Budget committee restores funding for Missouri water projects, including lead pipe removal
The House Budget Committee on Thursday reversed a $360 million cut to a program to improve water infrastructure, including removing lead pipes, as it completed a plan for using federal stimulus funds.
Budget Chairman Cody Smith had planned to cut $51 million from the program, but said objections from Rep. Don Mayhew, an engineer by trade, convinced him to put the money back.
Missouri has $2.8 billion from the American Rescue Plan Act signed last March by President Joe Biden. The money is dedicated to replacing revenue lost in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and providing money for projects that support long-term economic health.
Gov. Mike Parson’s budget plan included proposals for spending every dollar but Smith cut many programs to amounts that could be spent in the coming year. But Mayhew said on Monday that the timelines for using the money could leave the state short of its goal of eliminating lead water supply lines.
https://news.stlpublicradio.org/government-politics-issues/2022-04-03/budget-committee-restores-funding-for-missouri-water-projects-including-lead-pipe-removal