Mayor Coody Pushes for Additional Federal Infrastructure Dollars

07/28/2008

Mayor Dan Coody will be in Washington DC on Monday July 28, 2008 to participate as a featured speaker in a water infrastructure forum titled Water Infrastructure: Why Congressional Action is Urgently Needed.   

Two years ago Mayor Coody drafted and sponsored a resolution for the US Conference of Mayors 2006 Annual Meeting.  In that resolution, Coody pointed to the nation’s deteriorating transportation, water, and wastewater infrastructure systems.  He also called attention to the declining federal funds available to assist cities and counties across the country with major infrastructure projects and the fact that current estimates to simply maintain the current condition of our public infrastructure exceed existing revenue streams at all levels of government. 

Mayor Coody is taking the opportunity to once again bring attention to the City of Fayetteville and the serious infrastructure needs of the community.  The citizens of Fayetteville have made an enormous financial commitment to the future viability of this City, and there is no doubt that the federal government could and should be taking a stronger role in the funding of municipal, county and state infrastructure projects.  According to the US Conference of Mayors, sewer and water infrastructure spending in the US will reach 1.442 trillion dollars over the next 20 years. Also, the 2002 EPA Clean Water and Drinking Water Gap Analysis projects that by 2020 45% of all pipes will be classified as poor, very poor or elapsed. 

 Mayor Coody will represent the City of Fayetteville and the US Conference of Mayors Water Council at this forum which will bring together members of Congress and their staffs, water works officials, economic consultants and the media to explore the threat to our nation’s economy, security and way of life posed by our deteriorating water infrastructure.   

The forum will provide an opportunity to discuss the risks and consequences of inaction, including the drastic impact on U.S. competitiveness in the global marketplace.  The goal of this event is to educate Congress and the public about the need for urgent action and new solutions for the repair of our aging infrastructure. Other Featured speakers include:  

• David Chavern, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• Janet Kavinoky, Director, Transportation Infrastructure, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• Ben Grumbles, Assistant Administrator for Water, Environmental Protection Agency
• Jerry N. Johnson, General Manager, District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (WASA)
• Hank Habicht, Vice Chairman, Global Environment & Technology Foundation

 The forum and all trip expenses are sponsored by the US Chamber of Commerce. The 2006 USCM Resolution and the attendance list for Monday’s forum is available to view.