Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) applauded the inclusion of a key component of her bipartisan Stop Sewage Overflow Act in the Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act, which was marked up and advanced out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee this morning.

“Communities across the United States – particularly in the Northeast and Midwest – are suffering from harmful sewage overflow and pollution as a result of outdated water infrastructure. In my own community, the Merrimack River has long suffered from these overflows, which jeopardize the health and economic wellbeing of residents who depend on the river. I applaud Chairman DeFazio and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for including a key provision from my Stop Sewage Overflow Act, which significantly increases the amount of grant funding that financially distressed communities are eligible for to update sewage infrastructure and ensure clean water to all their residents,” said Congresswoman Trahan.

Specifically, the committee adapted the “ability to pay” provision to improve the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program. This program is used to award federal grants to states and municipalities for the planning, design, and construction for combined sewer overflows, sanitary sewer overflows, or stormwater management. The Trahan-LaHood provision increases the federal minimum cost-share for a sewer grant in a financially distressed community from 55% (standard for all communities) to 75%. This is directly a result of the Stop Sewage Overflow Act. 

In April of this year, Congresswoman Lori Trahan and Congressman Darrin LaHood (R-IL) announced the Stop Sewage Overflow Act, which would dramatically expand and improve the Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program.

In May, Congresswoman Lori Trahan testified before the T&I Committee on the urgent need for action to help communities suffering from water pollution because of outdated sewer infrastructure and called for action on provisions within her new legislation.

Congresswoman Trahan continues to be a champion for river cleanup and preservation across the Commonwealth. Earlier this year as a part of a broader public lands package, President Trump signed into law legislation sponsored by Congresswoman Trahan and Senator Markey to designate the Nashua River and its tributaries as scenic rivers under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. This designation will help preserve the rivers for generations to come.

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