SCHUMER ANNOUNCES EPA WILL PROVIDE A MASSIVE WINDFALL OF OVER $428 MILLION FOR NEW YORK’S CLEAN AND DRINKING WATER STATE REVOLVING FUNDS IN 2022 ALONE AS A PART OF THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE DEAL; NEW FED $$$ WILL MAKE HISTORIC INVESTMENT TO UPGRADE UPSTATE NY’S WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, CREATE GOOD PAYING JOBS, AND ENSURE ALL NEW YORKERS HAVE ACCESS TO SAFE CLEAN DRINKING WATER
New York Receives 3rd Largest Investment In Water State Revolving Funds In The Country; Includes Funding To Remove Lead Pipes And Toxic Pollutants From Drinking Water
Senator Say New York State Has Some Of The Oldest Water Systems In The Country And Funding Will Provide Long-Overdue, Critical Support To Modernize Drinking Water And Wastewater Infrastructure
Schumer: Bipartisan Infrastructure Act Will Get New York’s Water Systems Flowing Like Never Before!
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer today revealed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will provide New York a historic investment of $428,072,000 for New York’s Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRF) as a part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act that he negotiated in the Senate. Schumer said this is a massive boon for New York’s water infrastructure and environment, and includes federal funding for other clean water efforts like lead pipe removal and cleaning up emerging contaminates – like PFAS and 1, 4-dioxane.
“Access to clean water is a right, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which I negotiated, will deliver $428 million to make critical upgrades to our aging drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in New York and ensure our families are provided safe drinking water free of lead and other toxic contaminants, and that our rivers and lakes remain free of sewer overflows,” said Senator Schumer. “This federal funding means jobs, jobs, jobs and will help upgrade aging water infrastructure, including replacing dangerous lead pipes. I will continue to fight tooth and nail to keep our water systems flowing, jobs growing, and keep New Yorkers safe and healthy.”
Schumer explained the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act makes the single-largest investment ever in U.S. water infrastructure. In total, the bill includes over $50 billion for the EPA’s highly successful water infrastructure programs. Specifically, the EPA announced today it will provide New York over $428 million for its Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRF). SRFs provide below-market rate loans and grants to fund water infrastructure improvements. Importantly, Schumer fought for a lower state cost share for the early years of this funding and for 49% of the money to be administered as grants and completely forgivable loans, ensuring New Yorkers can get the most out of this funding.
In addition, Schumer highlighted the below State Revolving Fund programs related to water infrastructure in the legislation that will help modernize and clean New York’s water systems. New York’s share of this funding is included in the $428 million allocated to New York for its Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds:
- $15 billion Carve Out To Replace Lead Service Lines through the Drinking Water State Revolving Funds.
One hundred percent of the funding is for lead pipe replacement and states are not required to provide a cost share. Additionally, forty-nine percent of the funding will be administered as grants and completely forgivable loans to target aid towards disadvantaged communities who disproportionately experience the impact of lead pipes. Schumer has been a driving force in securing federal funding to reduce lead exposure in New York. In 2016, after reports of elevated lead levels in Ithaca and schools across the state were published, Schumer took action to help jumpstart lead testing programs for schools and day care centers and in 2018, ensured that those programs were fully funded. Schumer also previously secured $4.1 million for Syracuse to restart a program aimed at preventing lead poisoning in children. Prior to the program’s revival, at nearly 700 children in Syracuse were newly poisoned with lead in one year.
- $10 Billion In Grants To Address Emerging Contaminants
- $1 billion Addressing Emerging Contaminants through Clean Water State Revolving Funds
- $4 billion For Addressing Emerging Contaminants through the Drinking Water State Revolving Funds
- $5 billion Addressing Emerging Contaminants in Disadvantaged Communities
Funding through Small, Underserved, and Disadvantaged Communities Grants, Clean Water, and Drinking Water SRF can be used to address contaminants like PFAS and 1,4-dioxane. The federal funding will provide a much-needed boost to fast-track the cleanup processes at these locations and hasten remediation efforts. Schumer has championed PFAS cleanup in New York, most recently, successfully pushing for Stewart Air National Guard Base to be selected for the Defense Environmental Restoration Program which will allow remediation efforts to begin. The senator also successfully urged for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to hear directly from Rockland residents and community leaders about potentially elevated PFAS levels in their drinking water and to establish a drinking water standard for PFAS as a result of discoveries of the toxic chemical in drinking water at Hoosick Falls. Schumer also previously launched efforts to include sweeping PFAS-oriented reforms in previous National Defense Authorization Acts, which would address toxic PFAS contamination in communities all across Upstate New York.
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