[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 54 (Thursday, April 3, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4834-S4835]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  By Mr. JEFFORDS (for himself, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Graham of Florida, 
and Mr. Lieberman):
  S. 779. A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to 
improve protection of treatment works from terrorist and other harmful 
and intentional acts, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works.
  Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I rise today with Senators Lautenberg, 
Graham of Florida, and Lieberman to introduce the Wastewater Treatment 
Works Security and Safety Act. This legislation provides for the safety 
and security of our Nation's wastewater treatment works by providing 
needed funds to conduct vulnerability assessments and implement 
security improvements. In addition, this bill will ensure long-term 
safety and security by providing funds for researching innovative 
technologies and enhancing proven vulnerability assessment tools 
already in use.
  Since the terrible events of September 11, we have taken several 
comprehensive steps to protect our water supplies and infrastructure. I 
have spoken on the many initiatives taking place on the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works and at the Environmental Protection Agency 
to protect our Nation's critical water infrastructure. I am pleased to 
say that we have made some progress.
  EPA worked with State and local governments to expeditiously provide 
guidance on the protection of drinking water facilities from terrorist 
attacks. Based on the recommendations of Presidential Decision 
Directive 63, issued by President Clinton in 1998, the Environmental 
Protection Agency and its industry partner, the Association of 
Metropolitan Water Agencies, established a communications system, a 
water infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center, designed 
to provide real-time threat assessment data to water utilities 
throughout the Nation.
  Last year, Senator Smith and I worked to include the authorization of 
$160 million for vulnerability assessments at drinking water facilities 
as part of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and 
Response Act of 2002. Despite our hard work during the conference, we 
were unable to include a provision in that bill for wastewater 
facilities due to jurisdictional issues in the House.
  While these initial efforts are essential, our task is by no means 
finished. We cannot forget the vital importance of protecting our 
Nation's wastewater facilities. Everyday we take for granted the 
hundreds of thousand of miles of

[[Page S4835]]

pipes buried underground and the thousands of wastewater treatment 
works that keep our water clean and safe. Like all our Nation's 
critical infrastructure, the disruption or destruction of these 
structures could have a devastating impact on public safety, health, 
and the economy.
  The legislation I am introducing today will take us one step further 
by authorizing support of ongoing efforts to develop and implement 
vulnerability assessments and emergency response plans at wastewater 
facilities.
  Using existing tools such as the Sandia Laboratory's vulnerability 
assessment tool or the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage 
Association's Vulnerability Self-Assessment Tool, treatment works will 
be able to securely identify critical areas of need. With the funds 
provided by this bill, EPA will also ensure that treatment works remedy 
areas of concerns. Using the results of the vulnerability assessment, 
treatment works will develop or revise emergency response plans to 
minimize damage if an attack were to occur.
  This bill authorizes $180 million for fiscal years 2004 through 2008 
for grants to conduct the vulnerability assessments and implement basic 
security enhancements. The bill also recognizes the need to address 
immediate and urgent security needs with a special $20 million 
authorization over 2004 and 2005.
  In my home State of Vermont, we have only three towns of over 25,000 
people. The small water facilities serving these communities have been 
particularly challenged to meet today's new homeland security 
challenges. Many times, water managers operate the town's water 
facilities as a part-time job or even as a free service. We must ensure 
that they are afforded the same consideration under this act as the 
medium and large facilities. This bill authorizes $15 million for 
grants to help small communities conduct vulnerability assessments, 
develop emergency response plans, and address potential threats to the 
treatment works. It also instructs the Administrator of the EPA to 
provide guidance to these communities on how to effectively use these 
security tools.
  To ensure the continued development of wastewater security 
technologies, the Wastewater Treatment Works Security and Safety Act 
authorizes $15 million for research for 2004 through 2008. It also 
provides $500,000 to refine vulnerability self-assessment tools already 
in existence.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues on this legislation and 
other efforts to enhance the security of our Nation's water 
infrastructure in the weeks, months, and years to come. We truly have 
something to protect--clean, safe, fresh water is worth our investment.
                                 ______