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“In
certain communities across the country, outdated combined sewer
and storm water infrastructure has caused untreated sewage to
overflow into our rivers at times during heavy rains and weather
events. As cities with combined sewers, like Peoria, work hard
to address compliance issues with federal agencies, using both
traditional and new innovative solutions, our legislation aims
to ease the financial burden placed on these communities,” said
Congressman LaHood. “The Stop Sewage Overflow Act ensures that
local municipalities across the country will have access to the
resources they need to update their outdated combined sewage
systems and will help improve the environmental health of our
waterways.”
“Peoria strongly supports legislation that would help to help
ease the financial burden to solve CSO issues. We are embarking
on an 18 year program to meet the standards of the Clean Water
Act, and legislation like this encourages the innovative green
approach that Peoria is using.” stated Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis.
“The bipartisan approach by Rep. LaHood and Rep. Trahan shows
that clean water, and solving the CSO issues, are good for every
community and every taxpayer burdened with these issues.”
“Combined sewage overflows continue to plague communities along
the Merrimack River, and the federal government’s wilting
support for efforts to prevent future polluting overflows has
only made matters worse,” Congresswoman Trahan said. “The Stop
Sewage Overflow Act will finally put an end to decades of
Washington’s determination to pass the buck for wastewater
system upgrades onto state and local governments already reeling
from federal infrastructure divestments. I’m grateful for the
continued partnership of Congressman LaHood on this critical
issue and for the strong leadership of my colleagues who also
represent the Merrimack River, Representatives Moulton, Kuster,
and Pappas. Together, we will work to get this legislation
across the finish line and signed into law.”
Combined sewer overflows are a product of combined sewer
systems, which are used 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.
To combat this burdensome issue, the Stop Sewage Overflow Act
dramatically expands and improves the Environmental Protection
Agency’s (EPA) Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program, which
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.
Specifically, the legislation:
Increases the authorization of the grant program to $500 million
annually and extends that authorization of the program through
2030;
Prioritizes grant assistance to communities with high levels of
sewage entering public waterways;
Reduces the cost-sharing burden on economically disadvantaged
areas; and
Increases federal investment in green infrastructure projects
that capture wet weather and prevent CSOs.
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