Action Alert – Feb 12 2016

Friday, February 12, 2016 - 05:30am

Action alert: Support budget amendments for local stormwater projects

 

Action needed today: Please ask your senators and delegates to SUPPORT Senate budget amendment C-47#12 (Hanger) and House budget amendment C-47#5 (Landes) to request $100 million in bond proceeds to be deposited in the Storm Water Local Assistance Fund (SLAF).

Both the Senate and House will be considering amendments to the budget that would provide $100 million to assist local governments in meeting state and federal requirements for reducing pollution from stormwater runoff.

Deadline: Please call your Senators and Delegates today.

Who to contact  

1. Your member(s) on the House Appropriations or Senate Finance Committees.
2. If you do not have a member on these committees, email the Appropriations Committee Chairman and Finance Committee Co-Chair 1 /Co-Chair 2 and copy your delegation members.

 

Background

SLAF grants provide 50% matching funds to qualifying locality projects that reduce stormwater pollution as required by federal and state law. The fund was created and seeded with $35 million in bond proceeds by the 2013 General Assembly. State financial support has since waned with the legislature providing only $20 million in 2014 and $5 million in 2015 to SLAF.

Talking Points

• VML supports dedicated and adequate state appropriations to the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF) to address costs associated with the permit requirements of Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) and new EPA regulations.
• Please support senate budget amendment C-47#12 (Hanger) and house budget amendment C-47#5 (Landes) to request $100 million in bond proceeds to be deposited in SLAF.