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First Congressional District of New Mexico
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ask.heather@mail.house.gov

In Washington DC
442 Cannon House
Office Building
Washington, DC
20515
202-225-6316 Phone
202-225-4975 Fax
In Albuquerque
20 First Plaza NW
Suite 603
Albuquerque, NM
87102
505-346-6781 Phone
505-346-6723 Fax

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Congresswoman Heather Wilson, First Congressional District of New Mexico


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Domenici & Wilson Seek Funds for North and South Valley March 16, 2000
 
Federal Funds Requested for Major Wastewater System Work


ALBUQUERQUE -- U.S. Senator Pete Domenici and Congresswoman Heather Wilson today launched their bid to gain $18 million in federal support for a regional effort to bring modern wastewater service to the North and South Valley areas of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County.

The Albuquerque-area lawmakers have submitted requests to the House and Senate appropriations committees for the $18 million in Environmental Protection Agency “Special Needs” program funding. They committed to secure funding within the FY2001 Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies (VA-HUD) Appropriations Bill. Development of this massive funding bill will begin this spring.

The request represents an ongoing effort by Domenici and Wilson to assist Bernalillo County and the city of Albuquerque in the major effort to address serious water and wastewater treatment deficiencies in the North and South Valley, where 4,000 homes are now served by aging septic tanks and individual water wells. The lawmakers secured $6 million in FY2000 funding for the project.

“We are now at a critical point where significant resources are demanded to get this work underway,” Domenici said. “The fact that the city, county and state are all solidly behind this project will play to our advantage as we again ask our colleagues to grant our request. As in the past, I will press the case that the health and environmental problems in the North and South Valley must be addressed, and addressed now.”

“Many South Valley residents buy bottled water for drinking rather than use well water,” Wilson said. “These residents need a water and sewer system to provide high quality domestic water at the lowest possible cost. I hope the federal government will join with local and state officials in this important project.”

The infrastructure improvements sought for the North and South Valley will protect water systems now being polluted by leakage from septic tanks. State and local proponents have indicated that they will seek $40 million to $50 million in federal funding to complete the project.

The New Mexico State Legislature leadership, the mayor of Albuquerque and the Bernalillo County Commission chairman have signed a Joint Powers Agreement to work together to solve the North and South Valleys’ water and wastewater infrastructure deficiencies.

In addition to the requested federal funding, there is a significant commitment of state and local matching funds to the North and South Valley projects. The state has committed $20 million in severance tax revenues to the project, while the city of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County are issuing $21 million and $30 million, respectively, in revenue bonds for this work.

Domenici and Wilson stressed that their request is only the first step in the congressional appropriations process. The Senate and House will aim to complete all 13 of the FY2001 appropriations bills to fund the federal government by the Oct. 1 start of the 2001 fiscal year.
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