ACEC is working with our partners at the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, MML, MITA and AWWA to help shape legislation that will affect the State Revolving Fund and Brownfield Re-Development program.
 
Legislation is working its way through the legislature that will create reforms to the current brownfields program (SB 437). Some policymakers have requested that additional money must be made available for brownfield projects (nonpoint source water pollution at facilities). They are proposing to use some of the dollars available from the 2002 Clean Water Initiative (CWI) bond program to fund the brownfield projects ($275 million) over the next 4 years.
 
Although ACEC and some of our partners are not opposed to the idea, we have reminded legislators that the CWI bond program was intended to help fund water/sewer infrastructure projects that would improve Michigan’s water quality. We have requested that more dollars be made available for water and sewer improvement projects by greater use of the 2002 CWI bond program.

This discussion has created an opportunity to make some reforms to the current State Revolving Fund program. A key piece of legislation we are strongly supporting would create between $40 and $100 million in grants to help municipalities pay for preliminary engineering/application costs to apply for SRF funding. We are also making suggestions to help streamline the process and to offer lower interest rates to encourage more projects. The final piece is the creation of a Revolving Fund Advisory Committee that would include members from the private sector (ACEC).

It is hoped that the legislation will be taken up when legislators return from the summer break.

For more information Contact: ACEC