Environmental
My Environmental News page is a compelling source for breaking news, analysis, and feature stories on environmental issues.
Environmental News from Science Daily
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Medical school scientist creates therapy to kill hypervirulent bacteria Researchers are on a mission to kill drug-resistant bacteria, and a new study has identified a therapy that can penetrate the slime that such infections use to protect themselves from antibiotics.Researchers have shown that an antimicrobial peptide from cows has potential for treating incurable infections from the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae. The bacteria, commonly found in the intestines, is usually harmless. It becomes a health hazard when it enters other parts of the body and can cause pneumonia, urinary tract and wound infections. Those at highest risk include seniors and patients with other health problems such as diabetes, cancer, kidney failure and liver disease. |
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Microneedles and suction cup for blood diagnostics, modeled on leeches A new device for taking blood samples uses microneedles and a suction cup instead of a large needle. People with a phobia of needles stand to benefit. More blood can be obtained than with the classic finger prick, making diagnostic measurements more reliable. Because the device can be produced at low cost, it is also suitable for developing countries. |
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A study has identified a therapy that can penetrate the slime that such infections use to protect themselves from antibiotics. Scientists showed that an antimicrobial peptide from cows has potential for treating incurable infections from the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae. The bacteria, commonly found in the intestines, is usually harmless. It becomes a health hazard when it enters other parts of the body and can cause pneumonia, urinary tract and wound infections. Those at highest risk include seniors and patients with other health problems such as diabetes, cancer, kidney failure and liver disease. |
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75,000-year-old female Neanderthal from cave where species buried their dead A new documentary has recreated the face of a 75,000-year-old female Neanderthal whose flattened skull was discovered and rebuilt from hundreds of bone fragments by a team of archaeologists and conservators. |
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A parasite that not only feeds of its host, but also makes the host change its own metabolism and thus biology. Microbiologists have shown this for the very first time in a specific group of parasitic microbes, so-called DPANN archea. Their study shows that these archaea are very 'picky eaters', which might drive their hosts to change the menu. |
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EPA underestimates methane emissions from landfills, urban areas The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is underestimating methane emissions from landfills, urban areas and U.S. states, according to a new study. The researchers combined 2019 satellite observations with an atmospheric transport model to generate a high-resolution map of methane emissions, which was then compared to EPA estimates from the same year. The researchers found: Methane emissions from landfills are 51% higher compared to EPA estimates Methane emissions from 95 urban areas are 39% higher than EPA estimates Methane emissions from the 10 states with the highest methane emissions are 27% higher than EPA estimates. |
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Feathers, cognition and global consumerism in colonial Amazonia Amazonia is the home of the largest variety of birds in the world. In such a unique environment, craft cultures have flourished by translating the beauty and creativity of environmental materials like feathers into stunning pieces of art. A new article examines artisanal featherwork within the context of early modern colonialism and globalization. |
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Identifying risks of human flea infestations in plague-endemic areas of Madagascar Researchers uncover why some homes in rural Madagascar where bubonic plague is endemic are infested with fleas. Based on their findings, they recommend ways to reduce the flea populations and their impact on human health. |
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Viruses known as 'jumbo' phages are seen as a potential tool against deadly bacterial infections. But scientists must first decipher the extraordinary makeup of these mysterious viruses. Researchers have now uncovered a key piece of jumbo phage development that helps them counter bacteria. |
Environmental News from EPA
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Biden-Harris Administration Announces More Than $49 Million for Virginia Lead Pipe Replacement to Advance Safe Drinking Water as Part of Investing in America Agenda PHILADELPHIA (May 2, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced more than $49 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help Virginia identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today’s announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration’s commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative.Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families. “The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.”“Across our region, states are getting boosts from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will improve lives, strengthen communities, and protect our most vulnerable populations,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “This funding brings us much closer to replacing all lead service lines throughout the nation.”“I’m glad that the Commonwealth is set to receive significant funding that will enable the identification and replacement of unsafe lead pipes that have disastrous impacts on health,” said U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA). “This funding will help to ensure that every Virginian has access to the clean, safe water they deserve.”“Lead service lines harm the health and well-being of our communities,” said U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA). “I’m glad to have helped pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is bringing these funds to Virginia to replace these dangerous lead pipes and protect drinking water.”President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes.The Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious initiative to remove lead pipes has already delivered significant results for families across the nation. Today’s latest funding will ensure more families benefit from these unprecedented resources, and support projects like these: To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) including an assessment of newly submitted information. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025.For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding, and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website. |
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EPA Announces More Than $86 Million for Minnesota Lead Pipe Replacement to Advance Safe Drinking Water as Part of the Biden-Harris Administration Investing in America Agenda Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $86,566,000 from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help Minnesota identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today’s announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration’s commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative. Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families. “The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.” “Minnesotans know the value of clean water—in fact, we were the first state to put statewide water quality standards in place over 50 years ago,” said Sen. Tina Smith. “This is an investment in the health and safety of Minnesota families, including families living in communities historically left out of infrastructure upgrades. I was proud to support the President’s legislation to deliver clean drinking water to our communities.” “Fantastic to hear that Minnesota will receive more than $86.5 million in federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to identify and replace lead service lines,” said Rep. Betty McCollum. “We are continuing to invest in reducing and preventing lead exposure to protect the health of children and families across our state. Today’s announcement is a major step in updating our water infrastructure to help ensure every Minnesotan has safe water to drink.” “All Minnesotans should have access to safe, clean drinking water. Right now there are more than 100,000 lead water service lines around our state leaching lead into drinking water and threatening our health,” said Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Brooke Cunningham. “We are tremendously grateful to the Environmental Protection Agency for their support and funding to tackle this critical issue. Last year I was proud to work with Governor Walz to secure an investment of more than $240 million at the state level to ensure that these needed replacements did not come at a burdensome cost to homeowners, and today’s announcement from the EPA ensures that even more Minnesotans will not have to choose between costly repairs to aging infrastructure and safe drinking water for their families.” President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes. To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) including an assessment of newly submitted information. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025. For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding, and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website. |
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EPA Announces More Than $184 Million for Ohio Lead Pipe Replacement to Advance Safe Drinking Water as Part of the Biden-Harris Administration Investing in America Agenda Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $184,273,000 from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help Ohio identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today’s announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration’s commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative. Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families. “The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.” “In my hometown of Toledo, tens of thousands of city-owned lead service lines remain in service, and approximately ten percent of customer-owned service lines contain lead,” said Rep. Marcy Kaptur. “The risks posed by lead service lines disproportionally impact our most underserved communities. I am pleased to see the State of Ohio receive this much needed infusion of $184 Million funding to help ensure that all Ohioans have access to clean, healthy, and safe drinking water.” “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to deliver for Ohio. Replacing lead pipes makes our communities healthier and is a key investment in environmental justice and public health. I applaud this latest funding from the Biden-Harris Administration and will continue to work with our federal and state partners to support lead pipe replacement in Northeast Ohio,” said Rep. Shontel Brown. “This bipartisan investment is essential to make sure Ohioans are protected from any potential lead exposure, which could have long-term health consequences,” said Rep. Greg Landsman. “Children and families deserve access to clean water without concern.” “Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted are committed to protecting Ohio’s kids from lead exposure,” said Ohio EPA Director Anne Vogel. “We welcome the US EPA’s announcement today that Ohio will receive $186 million for lead service line replacement, which will further the work of Ohio’s excellent public water systems as they continue this important work in communities across the state.” President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes. To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) including an assessment of newly submitted information. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025. For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding, and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website. ### |
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Biden-Harris Administration Announces $3 Billion for Lead Pipe Replacement to Advance Safe Drinking Water as Part of Investing in America Agenda WASHINGTON – Today, May 2, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $3 billion from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help every state and territory identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today’s announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration’s commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative.Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The $9 billion in total funding announced to date through EPA’s Lead Service Line Replacement Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families. “The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.”President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes.The Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious initiative to remove lead pipes has already delivered significant results for families across the nation. Today’s latest funding will ensure more families benefit from these unprecedented resources, and support projects like these: West View Water Authority in Pennsylvania has received $8 million through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to replace 750 lead service lines in underserved areas of the community — primarily in Allegheny County. Of that funding, more than $5.4 million is forgivable, reducing the overall financial burden on ratepayers and the community.In Tucson, Arizona, the city received $6.95 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds to develop lead service line inventories for their nine public water systems. The city will use this inventory to develop a plan to replace lead service lines in the community and improve drinking water quality for residents — many of whom live in low-income and disadvantaged communities. Located in between Chicago and Milwaukee, the community of Kenosha, Wisconsin has been at the forefront of the state’s efforts to remove 5,000 lead service lines in their community. To accelerate lead service line removal, Kenosha is working with EPA’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-funded Water TA team to help customers self-inventory their service line material and apply for federal funding to remove and replace lead service lines.The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, located across western North Carolina, has been selected to received support from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s lead service line replacement funds to conduct service line inventories and prepare preliminary engineering reports for five of the public water systems on their land.To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) including an assessment of newly submitted information. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025.For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding, and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website. |
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EPA Announces Final Rule to Protect Water Quality Where Tribes have Treaty and Reserved Rights WASHINGTON – Today, May 2, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a final rule that will help protect water quality where Tribes hold and assert rights to aquatic and aquatic-dependent resources. For the first time, this action establishes a clear and consistent national framework for EPA and states to consider Tribal treaty and reserved rights when establishing Water Quality Standards under the Clean Water Act. In addition, this rule advances the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to uphold the United States’ treaty and federal trust responsibility to federally recognized Tribes. When implemented, this final rule will better protect waters that Tribes depend on for fishing, gathering wild rice, cultural practices, and other uses.“President Biden is committed to ensuring that all people have access to clean and safe water. Strengthening our regulations to support Tribes and protect precious water resources is essential,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “With this action, EPA is establishing clear rules of the road that will support healthier Tribal communities. We look forward to partnering with Tribes and our state co-regulators to implement Clean Water Act protections consistent with Tribal treaty and reserved rights.”Historically, EPA has addressed Tribal reserved rights under the Clean Water Act on a case-by-case basis in state-specific actions. This practice fostered uncertainty for Tribes, states, and entities seeking to comply with Clean Water Act requirements. EPA’s final rule provides clarity and transparency by revising the federal water quality standards regulation to better protect Tribal reserved rights under the Clean Water Act. With this action, EPA is ensuring that water quality standards are established taking into consideration Clean Water Act-protected aquatic and aquatic-dependent resources where Tribes hold and assert rights to those resources under federal treaties, statutes, or executive orders. This final regulatory framework will be applied consistently while accounting for local conditions and factors to inform the development of specific water quality standards. With this action, EPA is honoring the federal trust responsibility and striving to protect Tribal reserved rights related to water resources, consistent with commitments outlined in the agency’s 2021 action plan, Strengthening the Nation-to-Nation Relationship with Tribes to Secure a Sustainable Water Future. “The Tribal Reserved Rights rule protects the rights of Tribal citizens, accorded by treaties, statutes, and other federal laws, to hunt, fish, and gather food in their usual and accustomed territories—including areas under state jurisdiction,” said National Tribal Water Council Chairman Ken Norton. “When treaties are honored as the highest law of the land, as the Constitution directs, it is a victory for Tribes across the nation.” "Upholding treaty reserved rights in Ceded Territories is the right thing to do, both for Tribal members and the environment. As stressors such as climate change, pollutants and development harm the environment, it is increasingly important for Tribal members to have the opportunity to exercise their rights in Ceded Territories," said Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Environmental Director, Brandy Toft. "It is our hope that this rule will assist to preserve the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe's treaty protected right to harvest resources, such as fish and wild rice for subsistence, for generations to come."“In the Anishinaabe (or Ojibwe) language, gibimaaji’igomin nibi means ‘water is life,’” according to Jason Schlender, Executive Administrator of the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC). “Anishinaabe people recognize that clean water sustains the more-than-human relatives (natural resources) that they rely on to continue their lifeways. It was these lifeways that our member Tribes were protecting when they reserved the right to hunt, fish, and gather on land that they ceded (or sold) in treaties with the United States. GLIFWC welcomes federal actions that will ensure that water quality is improved and sustained to ensure the continued health of our more-than-human relations.”“Elwha Tribe is pleased that the federal rule will ensure that Tribes will be heard,” said Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Vice-Chairman Russell N. Hepfer. “I always advocate for consultation to occur early and often. Water quality is important for our human health and for our resources. More important for our future generations. Elwha Tribes looks forward to consultation with EPA as this rule is implemented.”The final rule will be effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. Learn more about EPA’s final Tribal Reserved Rights rule.BackgroundWater quality standards define the water quality goals for a waterbody and provide a regulatory basis for many actions under the Clean Water Act, including reporting on water quality conditions and status; developing water quality-based effluent limits in National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permits for point-sources; and setting targets for Total Maximum Daily Loads. |
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EPA Announces More Than $240 Million for Illinois Lead Pipe Replacement to Advance Safe Drinking Water as Part of the Biden-Harris Administration Investing in America Agenda CHICAGO (May 2, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $240,899,000 from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help Illinois identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today’s announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration’s commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative.Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families. “The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.” “Today’s announcement demonstrates President Biden’s commitment to improving the lives of our state’s vulnerable residents,” said Gov. JB Pritzker. “Thanks to the Investing in America agenda, Illinois will receive $241 million, the most of any state, to equitably identify and replace lead pipes statewide.” “Access to clean, safe drinking water is not just a basic necessity; it is a fundamental human right that every individual in America deserves,” said Sen. Dick Durbin. “Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law knowing how our communities, especially those in underserved areas, continue to live with the threat of lead contaminating their drinking water. By dedicating federal funding to the identification and replacement of lead service lines, communities can prioritize eliminating this public health threat once and for all. These critical projects made possible by this federal funding will help thwart preventable health issues and build stronger, more resilient communities for generations to come.” “I’m pleased to see this significant EPA investment—funded by my Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act law—in Illinois to help communities across our state get the lead out of drinking water and protect our children from lead poisoning,” said Sen. Tammy Duckworth. “Every American—regardless of their race, income or zip code—deserves to know that the water their families are drinking is safe, clean and reliable, and I will keep working with the Biden Administration to ensure we eliminate lead service lines nationwide as soon as possible.” “I am thrilled that the state of Illinois is set to receive over $240 million to replace toxic lead service lines. With more than one million lead pipes in Illinois, the second-highest number in the nation, this funding will be critical to help ensure safe and clean drinking water for all Illinoisans and their families – an effort I have championed for many years,” said Rep. Jan Schakowsky. “Thanks to President Joe Biden’s Infrastructure Law, $15 billion dollars is being allocated nationwide to help remove lead service lines, helping communities across the nation better access clean drinking water. Our children deserve a safe and sustainable environment. We must keep up the fight.” “No matter where you live, everyone should have access to clean, safe drinking water. Today’s announcement is another win in the fight to see this mission through and replace dangerous lead service lines in Illinois. This is just one example of the life changing benefits we are witnessing as a result of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Rep. Mike Quigley. “I would like to commend the EPA and the Biden Administration for taking real action and continuing their commitment to a future in which access to safe drinking water is a right, not a privilege.” “Everyone deserves safe drinking water. Unfortunately, that is not the case for far too many people in Illinois, which has more lead pipes than any other state. These funds are fundamental to addressing a legacy of disinvestment in our infrastructure,” said Rep. Jesús "Chuy" García. “I’m proud to have helped pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and I look forward to continuing the work of building a more just infrastructure future.” “Safe, clean drinking water should be a right for every community. I’m proud that Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is continuing to benefit Illinois families and deliver over $240 million to replace lead service lines and prevent exposure to lead,” said Rep. Robin Kelly. “Lead service lines disproportionately impact low-income communities and communities of color. This investment furthers President Biden and Democrats’ commitment to health equity and delivers real results for our neighborhoods.” “When my neighbors turn on their faucets, they should be able to trust that the water coming out of it is safe for their kids to drink,” said Rep. Eric Sorensen. “Central and Northwestern Illinois has some of the highest number of lead pipes throughout the entire nation. This critical funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law coming to Illinois will ensure that our drinking water is safe, and it will keep our communities healthy.” "Access to safe, potable water is a human right! I am thrilled to be working with the Administration to bring home $240 million in much-needed funding to replace lead service lines and ensure the health, dignity, and prosperity of families in our state," said Rep. Delia C. Ramirez. "This funding adds to the more than $15.7 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding that has been already announced to transform our communities with safer roads, sustainable transportation, and healthier families." “Illinois has among the highest concentration of lead service lines in the United States, a problem that affects the health of millions of people,” said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi. “As a proud supporter of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I’m elated to join the EPA and my fellow members of Congress in announcing that Illinois will receive more than $240 million from the EPA’s Lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to ensure that Illinois has the resources to identify, remove, and replace lead service lines. This latest action will prevent exposure to lead in drinking water for countless communities across Illinois, and I look forward to our state and local partners swiftly implementing these projects.” “We are pleased to see the additional federal funds coming to Illinois, and grateful that USEPA continues to refine the lead service line allotments to reflect a more equitable distribution of funds for the states and communities most in need,” said Illinois EPA Director John J. Kim. “The additional funding to Illinois’s State Revolving Fund is vital to our community water supplies as they undertake the crucial task of removing lead service lines.” President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes. To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) including an assessment of newly submitted information. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025. For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding, and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website. |
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EPA announces over $28.6M for South Dakota lead pipe replacement to ensure safe drinking water PIERRE – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $28,650,000 from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help South Dakota identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today’s announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration’s commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative. “EPA is dedicated to protecting the health of all South Dakotans by ensuring the water flowing into their taps is safe and reliable,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “Everyone deserves access to clean drinking water, and this lead service line replacement funding underscores our commitment to making that happen, especially in disadvantaged communities.” Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today is for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need, meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. EPA has also developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes. To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA). To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the U.S. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, including information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025. For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website. |
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Biden-Harris Administration announces over $28 million for New Hampshire lead pipe replacement to advance safe drinking water as part of Investing in America agenda BOSTON (May 2, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $28,650,000 from President Biden's Investing in America agenda to help New Hampshire identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today's announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA's successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration's commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration's Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA's Get the Lead Out Initiative.Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President's Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families."The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.""Our goal is simple, yet essential: to assure that everyone has clean, safe drinking water. That's why identifying and replacing lead service lines is crucial; it can protect our communities, especially the most vulnerable, from lead exposure," said EPA Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "New England has some of the oldest housing stock in the country, and no one—no matter where they live—should have to worry about lead in their drinking water and what comes out of the tap. This funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides the much-needed resources to help deliver on that promise—to replace every lead pipe and ensure clean, safe drinking water for all.""No Granite Stater should worry about the safety of their water. As a lead negotiator of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I fought to secure this funding to ensure that children and families can trust that the water coming into their homes is safe to consume. I'm proud that this infusion of federal funding will help New Hampshire get rid of lead pipes and update our aging infrastructure to better ensure the health and safety of Granite Staters," said Senator Jeanne Shaheen."Granite Staters deserve access to clean and safe drinking water and I am glad to see this latest round of federal funding coming to New Hampshire to identify and replace lead service lines still in use," said Senator Maggie Hassan. "I helped negotiate and pass the bipartisan infrastructure law to make projects like this one — which will remove lead water pipes from service — possible. These critical investments in infrastructure strengthen our communities and our economy.""Everyone deserves access to safe, clean drinking water, and the safety of New Hampshire's drinking water is critical to the health and well-being of our communities and families across the state," said Congresswoman Annie Kuster. "These resources to replace dangerous lead pipes and this significant funding made available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will go a long way toward making that a reality.""Addressing lead pipes in a quick and targeted manner is needed to ensure New Hampshire families and children have safe, clean drinking water," said Congressman Chris Pappas. "I fought to pass the bipartisan infrastructure law to deliver these resources to New Hampshire, and this funding will support lead pipe replacement to update our water infrastructure, safeguard public health, and ensure our communities have clean water. I will continue working to address contaminants in drinking water and protect the well-being of our communities."President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water.The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding.Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes.The Biden-Harris Administration's ambitious initiative to remove lead pipes has already delivered significant results for families across the nation. Today's latest funding will ensure more families benefit from these unprecedented resources, and support projects like these:Rollinsford Water & Sewer has received $756,000 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to make water system improvements in Front and South Street. Of the $756,000, approximately $300,000 will fund performing service line inventory activities and replacing lead service lines, lead "gooseneck" adapters, and galvanized services. It is estimated that 20 lead contaminated services will be replaced as a result of this work.Plymouth Village Water & Sewer District has received $1,750,000 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to make water system improvements including performing service line inventory activities and replacing lead service lines, lead "gooseneck" adapters, and galvanized services. It is estimated that 158 lead contaminated services will be replaced as a result of this work.The City of Claremont has received $2,150,000 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to replace water main and lead service lines throughout their system. Of the $2,150,000, it is estimated that $750,000 will be utilized to replace the lead service lines.To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA's Investing in America's Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA's recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal.Today's allotments are based on EPA's updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) including an assessment of newly submitted information. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025.For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding, and a breakdown of EPA's lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA's Drinking Water website. |
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EPA Announces $28.7 Million for Arizona Lead Pipe Replacement to Advance Safe Drinking Water SAN FRANCISCO (May 2, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $28,650,000 from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help Arizona identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of severe health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country to protect children and families. The investment announced today, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance public health and environmental justice and bolsters the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and Get the Lead Out Initiative.Working collaboratively, EPA and Arizona are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities, including those overburdened by lead exposure and pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income communities. To date, the total funding announced through this program is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families. “Every single person living in Arizona deserves access to clean, safe drinking water and a guarantee that they and their loved ones will be protected from lead contamination,” said Martha Guzman, EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator. "Thanks to President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is investing an unprecedented amount of funding to replace these harmful lead service lines, with communities at the greatest risk of lead poisoning prioritized.”“Access to clean drinking water is a right that will be expanded in Arizona thanks to this investment from our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said U.S. Senator Mark Kelly. “By addressing drinking water contamination, we’re protecting the health of families across the state. I’ll continue pushing for more federal funds to invest in Arizona’s water infrastructure.”“All Arizonans deserve access to clean, safe drinking water – and still, exposure to water from lead pipes threatens the health of families and loved ones. Thanks to our bipartisan infrastructure law, we’re investing in lead pipe replacement to protect Arizonans’ health,” said U.S. Senator Krysten Sinema, co-author and lead negotiator of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law."Water is our foundation, and access to clean drinking water is intrinsic to leading a healthy and prosperous life," said Governor Katie Hobbs. "Every Arizonan, regardless of zip code or socioeconomic background, has a right to clean drinking water and I am grateful to the Environmental Protection Agency for prioritizing this and providing Arizona the resources to tackle this issue. I look forward to our continued partnership to create a safe and healthy Arizona for everyone."“As a lifelong resident of the southside of Tucson who was impacted by hazardous water contamination, protecting residents from polluted drinking water has long been a priority for me,” declared U.S. Representative Raúl Manuel Grijalva (AZ-7). “There is no safe level of exposure to lead for children, and children in disadvantaged communities deserve every bit of protection as everyone else. Addressing unsafe lead pipes was a major component of the infrastructure law, and I’m proud to see this $26 million federal investment protecting Arizonans. I appreciate the Biden administration’s commitment to environmental justice and the continued investment to ensure our water infrastructure and drinking supply are safe for future generations.” “Access to clean drinking water is essential, no matter what zip code you’re in. Thanks to these historic funds from our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re making sure communities across Arizona can identify and replace lead pipes and prevent toxic exposure,” declared U.S. Representative Greg Stanton (NV-04).“Every Arizonan deserves access to clean drinking water. Thanks to our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I’m proud of these investments to remove lead pipes in communities across the state,” remarked U.S. Representative Ruben Gallego.“Resources for lead service line replacement are already being used in large and small communities across the state,” stated Chuck Podolak, Director of the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona (WIFA). “We are grateful for the continued infusion of critical funding and the partnerships it has facilitated between WIFA and Arizona’s Department of Environmental Quality, which is utilizing funds to assist small water systems in identifying where harmful lead service lines might exist in their communities. WIFA is excited to see EPA’s continued dedication to providing resources to ensure clean drinking water for Arizona’s families.”The Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious initiative to remove lead pipes has already delivered significant results for families nationwide, including in Arizona.The City of Tuscon recently received $6.95 million to develop a lead service line inventory for its nine public water systems. The city will use this inventory to develop a plan to replace lead service lines throughout the community and improve drinking water quality for residents, particularly those living in overburdened and low-income communities.President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead service lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be explicitly provided for lead service line identification and replacement. It will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water most effectively. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support identifying potential lead service lines in their homes.To view stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read about some projects underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA), which includes an assessment of newly submitted information. This is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress, including the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, consisting of information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025.For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website.Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region here, and visit our Instagram, Facebook, and X. |
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New Jersey to Get Over $123 Million for Lead Pipe Replacement to Advance Safe Drinking Water New York – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $123.1 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help New Jersey identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today’s announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, takes another major step to advance this work and environmental justice, and bolsters the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative. Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative as lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, which would secure clean drinking water for countless families. “The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.” “Every New Jerseyan deserves safe drinking water when they turn on their tap and this major injection of funding will further bolster the work to achieve that goal,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “For too long, the urgent need to improve our drinking water systems has far outweighed the available funding. This crucial Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding is helping close that gap.” “The public health threat posed by our aging water infrastructure is a challenge across both our state and the nation. In order to prevent toxic exposures for this generation and beyond, we have committed to replacing every lead service line in New Jersey by 2031,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. “Thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the support of the U.S. EPA and our congressional delegation, the substantial federal resources pouring into New Jersey will put us a great deal closer to this goal.” “This investment in replacing New Jersey’s lead service lines will help ensure we deliver safe, clean drinking water while also creating jobs. In a nation as wealthy as ours, every child should be guaranteed the right to safe drinking water,” said U.S. Senator Cory Booker. “I’m proud to have voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to make investments like this that will pay dividends in our health, well-being, and prosperity for generations to come." “Clean and safe drinking water is essential for communities in South Jersey and across the state,” said U.S. Representative Donald Norcross (NJ-01). “This federal funding to replace dangerous lead pipes is yet another transformative investment in New Jersey made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. I commend President Biden and the EPA for their continued commitment to delivering the infrastructure improvements that our communities need. I look forward to working together to build on this progress and ensure that tax dollars are put to work for South Jersey families." “We continue to see the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law delivering for essential, everyday needs across New Jersey. Lead-free drinking water should be a right, never a luxury. I am proud to have helped deliver our state this critical funding to look after public health and reduce the risk of lead contaminated water,’ said U.S. Representative Andy Kim (NJ-03). “I look forward to seeing its impact for so many local families and am committed to building on this effort to ensure every community across New Jersey and our country has the resources it needs to deliver everyone reliable, clean water.” “New Jersey has more than 350,000 lead lines, among the most in the nation. Every family in Jersey deserves to drink water that’s free of lead and dangerous chemicals,” said U.S. Representative Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “I’m proud to have helped craft and pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, a milestone in my years-long fight for clean drinking water. With this legislation, we’re clawing back massive federal investments to protect Jersey children and purify our water — all without raising local taxes. It’s a victory for our families, our environment, and our entire state.” “Every American should be able to trust the water that comes from their tap, which is why removing toxic lead water lines has long been one of my top priorities in Congress. In New Jersey, too many families still receive water in their homes through these dangerous lines. Thankfully today’s announcement continues to build on our state’s progress toward upgrading our water infrastructure by replacing these toxic water lines,” said U.S. Representative Frank Pallone (NJ-06). “As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee last Congress, I fought to include this funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law so that families don’t have to worry about being exposed to this harmful contaminant in their water. I’m glad to see that law is continuing to deliver on the promise to improve our state’s most critical infrastructure, and I’ll keep fighting to ensure that all of our communities have access to safe drinking water.” “No one should have to question whether their tap water is safe to drink,” said U.S. Representative Menendez (NJ-08). “With over $120 million coming from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are transforming our aging water infrastructure to deliver safe drinking water to residents across New Jersey. I am proud to work alongside House Democrats and the Biden Administration to ensure that every American can trust the water flowing from their faucets.” “Towns and cities throughout New Jersey are working to replace lead service lines but I often hear from mayors and councils about the tough financial burden these projects put on their municipal budgets. I am proud to have fought for the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that continues to deliver for our state with this new funding from the EPA. The federal resources coming to New Jersey to help fund these projects will have an immense impact on affordability, health, and water quality in our communities,” said U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11). “Safe drinking water is a human right, yet far too many people in New Jersey and across the country lack access to it. We have a national water crisis and must act now,” said U.S. Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12). “I’m proud to advocate for targeted federal funding to eliminate lead lines, address potential contaminants in our water, and ensure our state has clean drinking water. This historic investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a crucial step toward building a sustainable, secure and healthy future for all.” President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help New Jersey fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. This Lead Service Line-specific formula allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. To ensure that funding is used for lead service line related activities, LSLR allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes. The Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious initiative to remove lead pipes has already delivered significant results for families across the nation. Today’s latest funding will ensure more New Jersey families benefit from these unprecedented resources and support projects like these: In New Brunswick, New Jersey, the City and Rutgers University are actively developing a workforce program to address the community's demand for skilled operators. The collaboration addresses immediate needs and aims to become a model for other communities aspiring to secure a healthier water future. Today, the New Brunswick plant is one of the most critical water supply assets to the region’s people and its economy with 67 employees delivering an average of 130 million gallons and a maximum delivery capacity of up to 190 million gallons daily. New Brunswick is also among the 10 New Jersey communities actively engaged in the EPA's Lead Service Line Replacement Accelerators program, a part of EPA's WaterTA initiative funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority is identifying, excavating, and replacing lead drinking water service lines at homes with known service lines in accordance with the new Lead and Copper Rule Revisions. JCMUA is replacing lead lines with new copper service lines from the water main to the curb stop and/or the curb stop to the water meter at the building. The presence of lead service lines is a known issue in Jersey City and the JCMUA is proactively addressing this before lead poses a threat to residents’ health. To view more stories about how the unprecedented investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment including an assessment of the one-time update submissions. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025. For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website. Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website. 24-041 |
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Biden-Harris Administration announces over $28 million for Connecticut lead pipe replacement to advance safe drinking water as part of Investing in America agenda BOSTON (May 2, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $28,650,000 from President Biden's Investing in America agenda to help Connecticut identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today's announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA's successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration's commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration's Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA's Get the Lead Out Initiative.Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President's Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families."The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes, " said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all. ""Our goal is simple, yet essential: to assure that everyone has clean, safe drinking water. That's why identifying and replacing lead service lines is crucial; it can protect our communities, especially the most vulnerable, from lead exposure, " said EPA Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "New England has some of the oldest housing stock in the country, and no one—no matter where they live—should have to worry about lead in their drinking water and what comes out of the tap. This funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides the much-needed resources to help deliver on that promise—to replace every lead pipe and ensure clean, safe drinking water for all. ""This $3 billion is a major step toward preventing lead contamination in our drinking water. Lead can cause irreversible health problems, especially in children, and it is absolutely critical that we replace harmful lead water lines with safe alternatives. I am thrilled to see that $28.6 million of this incredible investment by the Biden Administration will come to Connecticut and will keep fighting for more federal dollars to ensure healthy and clean drinking water for all, said Senator Richard Blumenthal. ""No one in our state should have to think twice before drinking their own tap water, " said Senator Chris Murphy. "This $28.6 million federal grant from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will go a long way to replace our old lead pipes so every family in every zip code has reliable access to clean, safe drinking water. ""The Connecticut Congressional delegation worked together to secure significant investments in upgrading our state's clean water infrastructure through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including the first-ever federal program dedicated to replacing lead service pipes, " said Rep. John B. Larson. "The nearly $29 million in funding we secured for Connecticut will allow communities across the state to identify and replace lead service lines and take steps to reduce lead exposure in drinking water. I remain committed to ensuring safe drinking water is accessible to everyone, regardless of income or zip code. ""Every community deserves access to clean drinking water. This latest investment by the Biden administration to replace outdated and dangerous lead pipes will directly impact the people of Connecticut and improve water quality in traditionally marginalized communities, " said U.S. Representative Jahana Hayes. "Once again, we are seeing the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law deliver for Connecticut, and I look forward to the tangible benefits these investments will bring to the health and safety of our communities. ""This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act, which sets water quality standards for the nation's drinking water and establishes a framework to safeguard the public health and safety of U.S. citizens, " said Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont. "The lead service lines that connect the home to the water main are typically the most significant source of lead in drinking water, and we estimate that there are thousands of lead service lines in Connecticut that need to be replaced. Having this funding available to our cities and towns is another example of a successful collaboration between federal and state governments that will ultimately benefit the health and wellness of our residents. ""The timing of the release of these State Revolving Funds comes at the perfect time since Drinking Water Week is recognized from May 5th to May 11th, " said Connecticut Department of Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD. "Eliminating lead in our homes and drinking water is a top priority for DPH. Excessive lead intake, whether through drinking water or other sources, can lead to severe health issues, including brain and kidney damage, and can disrupt the production of red blood cells that transport oxygen throughout the body. The greatest risk of lead exposure is to infants, young children, and pregnant women. Connecticut is home to superior drinking water quality, largely due to a robust infrastructure and committed water professionals who monitor and protect water quality and safety. These funds will enable us to continue to improve the quality of drinking water for all the residents of Connecticut. "President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water.The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding.Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes.The Biden-Harris Administration's ambitious initiative to remove lead pipes has already delivered significant results for families across the nation. Today's latest funding will ensure more families benefit from these unprecedented resources, and support projects like these:The Metropolitan District Commission has received $1,360,535 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to inventory lead service lines within their water service area.The Town of Putnam has received $425,000 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to develop a detailed electronic database and mapping component of the system's water service lines and develop a Lead Service Line Replacement Program Plan, conducting public outreach, conducting inventory verification, developing a computerized hydraulic model, and flushing program.To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA's Investing in America's Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA's recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal.Today's allotments are based on EPA's updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) including an assessment of newly submitted information. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025.For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding, and a breakdown of EPA's lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA's Drinking Water website. |
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EPA announces over $28.6M for Utah lead pipe replacement to ensure safe drinking water SALT LAKE CITY – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $28,650,000 from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help Utah identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today’s announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration’s commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative. “EPA is dedicated to protecting the health of all Utahns by ensuring the water flowing into their taps is safe and reliable,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “Everyone deserves access to clean drinking water, and this lead service line replacement funding underscores our commitment to making that happen, especially in disadvantaged communities.” Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families. “As one of the fastest growing states in the country, Utah was in need of infrastructure investment—which is why I helped negotiate the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,” said Senator Mitt Romney. “This funding—nearly $29 million—will go a long way in protecting public health and ensuring that Utahns continue to have safe drinking water.” The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today is for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need, meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. EPA has also developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes. To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA). To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the U.S. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, including information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025. For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website. |
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Biden-Harris Administration Announces Over $28.6 Million for Delaware Lead Pipe Replacement to Advance Safe Drinking Water as Part of Investing in America Agenda PHILADELPHIA (May 2, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $28,650,000 from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help Delaware identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today’s announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration’s commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative.Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families. “The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.”“Across our region, states are getting boosts from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will improve lives, strengthen communities, and protect our most vulnerable populations,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “This funding brings us much closer to replacing all lead service lines throughout the nation.”“Every Delawarean should have the simple peace of mind that the water in their own homes is safe and clean to use and drink. That starts with replacing the toxic lead pipes still servicing too many homes and businesses up and down our state,” said Senator Tom Carper, Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “Thanks to the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is providing Delaware millions to do just that — especially in communities with the most need.” “Delawareans continue to feel the benefits of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this time by reducing the risk of lead poisoning and ensuring that they can count on clean drinking water,” said Senator Chris Coons. “This investment by the EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund will have positive, lasting impacts on public health by replacing outdated lead water pipes that contain lead with systems that bring safe drinking water to our communities.”“We must do everything we can to ensure that all Delawareans live in a home that is safe and healthy – one that is free from lead pipes,” said Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, member of the House Health Subcommittee. “This type of funding is exactly why I was so proud to champion the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, along with Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons. I am grateful for this investment of more than $28 million on behalf of families across the First State.”President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes.The Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious initiative to remove lead pipes has already delivered significant results for families across the nation. Today’s latest funding will ensure more families benefit from these unprecedented resources, and support projects like these: To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) including an assessment of newly submitted information. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025.For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding, and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website. |
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Biden-Harris Administration announces over $28 million for Vermont lead pipe replacement to advance safe drinking water as part of Investing in America agenda BOSTON (May 2, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $28,650,000 from President Biden's Investing in America agenda to help Vermont identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today's announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA's successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration's commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration's Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA's Get the Lead Out Initiative.Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President's Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families."The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.""Our goal is simple, yet essential: to assure that everyone has clean, safe drinking water. That's why identifying and replacing lead service lines is crucial; it can protect our communities, especially the most vulnerable, from lead exposure," said EPA Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "New England has some of the oldest housing stock in the country, and no one—no matter where they live—should have to worry about lead in their drinking water and what comes out of the tap. This funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides the much-needed resources to help deliver on that promise—to replace every lead pipe and ensure clean, safe drinking water for all.""When people in the world's richest country turn on their taps, the water that comes out should be clean," said U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders. "That's why I fought hard to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in our last Congress and ensure Vermont got its fair share. I am pleased to see the EPA will be releasing more of the funds from this legislation to support our state's communities as they carry out the necessary work to maintain and upgrade their drinking water infrastructure. I look forward to seeing these funds implemented as quickly and as effectively as possible so that every Vermonter in every corner of our state can have access to clean, safe, and reliable drinking water.""Every community deserves to have clean drinking water. That's why Vermont has led the country as one of the first states to regulate the use of lead pipes to service our water systems. Still, too many service lines contaminated by lead remain in our state, causing serious, long-term health risks that disproportionately impact marginalized and low-income communities," said Senator Peter Welch. "This $28 million investment from the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to remove and replace lead pipes across Vermont will really make a difference in making sure every community has safe water to drink.""We take seriously the public health risk presented by lead exposure through drinking water," said Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore. "With this substantial funding, we stand poised to expedite the identification and replacement of lead service lines, improving the well-being of our communities, and helping us reach our goal of ensuring all Vermonters have access to safe, clean drinking water."President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. This Lead Service Line-specific formula allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. To ensure that funding is used for lead service line related activities, LSLR allotments are based on need—meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more.Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes.The Biden-Harris Administration's ambitious initiative to remove lead pipes has already delivered significant results for families across the nation. Today's latest funding will ensure more families benefit from these unprecedented resources, and support projects like these:Town of Bethel has received $2,500,000 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to begin a preliminary engineering report and environmental report for replacing lead service lines.City of Rutland has received $800,000 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to inventory lead service lines.To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA's Investing in America's Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA's recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal.Today's allotments are based on EPA's updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) including an assessment of newly submitted information. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025.For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding, and a breakdown of EPA's lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA's Drinking Water website. |
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New York to Get Over $129 Million for Lead Pipe Replacement to Advance Safe Drinking Water NEW YORK – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $129.2 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help New York identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today’s announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, takes another major step to advance this work and environmental justice and bolsters the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative. Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative as lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families. “The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.” “Every New Yorker deserves safe drinking water when they turn on their tap and this major injection of funding will further bolster the work to achieve that goal,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “For too long, the urgent need to improve our drinking water systems has far outweighed the available funding. This crucial Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding is helping close that gap.” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said, “New York is committed to ensuring our communities are protected from lead which poses a clear threat to public health. Thanks to New York's Congressional delegation and the Biden Administration's support and leadership in rolling out Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding, New York will remain leaders in reducing exposure to lead in drinking water. This investment directly supports our ongoing efforts to safeguard the health of New Yorkers and ensure all have access to clean water.” “There is nothing more important than keeping New York drinking water safe for our children and families. Now thanks to my Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law, a major $129 million is flowing to replace potentially toxic lead pipes across the state,” said Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer. “No amount of toxic lead exposure is safe for our children, which is why I lead the charge in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to deliver the funding to get the lead out. This is only the latest in those efforts to bolster the clean and safe drinking water our communities need, all while creating a steady stream of good-paying jobs. I will continue to fight until not one lead pipe remains in New York.” “Access to safe, reliable drinking water should be a fundamental right, yet far too many New Yorkers are still drinking water from dangerous lead pipes,” said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “This $129 million in dedicated funding to address lead service lines is monumental for New York and will help improve public health across the state by replacing dangerous lead pipes to ensure lead-free water is flowing into New York communities. I am proud to have helped secure the funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that enables this much-needed investment and will continue fighting for the resources needed to enhance public health and provide New Yorkers with access to safe drinking water.” "Get the lead out! We must use these funds to remove the remaining lead pipes in Northeast Queens and throughout America. Any amount of lead exposure in drinking water is dangerous and unacceptable, especially for children. Let's work together to create a safer, healthier future for all," said U.S. representative Tom Suozzi (NY-03). “This lead service line replacement federal funding makes critical improvements to New York’s water infrastructure, including in traditionally underserved communities,” said U.S. Representative Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05). “My district continues to benefit from the Biden Administration's Investing in America Agenda. It is vital that clean water is accessible to New Yorkers, and I applaud the Administration’s steadfast dedication to creating healthier communities across the state.” “I’m thrilled that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is continuing to deliver for New York,” said U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06). “This crucial measure that I was proud to help pass in Congress is providing needed funding to improve communities across our state, and that includes this initiative to award millions for replacing lead service lines, an issue for which I have long advocated. As New York's representative on the House of Representatives Regional Leadership Council – which works to promote and implement legislation signed by President Biden – I will continue fighting for even more resources for New York.” “Access to clean and safe drinking water is a right every New Yorker deserves,” said U.S. Representative Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07). “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which I was proud to help pass in Congress, is a monumental step toward replacing lead pipes nationwide and in New York State. I commend the Biden administration for their investments in replacing dangerous lead lines and ensuring clean drinking water. I look forward to continuing to work to improve water infrastructure in New York.” "New York families deserve to be free from the harms lead service lines have long inflicted on our communities. Through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, thankfully, the progress we have long awaited is nearly in our hands. With $129 million in unprecedented funding for lead service line replacement, our state will be safer, its families will be healthier, and its future will be ever-brighter. All New Yorkers have the right to know the water they drink is safe, and I am proud to have fought for the resources needed to make that a reality," said U.S. Representative Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09). “Replacing lead pipes across New York City and State is critical to protecting our communities, particularly as recent reports suggest roughly 21% of New York City residents may be drinking from lead-contaminated pipes, putting themselves at risk for a number of adverse health effects,” said U.S. Representative Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11). “I’m pleased to see that New York will receive more funding from the EPA and I continue to encourage the State to lift the arbitrary cap placed on these funding pots so New York City can receive its fair share of funding proportional to its population.” “With today’s announcement of $129 million to replace lead pipes in New York, the Biden Administration is bringing cleaner and healthier drinking water to New Yorkers across our state,” said U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler (NY-12). “I’m proud to have voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in Congress which continues to deliver transformative upgrades to our state’s aging infrastructure.” "I commend the EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan for his ongoing commitment to safeguarding the health and well-being of communities in my district and around the nation," said U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). "Together, we are investing in critical water infrastructure needs, ensuring access to clean and safe drinking water as well as flooding prevention. I am proud to help deliver this $420 million in funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, signed into law, to help protect the future of our children and prioritize the health of all New Yorkers for generations to come." “I’m thrilled to hear that $129 million in federal funding is returning to New York State to help update water systems across the state, and had I been in Congress, I would have voted for this important legislation,” said U.S. Representative Mike Lawler (NY-17). “Hopefully, much of this funding will be directed towards places like the East Ramapo Central School District that are desperately in need of an investment like this one.” “There is no safe amount of lead exposure for kids – no Hudson Valley family should have to worry that their drinking water is coming from a toxic lead pipe,” said U.S. Representative Pat Ryan (NY-18). “That’s why I’m committed to getting rid of every lead pipe in the Hudson Valley. This historic $129 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for New York will go a long way toward making that possible. I’m fighting like hell to make sure those investments come to communities across the Hudson Valley.” “Science tells us there is no safe level of lead exposure, yet millions of lead service lines remain in operation, bringing contaminated drinking water to American families,” said U.S. Representative Paul Tonko (NY-20). “Thankfully, the Biden Administration is taking strong action under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to overhaul our drinking water systems and replace lead services lines across our state and nation. I’m proud of our efforts to get this transformative legislation passed, and I’m committed to realizing our mission to get the lead out of our drinking water and ensure that every American knows the water from their tap is clean and safe.” “Everyone deserves to know their water is safe to drink and free of harmful pollutants like lead,” said U.S. Representative Joe Morelle (NY-25). “I’m grateful to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Biden Administration for their ongoing commitment to investing in projects which improve our water infrastructures and help secure this peace of mind for our families. I look forward to continuing my work with them and my colleagues in Congress to protect everyone’s right to clean water and safeguard our environment for future generations.” President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help New York fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. This Lead Service Line-specific formula allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. To ensure that funding is used for lead service line related activities, LSLR allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes. The Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious initiative to remove lead pipes has already delivered significant results for families across the nation. To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment including an assessment of the one-time update submissions. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025. For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website. Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website. 24-040 |
Texas Climate News
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Will invigorated climate action hold global warming to 1.5 degrees? Everything will have to go right to confine atmospheric heating to that desired limit and avoid harsher impacts, climate scientists say. But even coming close to 1.5 C would mean a much better future for life on the planet. |
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The Texas Tech faculty member, a prominent climate-change researcher and communicator, will also be responsible for the international nonprofit’s “wider portfolio of global climate advocacy and adaptation work.” |
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How Texas froze: Neglect of power-grid and climate warnings set the icy stage State officials’ repeated failure to act on deeply researched advice for averting grid catastrophes paralleled Texas’ years-long non-response to experts’ repeated warnings about the dangers of climate change. |
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What to make of old-fashioned Texas cold, snow in a 21st-century climate? A winter storm warning covered all of Texas on Valentine's Day. Science deniers have cited such episodes to cast doubt on global warming. But extremely cold temperatures still occur in a generally warming world. |
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Houston-Galveston’s record overnight temps typified global warming in 2020 2020 basically tied with 2016 as Earth's hottest year on record. Troubling implications for people's health were evident in Texas and many other places. More research underscored health concerns about the climate crisis. |
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Biden moves quickly to begin undoing Trump’s climate and energy policies From rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement to canceling the Keystone pipeline to halting leasing in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife refuge, the new administration embarked on a bold turn-around for the country. |
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Federal rules, international pressure may finally snuff methane flaring Texas regulators have consistently allowed the controversial practice at oil and gas wells, which contributes to manmade climate change. Voters in November rejected a Democratic candidate who called for tougher state regulation. |
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The period around the Winter Solstice has been an occasion for reflection and celebration for millennia. In recent times, it was also when astronauts took photos of Earth that helped animate planetary consciousness. |
Climate Change from EPA
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Biden-Harris Administration Announces More Than $49 Million for Virginia Lead Pipe Replacement to Advance Safe Drinking Water as Part of Investing in America Agenda PHILADELPHIA (May 2, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced more than $49 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help Virginia identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today’s announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration’s commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative.Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families. “The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.”“Across our region, states are getting boosts from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will improve lives, strengthen communities, and protect our most vulnerable populations,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “This funding brings us much closer to replacing all lead service lines throughout the nation.”“I’m glad that the Commonwealth is set to receive significant funding that will enable the identification and replacement of unsafe lead pipes that have disastrous impacts on health,” said U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA). “This funding will help to ensure that every Virginian has access to the clean, safe water they deserve.”“Lead service lines harm the health and well-being of our communities,” said U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA). “I’m glad to have helped pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is bringing these funds to Virginia to replace these dangerous lead pipes and protect drinking water.”President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes.The Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious initiative to remove lead pipes has already delivered significant results for families across the nation. Today’s latest funding will ensure more families benefit from these unprecedented resources, and support projects like these: To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) including an assessment of newly submitted information. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025.For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding, and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website. |
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EPA Announces More Than $86 Million for Minnesota Lead Pipe Replacement to Advance Safe Drinking Water as Part of the Biden-Harris Administration Investing in America Agenda Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $86,566,000 from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help Minnesota identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today’s announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration’s commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative. Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families. “The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.” “Minnesotans know the value of clean water—in fact, we were the first state to put statewide water quality standards in place over 50 years ago,” said Sen. Tina Smith. “This is an investment in the health and safety of Minnesota families, including families living in communities historically left out of infrastructure upgrades. I was proud to support the President’s legislation to deliver clean drinking water to our communities.” “Fantastic to hear that Minnesota will receive more than $86.5 million in federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to identify and replace lead service lines,” said Rep. Betty McCollum. “We are continuing to invest in reducing and preventing lead exposure to protect the health of children and families across our state. Today’s announcement is a major step in updating our water infrastructure to help ensure every Minnesotan has safe water to drink.” “All Minnesotans should have access to safe, clean drinking water. Right now there are more than 100,000 lead water service lines around our state leaching lead into drinking water and threatening our health,” said Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Brooke Cunningham. “We are tremendously grateful to the Environmental Protection Agency for their support and funding to tackle this critical issue. Last year I was proud to work with Governor Walz to secure an investment of more than $240 million at the state level to ensure that these needed replacements did not come at a burdensome cost to homeowners, and today’s announcement from the EPA ensures that even more Minnesotans will not have to choose between costly repairs to aging infrastructure and safe drinking water for their families.” President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes. To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) including an assessment of newly submitted information. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025. For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding, and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website. |
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EPA Announces More Than $184 Million for Ohio Lead Pipe Replacement to Advance Safe Drinking Water as Part of the Biden-Harris Administration Investing in America Agenda Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $184,273,000 from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help Ohio identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today’s announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration’s commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative. Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families. “The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.” “In my hometown of Toledo, tens of thousands of city-owned lead service lines remain in service, and approximately ten percent of customer-owned service lines contain lead,” said Rep. Marcy Kaptur. “The risks posed by lead service lines disproportionally impact our most underserved communities. I am pleased to see the State of Ohio receive this much needed infusion of $184 Million funding to help ensure that all Ohioans have access to clean, healthy, and safe drinking water.” “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to deliver for Ohio. Replacing lead pipes makes our communities healthier and is a key investment in environmental justice and public health. I applaud this latest funding from the Biden-Harris Administration and will continue to work with our federal and state partners to support lead pipe replacement in Northeast Ohio,” said Rep. Shontel Brown. “This bipartisan investment is essential to make sure Ohioans are protected from any potential lead exposure, which could have long-term health consequences,” said Rep. Greg Landsman. “Children and families deserve access to clean water without concern.” “Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted are committed to protecting Ohio’s kids from lead exposure,” said Ohio EPA Director Anne Vogel. “We welcome the US EPA’s announcement today that Ohio will receive $186 million for lead service line replacement, which will further the work of Ohio’s excellent public water systems as they continue this important work in communities across the state.” President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes. To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) including an assessment of newly submitted information. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025. For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding, and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website. ### |
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Biden-Harris Administration Announces $3 Billion for Lead Pipe Replacement to Advance Safe Drinking Water as Part of Investing in America Agenda WASHINGTON – Today, May 2, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $3 billion from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help every state and territory identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today’s announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration’s commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative.Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The $9 billion in total funding announced to date through EPA’s Lead Service Line Replacement Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families. “The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.”President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes.The Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious initiative to remove lead pipes has already delivered significant results for families across the nation. Today’s latest funding will ensure more families benefit from these unprecedented resources, and support projects like these: West View Water Authority in Pennsylvania has received $8 million through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to replace 750 lead service lines in underserved areas of the community — primarily in Allegheny County. Of that funding, more than $5.4 million is forgivable, reducing the overall financial burden on ratepayers and the community.In Tucson, Arizona, the city received $6.95 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds to develop lead service line inventories for their nine public water systems. The city will use this inventory to develop a plan to replace lead service lines in the community and improve drinking water quality for residents — many of whom live in low-income and disadvantaged communities. Located in between Chicago and Milwaukee, the community of Kenosha, Wisconsin has been at the forefront of the state’s efforts to remove 5,000 lead service lines in their community. To accelerate lead service line removal, Kenosha is working with EPA’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-funded Water TA team to help customers self-inventory their service line material and apply for federal funding to remove and replace lead service lines.The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, located across western North Carolina, has been selected to received support from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s lead service line replacement funds to conduct service line inventories and prepare preliminary engineering reports for five of the public water systems on their land.To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) including an assessment of newly submitted information. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025.For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding, and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website. |
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EPA Announces Final Rule to Protect Water Quality Where Tribes have Treaty and Reserved Rights WASHINGTON – Today, May 2, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a final rule that will help protect water quality where Tribes hold and assert rights to aquatic and aquatic-dependent resources. For the first time, this action establishes a clear and consistent national framework for EPA and states to consider Tribal treaty and reserved rights when establishing Water Quality Standards under the Clean Water Act. In addition, this rule advances the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to uphold the United States’ treaty and federal trust responsibility to federally recognized Tribes. When implemented, this final rule will better protect waters that Tribes depend on for fishing, gathering wild rice, cultural practices, and other uses.“President Biden is committed to ensuring that all people have access to clean and safe water. Strengthening our regulations to support Tribes and protect precious water resources is essential,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “With this action, EPA is establishing clear rules of the road that will support healthier Tribal communities. We look forward to partnering with Tribes and our state co-regulators to implement Clean Water Act protections consistent with Tribal treaty and reserved rights.”Historically, EPA has addressed Tribal reserved rights under the Clean Water Act on a case-by-case basis in state-specific actions. This practice fostered uncertainty for Tribes, states, and entities seeking to comply with Clean Water Act requirements. EPA’s final rule provides clarity and transparency by revising the federal water quality standards regulation to better protect Tribal reserved rights under the Clean Water Act. With this action, EPA is ensuring that water quality standards are established taking into consideration Clean Water Act-protected aquatic and aquatic-dependent resources where Tribes hold and assert rights to those resources under federal treaties, statutes, or executive orders. This final regulatory framework will be applied consistently while accounting for local conditions and factors to inform the development of specific water quality standards. With this action, EPA is honoring the federal trust responsibility and striving to protect Tribal reserved rights related to water resources, consistent with commitments outlined in the agency’s 2021 action plan, Strengthening the Nation-to-Nation Relationship with Tribes to Secure a Sustainable Water Future. “The Tribal Reserved Rights rule protects the rights of Tribal citizens, accorded by treaties, statutes, and other federal laws, to hunt, fish, and gather food in their usual and accustomed territories—including areas under state jurisdiction,” said National Tribal Water Council Chairman Ken Norton. “When treaties are honored as the highest law of the land, as the Constitution directs, it is a victory for Tribes across the nation.” "Upholding treaty reserved rights in Ceded Territories is the right thing to do, both for Tribal members and the environment. As stressors such as climate change, pollutants and development harm the environment, it is increasingly important for Tribal members to have the opportunity to exercise their rights in Ceded Territories," said Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Environmental Director, Brandy Toft. "It is our hope that this rule will assist to preserve the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe's treaty protected right to harvest resources, such as fish and wild rice for subsistence, for generations to come."“In the Anishinaabe (or Ojibwe) language, gibimaaji’igomin nibi means ‘water is life,’” according to Jason Schlender, Executive Administrator of the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC). “Anishinaabe people recognize that clean water sustains the more-than-human relatives (natural resources) that they rely on to continue their lifeways. It was these lifeways that our member Tribes were protecting when they reserved the right to hunt, fish, and gather on land that they ceded (or sold) in treaties with the United States. GLIFWC welcomes federal actions that will ensure that water quality is improved and sustained to ensure the continued health of our more-than-human relations.”“Elwha Tribe is pleased that the federal rule will ensure that Tribes will be heard,” said Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Vice-Chairman Russell N. Hepfer. “I always advocate for consultation to occur early and often. Water quality is important for our human health and for our resources. More important for our future generations. Elwha Tribes looks forward to consultation with EPA as this rule is implemented.”The final rule will be effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. Learn more about EPA’s final Tribal Reserved Rights rule.BackgroundWater quality standards define the water quality goals for a waterbody and provide a regulatory basis for many actions under the Clean Water Act, including reporting on water quality conditions and status; developing water quality-based effluent limits in National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permits for point-sources; and setting targets for Total Maximum Daily Loads. |
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EPA Announces More Than $240 Million for Illinois Lead Pipe Replacement to Advance Safe Drinking Water as Part of the Biden-Harris Administration Investing in America Agenda CHICAGO (May 2, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $240,899,000 from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help Illinois identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today’s announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration’s commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative.Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families. “The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.” “Today’s announcement demonstrates President Biden’s commitment to improving the lives of our state’s vulnerable residents,” said Gov. JB Pritzker. “Thanks to the Investing in America agenda, Illinois will receive $241 million, the most of any state, to equitably identify and replace lead pipes statewide.” “Access to clean, safe drinking water is not just a basic necessity; it is a fundamental human right that every individual in America deserves,” said Sen. Dick Durbin. “Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law knowing how our communities, especially those in underserved areas, continue to live with the threat of lead contaminating their drinking water. By dedicating federal funding to the identification and replacement of lead service lines, communities can prioritize eliminating this public health threat once and for all. These critical projects made possible by this federal funding will help thwart preventable health issues and build stronger, more resilient communities for generations to come.” “I’m pleased to see this significant EPA investment—funded by my Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act law—in Illinois to help communities across our state get the lead out of drinking water and protect our children from lead poisoning,” said Sen. Tammy Duckworth. “Every American—regardless of their race, income or zip code—deserves to know that the water their families are drinking is safe, clean and reliable, and I will keep working with the Biden Administration to ensure we eliminate lead service lines nationwide as soon as possible.” “I am thrilled that the state of Illinois is set to receive over $240 million to replace toxic lead service lines. With more than one million lead pipes in Illinois, the second-highest number in the nation, this funding will be critical to help ensure safe and clean drinking water for all Illinoisans and their families – an effort I have championed for many years,” said Rep. Jan Schakowsky. “Thanks to President Joe Biden’s Infrastructure Law, $15 billion dollars is being allocated nationwide to help remove lead service lines, helping communities across the nation better access clean drinking water. Our children deserve a safe and sustainable environment. We must keep up the fight.” “No matter where you live, everyone should have access to clean, safe drinking water. Today’s announcement is another win in the fight to see this mission through and replace dangerous lead service lines in Illinois. This is just one example of the life changing benefits we are witnessing as a result of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Rep. Mike Quigley. “I would like to commend the EPA and the Biden Administration for taking real action and continuing their commitment to a future in which access to safe drinking water is a right, not a privilege.” “Everyone deserves safe drinking water. Unfortunately, that is not the case for far too many people in Illinois, which has more lead pipes than any other state. These funds are fundamental to addressing a legacy of disinvestment in our infrastructure,” said Rep. Jesús "Chuy" García. “I’m proud to have helped pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and I look forward to continuing the work of building a more just infrastructure future.” “Safe, clean drinking water should be a right for every community. I’m proud that Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is continuing to benefit Illinois families and deliver over $240 million to replace lead service lines and prevent exposure to lead,” said Rep. Robin Kelly. “Lead service lines disproportionately impact low-income communities and communities of color. This investment furthers President Biden and Democrats’ commitment to health equity and delivers real results for our neighborhoods.” “When my neighbors turn on their faucets, they should be able to trust that the water coming out of it is safe for their kids to drink,” said Rep. Eric Sorensen. “Central and Northwestern Illinois has some of the highest number of lead pipes throughout the entire nation. This critical funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law coming to Illinois will ensure that our drinking water is safe, and it will keep our communities healthy.” "Access to safe, potable water is a human right! I am thrilled to be working with the Administration to bring home $240 million in much-needed funding to replace lead service lines and ensure the health, dignity, and prosperity of families in our state," said Rep. Delia C. Ramirez. "This funding adds to the more than $15.7 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding that has been already announced to transform our communities with safer roads, sustainable transportation, and healthier families." “Illinois has among the highest concentration of lead service lines in the United States, a problem that affects the health of millions of people,” said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi. “As a proud supporter of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I’m elated to join the EPA and my fellow members of Congress in announcing that Illinois will receive more than $240 million from the EPA’s Lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to ensure that Illinois has the resources to identify, remove, and replace lead service lines. This latest action will prevent exposure to lead in drinking water for countless communities across Illinois, and I look forward to our state and local partners swiftly implementing these projects.” “We are pleased to see the additional federal funds coming to Illinois, and grateful that USEPA continues to refine the lead service line allotments to reflect a more equitable distribution of funds for the states and communities most in need,” said Illinois EPA Director John J. Kim. “The additional funding to Illinois’s State Revolving Fund is vital to our community water supplies as they undertake the crucial task of removing lead service lines.” President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes. To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) including an assessment of newly submitted information. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025. For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding, and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website. |
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EPA announces over $28.6M for South Dakota lead pipe replacement to ensure safe drinking water PIERRE – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $28,650,000 from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help South Dakota identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today’s announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration’s commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative. “EPA is dedicated to protecting the health of all South Dakotans by ensuring the water flowing into their taps is safe and reliable,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “Everyone deserves access to clean drinking water, and this lead service line replacement funding underscores our commitment to making that happen, especially in disadvantaged communities.” Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today is for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need, meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. EPA has also developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes. To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA). To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the U.S. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, including information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025. For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website. |
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Biden-Harris Administration announces over $28 million for New Hampshire lead pipe replacement to advance safe drinking water as part of Investing in America agenda BOSTON (May 2, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $28,650,000 from President Biden's Investing in America agenda to help New Hampshire identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today's announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA's successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration's commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration's Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA's Get the Lead Out Initiative.Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President's Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families."The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.""Our goal is simple, yet essential: to assure that everyone has clean, safe drinking water. That's why identifying and replacing lead service lines is crucial; it can protect our communities, especially the most vulnerable, from lead exposure," said EPA Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "New England has some of the oldest housing stock in the country, and no one—no matter where they live—should have to worry about lead in their drinking water and what comes out of the tap. This funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides the much-needed resources to help deliver on that promise—to replace every lead pipe and ensure clean, safe drinking water for all.""No Granite Stater should worry about the safety of their water. As a lead negotiator of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I fought to secure this funding to ensure that children and families can trust that the water coming into their homes is safe to consume. I'm proud that this infusion of federal funding will help New Hampshire get rid of lead pipes and update our aging infrastructure to better ensure the health and safety of Granite Staters," said Senator Jeanne Shaheen."Granite Staters deserve access to clean and safe drinking water and I am glad to see this latest round of federal funding coming to New Hampshire to identify and replace lead service lines still in use," said Senator Maggie Hassan. "I helped negotiate and pass the bipartisan infrastructure law to make projects like this one — which will remove lead water pipes from service — possible. These critical investments in infrastructure strengthen our communities and our economy.""Everyone deserves access to safe, clean drinking water, and the safety of New Hampshire's drinking water is critical to the health and well-being of our communities and families across the state," said Congresswoman Annie Kuster. "These resources to replace dangerous lead pipes and this significant funding made available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will go a long way toward making that a reality.""Addressing lead pipes in a quick and targeted manner is needed to ensure New Hampshire families and children have safe, clean drinking water," said Congressman Chris Pappas. "I fought to pass the bipartisan infrastructure law to deliver these resources to New Hampshire, and this funding will support lead pipe replacement to update our water infrastructure, safeguard public health, and ensure our communities have clean water. I will continue working to address contaminants in drinking water and protect the well-being of our communities."President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water.The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding.Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes.The Biden-Harris Administration's ambitious initiative to remove lead pipes has already delivered significant results for families across the nation. Today's latest funding will ensure more families benefit from these unprecedented resources, and support projects like these:Rollinsford Water & Sewer has received $756,000 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to make water system improvements in Front and South Street. Of the $756,000, approximately $300,000 will fund performing service line inventory activities and replacing lead service lines, lead "gooseneck" adapters, and galvanized services. It is estimated that 20 lead contaminated services will be replaced as a result of this work.Plymouth Village Water & Sewer District has received $1,750,000 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to make water system improvements including performing service line inventory activities and replacing lead service lines, lead "gooseneck" adapters, and galvanized services. It is estimated that 158 lead contaminated services will be replaced as a result of this work.The City of Claremont has received $2,150,000 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to replace water main and lead service lines throughout their system. Of the $2,150,000, it is estimated that $750,000 will be utilized to replace the lead service lines.To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA's Investing in America's Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA's recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal.Today's allotments are based on EPA's updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) including an assessment of newly submitted information. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025.For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding, and a breakdown of EPA's lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA's Drinking Water website. |
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EPA Announces $28.7 Million for Arizona Lead Pipe Replacement to Advance Safe Drinking Water SAN FRANCISCO (May 2, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $28,650,000 from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help Arizona identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of severe health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country to protect children and families. The investment announced today, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance public health and environmental justice and bolsters the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and Get the Lead Out Initiative.Working collaboratively, EPA and Arizona are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities, including those overburdened by lead exposure and pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income communities. To date, the total funding announced through this program is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families. “Every single person living in Arizona deserves access to clean, safe drinking water and a guarantee that they and their loved ones will be protected from lead contamination,” said Martha Guzman, EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator. "Thanks to President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is investing an unprecedented amount of funding to replace these harmful lead service lines, with communities at the greatest risk of lead poisoning prioritized.”“Access to clean drinking water is a right that will be expanded in Arizona thanks to this investment from our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said U.S. Senator Mark Kelly. “By addressing drinking water contamination, we’re protecting the health of families across the state. I’ll continue pushing for more federal funds to invest in Arizona’s water infrastructure.”“All Arizonans deserve access to clean, safe drinking water – and still, exposure to water from lead pipes threatens the health of families and loved ones. Thanks to our bipartisan infrastructure law, we’re investing in lead pipe replacement to protect Arizonans’ health,” said U.S. Senator Krysten Sinema, co-author and lead negotiator of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law."Water is our foundation, and access to clean drinking water is intrinsic to leading a healthy and prosperous life," said Governor Katie Hobbs. "Every Arizonan, regardless of zip code or socioeconomic background, has a right to clean drinking water and I am grateful to the Environmental Protection Agency for prioritizing this and providing Arizona the resources to tackle this issue. I look forward to our continued partnership to create a safe and healthy Arizona for everyone."“As a lifelong resident of the southside of Tucson who was impacted by hazardous water contamination, protecting residents from polluted drinking water has long been a priority for me,” declared U.S. Representative Raúl Manuel Grijalva (AZ-7). “There is no safe level of exposure to lead for children, and children in disadvantaged communities deserve every bit of protection as everyone else. Addressing unsafe lead pipes was a major component of the infrastructure law, and I’m proud to see this $26 million federal investment protecting Arizonans. I appreciate the Biden administration’s commitment to environmental justice and the continued investment to ensure our water infrastructure and drinking supply are safe for future generations.” “Access to clean drinking water is essential, no matter what zip code you’re in. Thanks to these historic funds from our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re making sure communities across Arizona can identify and replace lead pipes and prevent toxic exposure,” declared U.S. Representative Greg Stanton (NV-04).“Every Arizonan deserves access to clean drinking water. Thanks to our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I’m proud of these investments to remove lead pipes in communities across the state,” remarked U.S. Representative Ruben Gallego.“Resources for lead service line replacement are already being used in large and small communities across the state,” stated Chuck Podolak, Director of the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona (WIFA). “We are grateful for the continued infusion of critical funding and the partnerships it has facilitated between WIFA and Arizona’s Department of Environmental Quality, which is utilizing funds to assist small water systems in identifying where harmful lead service lines might exist in their communities. WIFA is excited to see EPA’s continued dedication to providing resources to ensure clean drinking water for Arizona’s families.”The Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious initiative to remove lead pipes has already delivered significant results for families nationwide, including in Arizona.The City of Tuscon recently received $6.95 million to develop a lead service line inventory for its nine public water systems. The city will use this inventory to develop a plan to replace lead service lines throughout the community and improve drinking water quality for residents, particularly those living in overburdened and low-income communities.President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead service lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be explicitly provided for lead service line identification and replacement. It will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water most effectively. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support identifying potential lead service lines in their homes.To view stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read about some projects underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA), which includes an assessment of newly submitted information. This is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress, including the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, consisting of information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025.For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website.Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region here, and visit our Instagram, Facebook, and X. |
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New Jersey to Get Over $123 Million for Lead Pipe Replacement to Advance Safe Drinking Water New York – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $123.1 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help New Jersey identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today’s announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, takes another major step to advance this work and environmental justice, and bolsters the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative. Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative as lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, which would secure clean drinking water for countless families. “The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.” “Every New Jerseyan deserves safe drinking water when they turn on their tap and this major injection of funding will further bolster the work to achieve that goal,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “For too long, the urgent need to improve our drinking water systems has far outweighed the available funding. This crucial Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding is helping close that gap.” “The public health threat posed by our aging water infrastructure is a challenge across both our state and the nation. In order to prevent toxic exposures for this generation and beyond, we have committed to replacing every lead service line in New Jersey by 2031,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. “Thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the support of the U.S. EPA and our congressional delegation, the substantial federal resources pouring into New Jersey will put us a great deal closer to this goal.” “This investment in replacing New Jersey’s lead service lines will help ensure we deliver safe, clean drinking water while also creating jobs. In a nation as wealthy as ours, every child should be guaranteed the right to safe drinking water,” said U.S. Senator Cory Booker. “I’m proud to have voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to make investments like this that will pay dividends in our health, well-being, and prosperity for generations to come." “Clean and safe drinking water is essential for communities in South Jersey and across the state,” said U.S. Representative Donald Norcross (NJ-01). “This federal funding to replace dangerous lead pipes is yet another transformative investment in New Jersey made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. I commend President Biden and the EPA for their continued commitment to delivering the infrastructure improvements that our communities need. I look forward to working together to build on this progress and ensure that tax dollars are put to work for South Jersey families." “We continue to see the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law delivering for essential, everyday needs across New Jersey. Lead-free drinking water should be a right, never a luxury. I am proud to have helped deliver our state this critical funding to look after public health and reduce the risk of lead contaminated water,’ said U.S. Representative Andy Kim (NJ-03). “I look forward to seeing its impact for so many local families and am committed to building on this effort to ensure every community across New Jersey and our country has the resources it needs to deliver everyone reliable, clean water.” “New Jersey has more than 350,000 lead lines, among the most in the nation. Every family in Jersey deserves to drink water that’s free of lead and dangerous chemicals,” said U.S. Representative Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “I’m proud to have helped craft and pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, a milestone in my years-long fight for clean drinking water. With this legislation, we’re clawing back massive federal investments to protect Jersey children and purify our water — all without raising local taxes. It’s a victory for our families, our environment, and our entire state.” “Every American should be able to trust the water that comes from their tap, which is why removing toxic lead water lines has long been one of my top priorities in Congress. In New Jersey, too many families still receive water in their homes through these dangerous lines. Thankfully today’s announcement continues to build on our state’s progress toward upgrading our water infrastructure by replacing these toxic water lines,” said U.S. Representative Frank Pallone (NJ-06). “As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee last Congress, I fought to include this funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law so that families don’t have to worry about being exposed to this harmful contaminant in their water. I’m glad to see that law is continuing to deliver on the promise to improve our state’s most critical infrastructure, and I’ll keep fighting to ensure that all of our communities have access to safe drinking water.” “No one should have to question whether their tap water is safe to drink,” said U.S. Representative Menendez (NJ-08). “With over $120 million coming from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are transforming our aging water infrastructure to deliver safe drinking water to residents across New Jersey. I am proud to work alongside House Democrats and the Biden Administration to ensure that every American can trust the water flowing from their faucets.” “Towns and cities throughout New Jersey are working to replace lead service lines but I often hear from mayors and councils about the tough financial burden these projects put on their municipal budgets. I am proud to have fought for the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that continues to deliver for our state with this new funding from the EPA. The federal resources coming to New Jersey to help fund these projects will have an immense impact on affordability, health, and water quality in our communities,” said U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11). “Safe drinking water is a human right, yet far too many people in New Jersey and across the country lack access to it. We have a national water crisis and must act now,” said U.S. Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12). “I’m proud to advocate for targeted federal funding to eliminate lead lines, address potential contaminants in our water, and ensure our state has clean drinking water. This historic investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a crucial step toward building a sustainable, secure and healthy future for all.” President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help New Jersey fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. This Lead Service Line-specific formula allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. To ensure that funding is used for lead service line related activities, LSLR allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes. The Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious initiative to remove lead pipes has already delivered significant results for families across the nation. Today’s latest funding will ensure more New Jersey families benefit from these unprecedented resources and support projects like these: In New Brunswick, New Jersey, the City and Rutgers University are actively developing a workforce program to address the community's demand for skilled operators. The collaboration addresses immediate needs and aims to become a model for other communities aspiring to secure a healthier water future. Today, the New Brunswick plant is one of the most critical water supply assets to the region’s people and its economy with 67 employees delivering an average of 130 million gallons and a maximum delivery capacity of up to 190 million gallons daily. New Brunswick is also among the 10 New Jersey communities actively engaged in the EPA's Lead Service Line Replacement Accelerators program, a part of EPA's WaterTA initiative funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority is identifying, excavating, and replacing lead drinking water service lines at homes with known service lines in accordance with the new Lead and Copper Rule Revisions. JCMUA is replacing lead lines with new copper service lines from the water main to the curb stop and/or the curb stop to the water meter at the building. The presence of lead service lines is a known issue in Jersey City and the JCMUA is proactively addressing this before lead poses a threat to residents’ health. To view more stories about how the unprecedented investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment including an assessment of the one-time update submissions. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025. For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website. Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website. 24-041 |
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Biden-Harris Administration announces over $28 million for Connecticut lead pipe replacement to advance safe drinking water as part of Investing in America agenda BOSTON (May 2, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $28,650,000 from President Biden's Investing in America agenda to help Connecticut identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today's announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA's successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration's commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration's Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA's Get the Lead Out Initiative.Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President's Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families."The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes, " said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all. ""Our goal is simple, yet essential: to assure that everyone has clean, safe drinking water. That's why identifying and replacing lead service lines is crucial; it can protect our communities, especially the most vulnerable, from lead exposure, " said EPA Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "New England has some of the oldest housing stock in the country, and no one—no matter where they live—should have to worry about lead in their drinking water and what comes out of the tap. This funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides the much-needed resources to help deliver on that promise—to replace every lead pipe and ensure clean, safe drinking water for all. ""This $3 billion is a major step toward preventing lead contamination in our drinking water. Lead can cause irreversible health problems, especially in children, and it is absolutely critical that we replace harmful lead water lines with safe alternatives. I am thrilled to see that $28.6 million of this incredible investment by the Biden Administration will come to Connecticut and will keep fighting for more federal dollars to ensure healthy and clean drinking water for all, said Senator Richard Blumenthal. ""No one in our state should have to think twice before drinking their own tap water, " said Senator Chris Murphy. "This $28.6 million federal grant from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will go a long way to replace our old lead pipes so every family in every zip code has reliable access to clean, safe drinking water. ""The Connecticut Congressional delegation worked together to secure significant investments in upgrading our state's clean water infrastructure through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including the first-ever federal program dedicated to replacing lead service pipes, " said Rep. John B. Larson. "The nearly $29 million in funding we secured for Connecticut will allow communities across the state to identify and replace lead service lines and take steps to reduce lead exposure in drinking water. I remain committed to ensuring safe drinking water is accessible to everyone, regardless of income or zip code. ""Every community deserves access to clean drinking water. This latest investment by the Biden administration to replace outdated and dangerous lead pipes will directly impact the people of Connecticut and improve water quality in traditionally marginalized communities, " said U.S. Representative Jahana Hayes. "Once again, we are seeing the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law deliver for Connecticut, and I look forward to the tangible benefits these investments will bring to the health and safety of our communities. ""This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act, which sets water quality standards for the nation's drinking water and establishes a framework to safeguard the public health and safety of U.S. citizens, " said Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont. "The lead service lines that connect the home to the water main are typically the most significant source of lead in drinking water, and we estimate that there are thousands of lead service lines in Connecticut that need to be replaced. Having this funding available to our cities and towns is another example of a successful collaboration between federal and state governments that will ultimately benefit the health and wellness of our residents. ""The timing of the release of these State Revolving Funds comes at the perfect time since Drinking Water Week is recognized from May 5th to May 11th, " said Connecticut Department of Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD. "Eliminating lead in our homes and drinking water is a top priority for DPH. Excessive lead intake, whether through drinking water or other sources, can lead to severe health issues, including brain and kidney damage, and can disrupt the production of red blood cells that transport oxygen throughout the body. The greatest risk of lead exposure is to infants, young children, and pregnant women. Connecticut is home to superior drinking water quality, largely due to a robust infrastructure and committed water professionals who monitor and protect water quality and safety. These funds will enable us to continue to improve the quality of drinking water for all the residents of Connecticut. "President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water.The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding.Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes.The Biden-Harris Administration's ambitious initiative to remove lead pipes has already delivered significant results for families across the nation. Today's latest funding will ensure more families benefit from these unprecedented resources, and support projects like these:The Metropolitan District Commission has received $1,360,535 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to inventory lead service lines within their water service area.The Town of Putnam has received $425,000 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to develop a detailed electronic database and mapping component of the system's water service lines and develop a Lead Service Line Replacement Program Plan, conducting public outreach, conducting inventory verification, developing a computerized hydraulic model, and flushing program.To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA's Investing in America's Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA's recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal.Today's allotments are based on EPA's updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) including an assessment of newly submitted information. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025.For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding, and a breakdown of EPA's lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA's Drinking Water website. |
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EPA announces over $28.6M for Utah lead pipe replacement to ensure safe drinking water SALT LAKE CITY – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $28,650,000 from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help Utah identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today’s announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration’s commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative. “EPA is dedicated to protecting the health of all Utahns by ensuring the water flowing into their taps is safe and reliable,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “Everyone deserves access to clean drinking water, and this lead service line replacement funding underscores our commitment to making that happen, especially in disadvantaged communities.” Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families. “As one of the fastest growing states in the country, Utah was in need of infrastructure investment—which is why I helped negotiate the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,” said Senator Mitt Romney. “This funding—nearly $29 million—will go a long way in protecting public health and ensuring that Utahns continue to have safe drinking water.” The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today is for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need, meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. EPA has also developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes. To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA). To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the U.S. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, including information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025. For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website. |
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Biden-Harris Administration Announces Over $28.6 Million for Delaware Lead Pipe Replacement to Advance Safe Drinking Water as Part of Investing in America Agenda PHILADELPHIA (May 2, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $28,650,000 from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help Delaware identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today’s announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration’s commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative.Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families. “The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.”“Across our region, states are getting boosts from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will improve lives, strengthen communities, and protect our most vulnerable populations,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “This funding brings us much closer to replacing all lead service lines throughout the nation.”“Every Delawarean should have the simple peace of mind that the water in their own homes is safe and clean to use and drink. That starts with replacing the toxic lead pipes still servicing too many homes and businesses up and down our state,” said Senator Tom Carper, Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “Thanks to the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is providing Delaware millions to do just that — especially in communities with the most need.” “Delawareans continue to feel the benefits of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this time by reducing the risk of lead poisoning and ensuring that they can count on clean drinking water,” said Senator Chris Coons. “This investment by the EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund will have positive, lasting impacts on public health by replacing outdated lead water pipes that contain lead with systems that bring safe drinking water to our communities.”“We must do everything we can to ensure that all Delawareans live in a home that is safe and healthy – one that is free from lead pipes,” said Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, member of the House Health Subcommittee. “This type of funding is exactly why I was so proud to champion the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, along with Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons. I am grateful for this investment of more than $28 million on behalf of families across the First State.”President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. The Lead Service Line-specific formula used to allot these funds allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. The formula and allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more funding. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes.The Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious initiative to remove lead pipes has already delivered significant results for families across the nation. Today’s latest funding will ensure more families benefit from these unprecedented resources, and support projects like these: To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) including an assessment of newly submitted information. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025.For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding, and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website. |
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Biden-Harris Administration announces over $28 million for Vermont lead pipe replacement to advance safe drinking water as part of Investing in America agenda BOSTON (May 2, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $28,650,000 from President Biden's Investing in America agenda to help Vermont identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today's announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA's successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), takes another major step to advance this work and the Administration's commitment to environmental justice. This funding builds on the Administration's Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA's Get the Lead Out Initiative.Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President's Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40% of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families."The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.""Our goal is simple, yet essential: to assure that everyone has clean, safe drinking water. That's why identifying and replacing lead service lines is crucial; it can protect our communities, especially the most vulnerable, from lead exposure," said EPA Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "New England has some of the oldest housing stock in the country, and no one—no matter where they live—should have to worry about lead in their drinking water and what comes out of the tap. This funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides the much-needed resources to help deliver on that promise—to replace every lead pipe and ensure clean, safe drinking water for all.""When people in the world's richest country turn on their taps, the water that comes out should be clean," said U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders. "That's why I fought hard to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in our last Congress and ensure Vermont got its fair share. I am pleased to see the EPA will be releasing more of the funds from this legislation to support our state's communities as they carry out the necessary work to maintain and upgrade their drinking water infrastructure. I look forward to seeing these funds implemented as quickly and as effectively as possible so that every Vermonter in every corner of our state can have access to clean, safe, and reliable drinking water.""Every community deserves to have clean drinking water. That's why Vermont has led the country as one of the first states to regulate the use of lead pipes to service our water systems. Still, too many service lines contaminated by lead remain in our state, causing serious, long-term health risks that disproportionately impact marginalized and low-income communities," said Senator Peter Welch. "This $28 million investment from the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to remove and replace lead pipes across Vermont will really make a difference in making sure every community has safe water to drink.""We take seriously the public health risk presented by lead exposure through drinking water," said Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore. "With this substantial funding, we stand poised to expedite the identification and replacement of lead service lines, improving the well-being of our communities, and helping us reach our goal of ensuring all Vermonters have access to safe, clean drinking water."President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help every state and territory fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. This Lead Service Line-specific formula allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. To ensure that funding is used for lead service line related activities, LSLR allotments are based on need—meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more.Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a new memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes.The Biden-Harris Administration's ambitious initiative to remove lead pipes has already delivered significant results for families across the nation. Today's latest funding will ensure more families benefit from these unprecedented resources, and support projects like these:Town of Bethel has received $2,500,000 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to begin a preliminary engineering report and environmental report for replacing lead service lines.City of Rutland has received $800,000 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to inventory lead service lines.To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA's Investing in America's Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA's recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal.Today's allotments are based on EPA's updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) including an assessment of newly submitted information. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025.For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding, and a breakdown of EPA's lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA's Drinking Water website. |
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New York to Get Over $129 Million for Lead Pipe Replacement to Advance Safe Drinking Water NEW YORK – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $129.2 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help New York identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead can cause a range of serious health impacts, including irreversible harm to brain development in children. To protect children and families, President Biden has committed to replacing every lead pipe in the country. Today’s announcement, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and available through EPA’s successful Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, takes another major step to advance this work and environmental justice and bolsters the Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan and EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative. Working collaboratively, EPA and the State Revolving Funds are advancing the President’s Justice40 Initiative as lead exposure disproportionately affects communities of color and low-income families. The total funding announced through this program to date is expected to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide, securing clean drinking water for countless families. “The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “President Biden understands it is critical to identify and remove lead pipes as quickly as possible, and he has secured significant resources for states and territories to accelerate the permanent removal of dangerous lead pipes once and for all.” “Every New Yorker deserves safe drinking water when they turn on their tap and this major injection of funding will further bolster the work to achieve that goal,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “For too long, the urgent need to improve our drinking water systems has far outweighed the available funding. This crucial Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding is helping close that gap.” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said, “New York is committed to ensuring our communities are protected from lead which poses a clear threat to public health. Thanks to New York's Congressional delegation and the Biden Administration's support and leadership in rolling out Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding, New York will remain leaders in reducing exposure to lead in drinking water. This investment directly supports our ongoing efforts to safeguard the health of New Yorkers and ensure all have access to clean water.” “There is nothing more important than keeping New York drinking water safe for our children and families. Now thanks to my Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law, a major $129 million is flowing to replace potentially toxic lead pipes across the state,” said Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer. “No amount of toxic lead exposure is safe for our children, which is why I lead the charge in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to deliver the funding to get the lead out. This is only the latest in those efforts to bolster the clean and safe drinking water our communities need, all while creating a steady stream of good-paying jobs. I will continue to fight until not one lead pipe remains in New York.” “Access to safe, reliable drinking water should be a fundamental right, yet far too many New Yorkers are still drinking water from dangerous lead pipes,” said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “This $129 million in dedicated funding to address lead service lines is monumental for New York and will help improve public health across the state by replacing dangerous lead pipes to ensure lead-free water is flowing into New York communities. I am proud to have helped secure the funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that enables this much-needed investment and will continue fighting for the resources needed to enhance public health and provide New Yorkers with access to safe drinking water.” "Get the lead out! We must use these funds to remove the remaining lead pipes in Northeast Queens and throughout America. Any amount of lead exposure in drinking water is dangerous and unacceptable, especially for children. Let's work together to create a safer, healthier future for all," said U.S. representative Tom Suozzi (NY-03). “This lead service line replacement federal funding makes critical improvements to New York’s water infrastructure, including in traditionally underserved communities,” said U.S. Representative Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05). “My district continues to benefit from the Biden Administration's Investing in America Agenda. It is vital that clean water is accessible to New Yorkers, and I applaud the Administration’s steadfast dedication to creating healthier communities across the state.” “I’m thrilled that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is continuing to deliver for New York,” said U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06). “This crucial measure that I was proud to help pass in Congress is providing needed funding to improve communities across our state, and that includes this initiative to award millions for replacing lead service lines, an issue for which I have long advocated. As New York's representative on the House of Representatives Regional Leadership Council – which works to promote and implement legislation signed by President Biden – I will continue fighting for even more resources for New York.” “Access to clean and safe drinking water is a right every New Yorker deserves,” said U.S. Representative Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07). “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which I was proud to help pass in Congress, is a monumental step toward replacing lead pipes nationwide and in New York State. I commend the Biden administration for their investments in replacing dangerous lead lines and ensuring clean drinking water. I look forward to continuing to work to improve water infrastructure in New York.” "New York families deserve to be free from the harms lead service lines have long inflicted on our communities. Through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, thankfully, the progress we have long awaited is nearly in our hands. With $129 million in unprecedented funding for lead service line replacement, our state will be safer, its families will be healthier, and its future will be ever-brighter. All New Yorkers have the right to know the water they drink is safe, and I am proud to have fought for the resources needed to make that a reality," said U.S. Representative Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09). “Replacing lead pipes across New York City and State is critical to protecting our communities, particularly as recent reports suggest roughly 21% of New York City residents may be drinking from lead-contaminated pipes, putting themselves at risk for a number of adverse health effects,” said U.S. Representative Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11). “I’m pleased to see that New York will receive more funding from the EPA and I continue to encourage the State to lift the arbitrary cap placed on these funding pots so New York City can receive its fair share of funding proportional to its population.” “With today’s announcement of $129 million to replace lead pipes in New York, the Biden Administration is bringing cleaner and healthier drinking water to New Yorkers across our state,” said U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler (NY-12). “I’m proud to have voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in Congress which continues to deliver transformative upgrades to our state’s aging infrastructure.” "I commend the EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan for his ongoing commitment to safeguarding the health and well-being of communities in my district and around the nation," said U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). "Together, we are investing in critical water infrastructure needs, ensuring access to clean and safe drinking water as well as flooding prevention. I am proud to help deliver this $420 million in funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, signed into law, to help protect the future of our children and prioritize the health of all New Yorkers for generations to come." “I’m thrilled to hear that $129 million in federal funding is returning to New York State to help update water systems across the state, and had I been in Congress, I would have voted for this important legislation,” said U.S. Representative Mike Lawler (NY-17). “Hopefully, much of this funding will be directed towards places like the East Ramapo Central School District that are desperately in need of an investment like this one.” “There is no safe amount of lead exposure for kids – no Hudson Valley family should have to worry that their drinking water is coming from a toxic lead pipe,” said U.S. Representative Pat Ryan (NY-18). “That’s why I’m committed to getting rid of every lead pipe in the Hudson Valley. This historic $129 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for New York will go a long way toward making that possible. I’m fighting like hell to make sure those investments come to communities across the Hudson Valley.” “Science tells us there is no safe level of lead exposure, yet millions of lead service lines remain in operation, bringing contaminated drinking water to American families,” said U.S. Representative Paul Tonko (NY-20). “Thankfully, the Biden Administration is taking strong action under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to overhaul our drinking water systems and replace lead services lines across our state and nation. I’m proud of our efforts to get this transformative legislation passed, and I’m committed to realizing our mission to get the lead out of our drinking water and ensure that every American knows the water from their tap is clean and safe.” “Everyone deserves to know their water is safe to drink and free of harmful pollutants like lead,” said U.S. Representative Joe Morelle (NY-25). “I’m grateful to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Biden Administration for their ongoing commitment to investing in projects which improve our water infrastructures and help secure this peace of mind for our families. I look forward to continuing my work with them and my colleagues in Congress to protect everyone’s right to clean water and safeguard our environment for future generations.” President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests a historic $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49% of funds provided through the DWSRF General Supplemental Funding and DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for too long. EPA projects a national total of 9 million lead services lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement and will help New York fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. This Lead Service Line-specific formula allows states to receive financial assistance commensurate with their need as soon as possible, furthering public health protection nationwide. To ensure that funding is used for lead service line related activities, LSLR allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more. Alongside the funding announced today, EPA is also releasing a memorandum that clarifies how states can use this and other funding to most effectively reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Additionally, EPA has developed new outreach documents to help water systems educate their customers on drinking water issues, health impacts of lead exposure, service line ownership, and how customers can support the identification of potential lead service lines in their homes. The Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious initiative to remove lead pipes has already delivered significant results for families across the nation. To view more stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Story Map. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects and explore the State Revolving Funds Public Portal. Today’s allotments are based on EPA’s updated 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment including an assessment of the one-time update submissions. To date, this is the best available data collected and assessed on service line materials in the United States. Later this summer, EPA will release an addendum to the 7th DWINSA Report to Congress which will include the updated lead service line projections. EPA anticipates initiating data collection, which will include information on lead service lines, for the 8th DWINSA in 2025. For more information, including state-by-state allotment of 2024 funding and a breakdown of EPA’s lead Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, please visit EPA’s Drinking Water website. Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website. 24-040 |