Press Releases

Lowell, MA – Earlier this week, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA) along with Representatives Seth Moulton (D-MA), Annie Kuster (D-NH), and Chris Pappas (D-NH) sent a letter to the Chairwoman and Ranking Member of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Subcommittee of Appropriations requesting additional funding be allocated for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant Program (section 221) for fiscal year 2020.

 

The Appropriations request letter seeks $500 million for the program to award federal grants to states and municipalities for the planning, design, and construction for combined sewer overflows, sanitary sewer overflows, or stormwater management. Combined sewer overflows are a product of combined sewer systems, which are in use by more than 800 communities across the nation. These systems are particularly common in the Northeast and Midwest, where they trigger harmful releases of raw sewage when precipitation exceeds manageable levels. 

 

“The Merrimack River is a vital resource for residents of Massachusetts’ 3^rd Congressional District, supplying drinking water to nearly 600,000 people. That makes it all the more alarming that last year alone 800 million gallons of sewage and untreated stormwater were released into the river as a result of outdated combined sewer systems,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “The federal government has an obligation to help municipalities like Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, and Manchester make urgently needed upgrades to prevent this sort of pollution from jeopardizing the health, and economic wellbeing of residents in the region. I am proud that this call for funding is supported by all the Members of Congress who represent this critical natural resource.”

 

“The Merrimack River provides our region with clean drinking water and is part of a maritime ecosystem that supports thousands of jobs through fishing and tourism,” said Congressman Moulton. “When sewage flows into the river, it threatens those jobs and our families. This funding is a vital step forward and one of many steps that I’ll be taking on this issue in the coming weeks. For too long, leaders in Washington have ignored this problem. It’s time to fix our aging infrastructure so people across the country don’t have to worry about the safety of their drinking water.”

 

“The Merrimack River supplies drinking water to hundreds of thousands of people and we must ensure that Granite State families and all who rely on this resource are receiving safe clean water,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “These federal funds are important to protecting and improving the quality of water in the Merrimack River. I urge House appropriators to honor our request and help safeguard access to clean drinking water for communities that access the Merrimack River.” 

“So much of our region's economy and way of life has been built upon the Merrimack River. Although the Merrimack remains one of our region’s greatest treasures, the impacts of outdated storm and waste water systems are being felt in communities along the river in New Hampshire and Massachusetts and jeopardize the vitality of the region,” said Congressman Pappas. “It is incumbent upon us to update our water infrastructure so the river can thrive and support the needs of the Merrimack Valley for generations to come.”  

“The scale of need to protect the Merrimack and the communities in its watershed requires a major investment of federal grant support. Indeed, according to the latest EPA Clean Water Needs Survey, nearly $50 billion is needed. In our states alone, nearly $1.6 billion is required,” the Members Wrote.  

 

The full text of the letter can be found below, and an image of the signed letter can be found HERE:

 

April 23, 2019

 

 

The Honorable Betty McCollum                         

Chairwoman 

Interior, Environment & Related Agencies

2007 Rayburn House Office Building   

U.S. House of Representatives

Washington, DC 20515

 

The Honorable David Joyce,

Ranking Member

Interior, Environment & Related Agencies    

1016 Longworth House Office Building

U.S. House of Representatives

Washington, DC 20515   

                                    

Dear Chairwoman McCollum and Ranking Member Joyce:

 

We are writing to respectfully request that the Committee provide $500 million for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program (“Section 221”). 

 

As you know, the Section 221 grant program authorizes federal grant funding to States and municipalities for the planning, design, and construction of treatment works and other measures for combined sewer overflows, sanitary sewer overflows, or stormwater management.  Combined sewer overflows are a product of combined sewer systems, which serve more than 800 communities across the nation.  These systems are particularly common in the Northeast and Midwest, where they trigger harmful releases of raw sewage when precipitation exceeds manageable levels. 

 

This is a particularly urgent challenge for communities along the Merrimack River, which supplies drinking water for nearly 600,000 people.  Last year, 800 million gallons of sewage and untreated stormwater were released into the river, which runs more than 100 miles from central New Hampshire, through northeastern Massachusetts, and then out to sea.  Combined sewer overflow discharges in Manchester and Lowell accounted for more than half of the volume. 

 

The Clean Water State Revolving Fund has been a useful tool to make improvements to the region’s wastewater infrastructure.  However, the scale of need to protect the Merrimack and the communities in its watershed requires a major investment of federal grant support.  Indeed, according to the latest EPA Clean Water Needs Survey, nearly $50 billion is needed.  In our states alone, nearly $1.6 billion is required. 

 

The Section 221 grants authorized by Congress last year should be funded at the $500 million level.  This would allow cities with combined sewer systems, like those along the Merrimack River, to finally make the major infrastructure changes needed to prevent CSO releases.

 

Thank you for your consideration of our request. 

 

Sincerely,

 

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