WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Congressman John P. Murtha, Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, announced today that the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a $33.5 billion fiscal year 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill that includes funding for local water infrastructure and sewage projects.  The House and Senate conferenced this bill, which must now be passed by the full Senate before heading to the President for his signature.  The House passed the bill 308-114.  

Included in the appropriations bill is $6,900,000 for the South Central Pennsylvania Environmental Infrastructure Program, Section 313.  This program provides the US Army Corps of Engineers with funds to design and construct projects for wastewater treatment, water supply, storage, and water resource protection and development in Allegheny, Armstrong, Cambria, Greene, Fayette, Indiana, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties.

“The Army Corps Section 313 program helps communities across western Pennsylvania provide residents and businesses with access to clean and reliable water sources and wastewater infrastructure,” said Murtha.  “These projects are absolutely essential for economic development, and improve the environmental quality of our rivers and streams.”  

Also included in the appropriations bill is $6,210,000 for the general construction of Locks & Dams 2, 3 and 4 on the Monongahela River.  This multi-year project includes the construction of a new gated dam at Braddock, construction of two new 84x720 locks at Charleroi, removal of Elizabeth Locks and Dams, and channel dredging.  Murtha announced earlier this year that $84 million in federal ‘stimulus’ funds were earmarked for the Charleroi project.

Also included in the appropriations bill is $1,500,000 for the West Virginia and Pennsylvania Flood Control Program.  This funding will be used by the Army Corps to improve flood control, stream bank protection, storm water management, and channel clearing measures in the Lower Allegheny and Lower Monongahela River Basins.

The appropriations bill also funds the operations and maintenance of the Allegheny River Locks and Dams, $8,590,000; the Monongahela River Locks and Dams, $15,926,000; the Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, $34,000; the Loyalhanna Lake, $1,279,000; the Crooked Creek Lake, $1,599,000; and the Conemaugh River Lake, $1,191,000.

The FY10 Energy-Water Appropriations Bill also makes key national investments into:

• Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: $2.2 billion, $314 million above the FY09 budget to increase investments in technologies that use energy more effectively and produce clean, inexpensive energy from domestic sources.  This includes $225 million for solar energy; $220 million for biofuels; $311 million to improve the fuel efficiency in automobiles; $174 million to develop next generation hydrogen and fuel cell technologies; $200 million to research conservation technologies for buildings and industry to reduce energy demand; $96 million to help businesses improve energy efficiency; and $210 million for insulation and energy conservation measures to reduce utility bills for low-income households.  

• Army Corps of Engineers: $5.4 billion to address the nation’s water resource investment needs, including the operations, maintenance, and construction of our locks and dams infrastructure. 

• Coal Research and Development: $404 million to continue research to increase carbon capture and sequestration and other coal-based activities. 

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