Veto Prospects on $18-Billion Clean Water Act Renewal ‘Open Question’

An Administration official said Saturday it is an “open question” whether President Reagan will sign or veto legislation renewing the Clean Water Act if it reaches him in the form in which it cleared a Senate-House conference Friday night.

As submitted by the conference for action in the final days of the 99th Congress, the compromise bill proposes $18 billion in federal grants and loans over the next eight years for sewage and waste water treatment facilities--triple the Administration’s $6-billion request for the program.

An official familiar with the bill and its slow progress through Congress said the deficit-conscious Administration had made clear its objections to the cost of the sewage treatment plan, although there have been no direct veto threats.

“Whether the President will veto it is an open question,” said the official, who asked not to be identified.

Bill’s Provisions

The bill would extend $9.6 billion in grants in the first four years, then advance the balance of the funds in the form of loans, which would be returned to state water treatment revolving funds after the loans are repaid. It would make no basic change in the current formula for allocating funds, which tends to tilt their distribution toward Northeastern and Midwestern states.

The measure also includes provisions requiring states to tighten controls on water carrying concentrations of poisonous chemicals, on discharges from city storm sewers and on agricultural runoffs that carry fertilizers and chemicals into lakes and streams.