WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley today urged the Office of Management and Budget to restore funds that allow the Lewis and Clark Rural Water System to supply safe, reliable drinking water to thousands of residents in Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota.
"Rural water not only provides safe and reliable water to rural areas, but it also helps create economic development opportunities for rural areas," Grassley said. "Many of the communities that will benefit from the Lewis and Clark Rural Water System would not otherwise be able to meet the rising costs of complying with strict environmental and health regulations."
The Lewis and Clark Rural Water System Authorization Act became law in July 2000. When complete, the project will provide safe, reliable drinking water to approximately 200,000 people in Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota. Iowa cities that will be served are Sioux Center, Sibley, Sheldon, Boyden and Hull. The system will also serve the Clay Regional Water System, Rural Water Number 1 and Rock Rapids.
Grassley's letter to the Office of Management and Budget asks for the reasoning for substantially cutting the funding for the Lewis and Clark project and urges restoration of the fiscal 2003 funding cuts. Last year's spending bill included $7 million for the project, but the Office of Management and Budget used their discretion to only finance it for $2 million.
The letter to the Office of Management and Budget follows a letter sent in April to Sen. Pete Domenici, chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development. Grassley asked for the highest possible funding for the Lewis and Clark Rural Water System project through the Bureau of Reclamation.
"The Lewis and Clark Rural Water System represents a unique regional approach by Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota to address common problems. The approach creates a more effective and cost-efficient way than each state could do it alone," Grassley said.
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