[미국] AWWA, 수자원 인프라에 자금 지원 위한 WIFIA 격려 

오바마 대통령은 수자원 인프라 재정 및 혁신 법안(WIFIA) 프로그램이 WIFIA를 도왔던 미국 수자원 협회(AWWA)에서 찬사를 받자, 국가의 1조 달러 규모의 수자원 인프라 도전과제를 해결하기 위한 대출이 가능하도록 허용하는 법안에 서명했다.

AWWA의 공무 이사인 Tracy Mehan은 "AWWA는 지난 수년간 WIFIA를 지지해 온 의원 및 수자원 파트너 모두에게 감사를 표한다"고 말했다. 이어 "향후 수자원 및 폐수 인프라를 수리하고 확장하는 데 2조 달러 이상이 필요한 수도 시설은 대규모의 중요한 물 프로젝트에 대한 비용을 지역사회가 지원할 수 있도록 하는 현명한 새로운 금융 도구가 필요하다. WIFIA 자금은 우리가 국가의 수자원 인프라 과제에 직면함에 따른 엄청난 진보이다"고 덧붙였다.

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AWWA CHEERS PASSAGE OF LAW ALLOWING WIFIA TO MAKE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE LOANS

President Obama on Saturday signed legislation that will allow the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program to begin making loans to tackle the nation's trillion-dollar water infrastructure challenge, a moment that drew praise from the American Water Works Association, which helped craft WIFIA.

"AWWA is thankful to all those members of Congress and water sector partners who championed WIFIA over the past several years," said Tracy Mehan, AWWA executive director of government affairs. "With more than $2 trillion needed to repair and expand water and wastewater infrastructure in the coming years, water utilities needed a smart new finance tool to help communities pay for large, critical water projects. Funding WIFIA is a tremendous step forward as we confront the nation’s water infrastructure challenge."

The legislation, H.R. 2028, was a continuing resolution to keep the federal government in operation until April 28. It also included $100 million in state revolving loan (SRF) funds to assist communities in which a water emergency had been declared, such as in Flint, Mich.

The money for WIFIA is available now since funding was already authorized in the original legislation creating the program in 2014. In previous fiscal years, Congress had only appropriated money for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to set up the program.

Of the $20 million appropriated for WIFIA, $3 million is to be used for administrative purposes, leaving $17 million to seed loans. WIFIA leverages federal dollars so that for every dollar Congress appropriates, $50 to $60 is expected to be loaned out. That means up to $1.02 billion could be available for loans.

The legislation creating WIFIA in 2014 actually authorizes $35 million in appropriations for 2017, and AWWA will continue to ask Congress to fully fund WIFIA to maximize its potential.

"Because WIFIA is a loan program, it strikes just the right balance between federal assistance and local responsibility," said AWWA CEO David LaFrance.

[출처 = Water World / 2016년 12월 13일]