What do farmers, environmentalists, builders, and local officials share in common? They all value clean water and share a responsibility for keeping it that way.

A diverse group representing these and other interests - called the Fair Share for Clean Water Coalition - is taking this message to Pennsylvanians, urging them to approve a clean water referendum on the ballot next week.

To help voters understand the referendum, the Fair Share Coalition has launched a common sense “Voter’s Guide to the Clean Water Referendum.”

The Guide is a “plain language” description of the measure, news clips, and a thumbnail overview of estimated wastewater system upgrade costs facing specific Pennsylvania communities.

On November 4th, Pennsylvania citizens will consider whether the Commonwealth should invest $400 million to help defray some of the costs of imminent water and sewer system improvements. Many of Pennsylvania’s 2,200 drinking water systems and 1,060 wastewater systems are aging and in serious need of repair or must be updated to meet new clean water standards. These improvements will be expensive; estimates put the statewide price tag at roughly $20 billion.

Infrastructure investments such as these can help a sluggish economy and create much needed jobs. Investments made today will pay later by helping Pennsylvania attract and retain new industry. Now may be the best time for these projects, when labor and materials are cheaper. But economic stimulus won’t offset the pain of skyrocketing water and sewer bills if ratepayers are left holding the entire bag.

Until now, there was little government funding in place to help local communities and ratepayers with these looming costs. Recognizing the need, the Pennsylvania legislature and Gov. Rendell approved two separate funding packages totaling $1.2 billion.

The first set aside $800 million to repair and upgrade the state’s drinking water and wastewater systems, to construct flood control projects and repair high-hazard dams. This money will be repaid with gaming revenues. The second part of the package will be funded by a $400 million bond issue, as long as voters approve the measure.

"Simply put, this is a vote for clean water," says John Brosious, Deputy Director of the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association and member of the Coalition. "This type of investment protects the environment and public health, revitalizes community and economic development, and helps offset higher costs to ratepayers."

The PA Fair Share for Clean Water Coalition formed to help communities, ratepayers, and farmers get the help they need to reduce nutrient pollution from wastewater plants, encourage the installation of farm conservation practices throughout Pennsylvania, and preserve economic opportunity for Pennsylvania's families and businesses. Without addressing both point and nonpoint sources of pollution, Pennsylvania has no chance to meet federal and state clean water mandates.

Specifically, the Coalition supports:

-- Voter approval of the $400 million water infrastructure referendum on the November 4 ballot;

-- Reforms to the state's nutrient credit trading program that will help to make it a viable alternative to provide for both environmental improvements to the Bay and sufficient future sewage capacity for new development;

-- $50 million in direct cost share aid to farmers to install conservation practices ($35 million for Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) farm tax credits and $15 million in cost share grants);

-- $10 million to county conservation district to expand technical assistance to farmers; and

-- $10 million to restore cuts to the Department of Agriculture budget in farm programs.

The Coalition includes over 45 farm and conservation groups, businesses, and local government entities, including Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association, Pennsylvania Builders Association, Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts.

For more information, visit the PA Fair Share For Clean Water Vote Yes webpage.

10/31/2008