Member Pipeline - Legislative - Dear Colleague Letter
Stop the Release of Dangerous Pollutants and
Protect Human Health
Cosponsor the Water Quality Investment Act of 2007
Dear Colleague:
Sewer system overflows are a growing problem in the United
States today. Many of our municipalities utilize sewer systems constructed as
far back as when Abraham Lincoln was president. This antiquated infrastructure
is deteriorating, and as a result, state and local governments are often unable
to stop sewage and untreated waste from flowing into streets, basements, rivers,
and lakes.
Combined sewer systems, found mainly in older cities, are one
source of these overflows. The Environmental Protection Agency approximates that
each year, combined sewer overflows (CSOs) discharge about 850 billion gallons
of wastewater and storm water containing untreated waste, toxic debris, and
other pollutants. Sanitary sewer systems often overflow as well, releasing
untreated waste into our environment. In 2003, New Jersey closed over 30,000
acres of classified shellfish growing areas due to a large sanitary sewer
overflow (SSO). Another year saw 829 sewer overflows in Michigan, totaling over
19 million gallons in spilled sewage.
Upgrading these systems is extremely expensive. The
Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the total cost of repairing the
country's combined sewer systems is nearly $51 billion. The price tag for fixing
U.S. sanitary sewer systems hovers around $89 billion.
In order to help address this problem, we have introduced
H.R. 569, the Water Quality Investment Act of 2007. This legislation
authorizes funding for sewer overflow control grants to municipalities over six
years to aid cities that find building or improving sewer infrastructure
financially impossible without help from the federal government. It is
imperative that we help localities meet their obligations under the Clean Water
Act, as many cannot afford to repair these systems on their own.
Sewer system overflows are a public health threat, and we
must help communities protect their citizens. For more information or to become
a cosponsor of this legislation, please contact Stephanie Krenrich in
Congressman Pascrell's office at 5-5751 or Allison Havourd in Congressman Camp's
office at 5-3561.
Sincerely,
s/
s/
Bill Pascrell, Jr.
Dave Camp
Member of Congress Member of
Congress