WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives today passed its Fiscal Year 2008 Interior Appropriations bill, H.R. 2643.  The legislation provides $27.6 billion for conservation and resource protection programs, $1.2 billion more than was included in the Fiscal Year 2007 appropriations bill and $1.9 billion more than the President’s request for Fiscal Year 2008.  Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) voted for the measure, saying it would provide funding for important projects that benefit northern Michigan and the Great Lakes.  

“The legislation the House passed today will help protect our Great Lakes, help rural communities deal with challenges to their water infrastructures, and help local governments by increasing funding for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes program,” Stupak said. 

The bill includes $25 million for the Great Lakes National Program Office to be used for cleaning up the most polluted portions of the Great Lakes.

“This measure will provide important funding for cleaning up our Great Lakes,” Stupak said.  “The Great Lakes are vital to the economy of northern Michigan, and, while more must be done, the funding in this bill will provide an important step towards cleaning up the Lakes.”

Stupak noted that the bill would also appropriate $1.1 billion for Clean Water State Revolving Fund, $437 million above the amount the President’s request.  The funding could help roughly 150 communities with drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects and would begin to address cuts made to these programs since 2004.

“The Clean Water State Revolving Fund provides grants and low-interest loans to communities for construction of wastewater treatment facilities and other projects to prevent water pollution,” Stupak noted.   

The bill also provides $16 million, originally eliminated in the President’s request, for technical assistance, such as training staff, for rural drinking water and waste water treatment plants.  The legislation also appropriates $140 million for Sewer and Water Grants (STAG) for sewer and water grants to local communities.

Stupak said that the legislation also restores cuts to the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program for payments to local governments that help offset losses in property taxes due to nontaxable federal lands within their boundaries.  Stupak said the funding is important for schools, roads and emergency services in communities located within National Forests.  

“This bill would appropriate $233 million to the PILT program, restoring $43 million that the President proposed cutting,” Stupak noted.  “The PILT program is vital to Northern Michigan communities and I will continue to make sure the federal government meets their obligation to local communities.”

Stupak also secured $2 million for the Northern Great Lakes Forest Project for the acquisition of a conservation easement on a portion of 248,000 acres of forestland in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.  

The House’s Interior Appropriations bill will now need to be reconciled with a pending Senate Interior Appropriations bill.  Stupak said he will be working through this process to protect this important funding for northern Michigan.

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