78R12057 CLE-D


By:  Chavez                                                     H.C.R. No. 204



HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
	WHEREAS, The United States and Mexico created the North 
American Development Bank (NADB) to provide financing for 
environmental infrastructure projects, particularly those related 
to water supply, wastewater treatment, and solid waste management 
along their common border; and
	WHEREAS, Since its inception in 1995, NADB has financed 57 
environmental infrastructure projects representing $1.4 billion in 
border region improvements, a substantial return on the bank's $494 
million investment; and
	WHEREAS, NADB established the Border Environment 
Infrastructure Fund (BEIF) in 1997 to receive and administer grants 
from other institutions, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA), that can be combined with loans and guaranties to 
facilitate project financing; and
	WHEREAS, To date, BEIF has received $336 million from EPA's 
Border Fund, and this contribution is vital to making water and 
wastewater projects affordable, especially for the smallest and 
poorest communities; and
	WHEREAS, Congress increased the Border Fund to $75 million in 
fiscal year 2000, and this level of funding was again recommended 
for fiscal year 2003; however, the Border Fund received a 
congressional appropriation of only $50 million; and
	WHEREAS, Reductions in the Border Fund and subsequent revenue 
losses to BEIF seriously undercut NADB's ability to finance water 
and wastewater infrastructure projects that are essential to 
environmental quality and the well-being of residents on both sides 
of the border; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the 78th Legislature of the State of Texas 
hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to 
reinstate funding for the EPA Border Fund to $75 million for fiscal 
year 2004 and to appropriate sufficient funds in subsequent years 
to address environmental infrastructure needs in the border region; 
and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official 
copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to 
the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the 
senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of the 
Texas delegation to the congress with the request that this 
resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a 
memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.