1Directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to review
2the Commonwealth's program of providing funding for drinking
3water, wastewater and storm water projects authorized under
4the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority Act.

5WHEREAS, It is important for the Commonwealth to have in
6place proper water supply, sewage disposal and storm water
7systems throughout this Commonwealth; and

8WHEREAS, A program to fund drinking water, wastewater and
9storm water projects will ensure public health and safety, a
10quality environment and economic development; and

11WHEREAS, The General Assembly recognized that many
12Pennsylvania communities have antiquated or inadequate water,
13sewer and storm water systems posing a health risk and
14consequently enacted the act of March 1, 1988 (P.L.82, No.16),
15known as the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority
16Act, which established the Pennsylvania Infrastructure
17Investment Authority (PENNVEST); and

18WHEREAS, PENNVEST, an independent State agency, provides low-

1cost financial assistance for infrastructure improvements to
2community drinking water, wastewater and storm water systems
3throughout this Commonwealth; and

4WHEREAS, Pennsylvanians have embraced the need for funding
5dedicated to the improvement of drinking water, wastewater and
6storm water systems by approval of several referenda; and

7WHEREAS, The General Assembly has an obligation to the
8citizens of this Commonwealth to ensure that this investment is
9allocated wisely and achieves the results envisioned for
10PENNVEST; and

11WHEREAS, A review and evaluation of the implementation of
12PENNVEST has not been undertaken in over a decade, and the
13Senate has an interest in ensuring that the program is
14administered in accordance with the goals and intent of
15PENNVEST's enabling act; and

16WHEREAS, A review could lead to recommendations for improving
17PENNVEST so that more Pennsylvania communities and citizens may
18benefit from this program; therefore be it

19RESOLVED, That the Senate direct the Legislative Budget and
20Finance Committee to conduct a comprehensive review and
21evaluation of the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment
22Authority Act and prepare a report of its findings which shall,
23at a minimum:

24(1) determine all sources of funding for PENNVEST and
25provide an analysis of how much is Federal, State and other
26funding;

27(2) identify the overall amount of bond funding
28authorized, the amount issued and a schedule of debt service
29on the bond issuance;

30(3) identify the total amount of funds allocated and a

1compilation of how the allocated funds were spent;

2(4) determine whether funding is being awarded in
3accordance with the criteria used to prioritize projects;

4(5) provide a review of the projects approved by each
5county, including the amount of funding and type of projects;

6(6) identify amounts of loans and grants awarded on a
7per county basis and a per Commonwealth resident basis; and

8(7) determine why any disproportionate awards based on
9population exist and why some areas of this Commonwealth are
10underserved; and

11(8) determine the feasibility of combining PENNVEST with
12other programs to obtain greater efficiencies and to serve
13more areas of this Commonwealth; and

14(9) determine the overall effectiveness of PENNVEST's
15enabling act in achieving the goals of protecting public
16health and safety and promoting economic development of this
17Commonwealth;

18and be it further

19RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
20report its findings and recommendations to the Senate within six
21months of the adoption of this resolution.