Clean Water Act Turns 40: U.S. Conference of Mayors To Address Rising Costs of Unfunded Environmental Mandates

WASHINGTON, May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- To mark the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act (CWA), a landmark federal law protecting water resources in the United States, The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) will host a panel discussion with five mayors on Thursday, May 31 at the National Press Club. During the session, the mayors will highlight the progress that has been made, as well as underscore the urgent need for reform of rules governing city-water systems as aggressive environmental unfunded mandates collide with the ability of cities' ability to pay for them.

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The mayors will also engage in an interactive conversation with reporters to explain their local challenges and their interactions with EPA, as well as offer suggestions to both EPA and Congress to better meet the water/wastewater needs of cities and their residents.

Providing safe and adequate water and wastewater infrastructure and services is the third largest expenditure of municipalities after education and electrical supply, yet the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to pursue a program that expands the responsibility of cities and significantly increases their financial burden.  Cities are almost single-handedly shouldering this burden while also dealing with increasing long-term debt and shrinking municipal funds.

WHO:

Hallandale Beach, FL Mayor Joy Cooper - Chair, USCM Environment Committee
Chicopee, MA Mayor Michael Bissonnette - Vice-Chair, USCM Environment Committee
Chattanooga, TN Mayor Ron Littlefield (Former Public Works Commissioner for Chattanooga)
Lima, OH Mayor Dave Berger
Omaha, NE Mayor Jim Suttle (Former Public Works Director for Omaha)

WHAT:

The U.S. Conference of Mayors hosts a panel discussion with attending media to address different ways in which cities can deal with the financial burden of unfunded environmental mandates by the federal government.

WHEN:     

Thursday, May 31, 2012 | 11:30 am 

WHERE:       

Lisagor Room | National Press Club | 529 14th Street NW | Washington, D.C.  20045

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are 1,309 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/usmayors, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/usmayors.

SOURCE The U.S. Conference of Mayors

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