:

$2.361 billion for Operations and Maintenance
$1.690 billion for Construction
$240 million for Mississippi River and Tributaries
$193 million for the Regulatory Program
$185 million for Expenses
$130 million for the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program
$104 million for Investigations
$30 million for Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies
$6 million for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works

EPA FY 2011 Budget Proposal for Water and Wastewater

President Obama's budget proposal would modestly trim EPA's water infrastructure programs, with the Clean Water State Revolving Fund receiving $2 billion and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund receiving $1.3 billion, approximately $100 million less than each program is receiving currently. The two programs received a total of $6 billion as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act last year.

A significant cut would be made in the Great Lakes restoration initiative, which would receive $300 million under Obama's proposal, a $175 million drop from fiscal 2010.

For rural water and wastewater projects, the Department of Agriculture budget is proposing to "flat fund" its grant and loan program at $1.6 billion, the same as fiscal 2010. Direct loans would increase slightly while grants would sustain a modest cut.

ENR to Receive Testimony on Bureau of Reclamation Water Programs

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power will be holding a hearing on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 to receive testimony on the Bureau of Reclamation's implementation of the SECURE Water Act, and the Bureau of Reclamation's Water Conservation Initiative which includes the Challenge Grant Program, the Basin Study Program and the Title 16 Program (Water Reuse and Recycling.). The WRC has been working with it's membership and the Administration on the implementation of these programs and the opportunities they may bring for meeting the water resource challenges in the West.

Comment Period for Principles and Guidelines Approaching Deadline

On December 3, the White House Council on Environmental Quality submitted a proposal for review to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) that would significantly change the Principles and Guidelines that govern federal water-resource planning. The proposal would require that all projects improve the economic well-being of the nation, better protect communities from the effects of floods and storms, help communities and individuals make better choices about where to build based on an understanding of the risk, and protect and restore the environment.

The proposal calls for the development of water-resources projects to be based on the best available science, increased consideration of monetary and non-monetary benefits to justify and select a project, improved transparency, and consideration of nonstructural approaches that can solve the flooding problem without harming floodplain functions. The proposal would also expand the scope of the Principals and Guidelines to cover all federal agencies that undertake water-resource projects.

The Obama Administration published the new draft Principles and Guidelines in the Federal Register for a 90-day public comment period ending in early March. The NAS review is expected to be completed by November 2010.

In the Water Resources Development Act of 2007, Congress instructed the Secretary of the Army to develop a new Principles and Guidelines for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In an effort to modernize the approach to water resources development, the administration is expanding the scope of the Principals and Guidelines to cover all federal agencies that undertake water resource projects, not just the four agencies (i.e., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Tennessee Valley Authority) which are subject to the current Principles and Guidelines.

The Water Resources Coalition is currently drafting comments, whihc are due by March 5th.

The proposed revisions can be viewed here.

EPA Holds Listening Sessions on National Stormwater Rulemaking

In late December 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Federal Register (74 FR 68616 (Dec. 28, 2009)) notice announcing agency plans to establish a comprehensive program to reduce post construction stormwater discharges from new development and redevelopment projects. The agency held a series of five listening sessions across the country seeking information regarding performance, effectiveness and cost of stormwater control measures; ecological data, including ecological benefits from stormwater controls; technical information on design, implementation and operation and maintenance of stormwater control measures; and suggestions for how the existing program may be modified to help EPA develop improvements to the existing program, including better control of pollutants in stormwater from the build environment created by development and redevelopment.

At the listening sessions, agency officials heard comments from various stakeholder groups, including MS4 permit holders, industry and utility representatives and watershed protection groups. Many of the speakers cautioned EPA to avoid a "one size fits all" regulatory approach, to be mindful of the increased regulatory costs to MS4 permit holders and to provide the maximum flexibility on how stormwater is treated in the new rules. EPA intends to publish summaries of all of the comments received at the five listening sessions at http://www.epa.gov./npdes/stormwater/rulemaking.cfm#stakeholder.

The agency is also accepting written comments on the plan to establish a comprehensive program to reduce post construction stormwater discharges from new development and redevelopment projects. Written comments must be submitted on or before February 26, 2010.

Corps Receiving Comments on Continuing Contracts

The US Army Corps of Engineers will be receiving comments until March 16, regarding a proposal for an interim Continuing Contracts clause on specifically authorized Civil Works projects. The proposal is in response to a recurring statutory provision that requires a change to the clause USACE had previously used.

For more information and how to submit comments please click here.

Institute for Water Resources Celebrates 40 Years

The US Army Corps of Engineers Institute for Water Resources (IWR) is celebrating their 40th anniversary with a historical look back at the Institute's progress and past accomplishments. The Institute will be updating their website weekly with vignettes ranging from the founding of the Office of Appalachian Studies in the 1960s to work on climate change today. Additionally, a series of seminars will be hosted about once a month.

For more information or to view the series please visit: