Acting EPA Administrator Bob Perciasepe was back on Capitol Hill last week to defend the Obama Administration’s FY14 budget request before the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Perciasepe’s prepared remarks stuck closely to the testimony he delivered over the past several weeks to the House and Senate appropriations panels. He noted the “tough choices” facing the EPA budget – including reductions to the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs) – but said that the proposal would allow the SRFs to support $6 billion in water infrastructure investments next year. In comparison, Perciasepe said that the SRFs supported $7.7 billion worth of water infrastructure spending in 2012, when including state and local matches to federal SRF contributions.
Several members of the committee, including Environment and the Economy Subcommittee Ranking Democrat Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), warned the proposed SRF cuts could cause communities to postpone necessary projects. Rep. Tonko also inquired on the status of EPA’s 2013 Drinking Water Needs Survey, which Perciasepe responded is in the “final stages of review” and should be released later this year.
Acting Administrator Perciasepe will return to Capitol Hill this Wednesday to testify on EPA’s FY14 budget request before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.