MUSTO BEGINS WORK ON WATER INFRASTRUCTURE TASK FORCE

            PITTSTON, April 18 — State Senator Ray Musto today was sworn in to Governor Edward G. Rendell’s 30-member Sustainable Water Infrastructure Task Force.  Magisterial District Judge Fred A. Pierantoni III, Pittston, administered the oath of office in Senator Musto’s district office in Pittston.

            “I am honored to serve on this prestigious task force and determined to help Pennsylvania chart a new course that will amply provide for our water and wastewater needs for many years to come,” Musto said.

            He said Pennsylvania’s aging water system suffers from shortages, deterioration, leakage, overflows and a range of other problems that threaten the water supply and hamper our ability to expand or attract new businesses.

            Musto said dwindling federal financial support has only further hampered state and local governments’ capability to tackle serious water infrastructure problems.

            Kathleen McGinty, secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, said state’s share of the federal Clean Water State Revolving Fund has been cut by $30 million over the last three years. Meanwhile, President George W. Bush has only requested $555 million for the program in his latest budget proposal, which would represent the lowest level of federal funding in the program’s history.

            Musto said that over the next six months the task force will examine the state’s water and wastewater infrastructure problems, needs and seek innovative ways to fund costly capital upgrades that will provide a safe and dependable water supply.

            He said the federal Clean Water Needs Survey estimates that Pennsylvania must find solutions to nearly $11 billion in unmet drinking water infrastructure needs and at least $7.2 billion in unmet wastewater infrastructure needs.