CRAPO.docx

April 1, 1996
The Honorable Mike Crapo
U.S. House of Representatives
437 Cannon Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Representative Crapo:
We write to express urgency for the House to pass, and the Congress to adopt, legislation this year to reauthorize and reform the Safe Drinking Water Act.  As you may know, the Senate approved legislation (S. 1316) in November of last year by a vote of 99-0 which improves the approach to regulating drinking water while maintaining the safety of our nation’s drinking water.
As a state regulator of drinking water utilities, it is important that the Safe Drinking Water Act is amended in a way which provides a constructive approach toward alleviating the many problems that regulators, water utilities and drinking water administrators are experiencing in implementing the current law while trying to ensure the provision of clean drinking water to consumers.  The bill passed by the Senate last year provides for such improvements.
It is critical for the House to expeditiously consider and adopt similar legislation so that a conference agreement can be adopted by the Congress and be presented to the President for his signature prior to the adjournment of the 104th Congress.  We think that such a bill must, at a minimum, provide for the following:
●a standard process by which costs, benefits and affordability are considered;
●a State Revolving Fund accessible by all water systems, regardless of ownership, to promote compliance with drinking water standards;
●a system by which new contaminants are considered for regulation based upon public health significance, likelihood of occurrence and cost-benefit analysis, and which provides flexibility to the States in implementing such regulations;
●a capacity development program  to promote technical, financial and managerial viability of drinking water systems; and
●resources to provide for technology transfer, information dissemination and promotion of best available treatment technologies and operation practices.
Each of these important factors are contained in the bill that passed unanimously in the Senate.  Corresponding action taken by the House on similar legislation and moving the bill through Congress to the President’s desk would ultimately prove beneficial to water utility ratepayers who are currently faced with increasing water utility bills directly related to costly, unnecessary and prescriptive regulations governing drinking water systems.
In advance, thank you for your attention to this matter and consideration of our request.
Sincerely,
Ralph NelsonMarsha H. SmithDennis S. Hansen
PresidentCommissionerCommissioner
bls/L-crapo.sw