Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.) plans to “soon” reintroduce legislation that would offer funding to help water and wastewater utilities adapt their infrastructure to climate change, she announced during a House hearing on February 5.
Speaking at an Environment and the Economy Subcommittee hearing on toxic algal pollution, Rep. Capps pointed to warming temperatures as a contributing factor to the growth of algal blooms, which feed on nutrients washed into water supplies – particularly warm and shallow waters. Capps said the problem is only likely to get worse given warming temperatures associated with climate change.
Rep. Capps said the federal government must do more to help local utilities respond to these threats, and said her “Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Act” could be part of the solution. An version of the bill introduced in the 113th Congress would offer competitive matching funds to water and wastewater utilities undertaking capital projects to adapt or build resiliency to the consequences of climate change.
Staff to Rep. Capps have said she is aiming to reintroduce the legislation by late February or early March. Rep. Capps is scheduled to speak at AMWA’s 2015 Water Policy Conference, and will likely explain the bill in more detail at that point.