(AGENPARL) – gio 02 maggio 2024 Issued: May 2, 2024 (11:54am EDT)
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New York to Get Over $129 Million for Lead Pipe Replacement to Advance Safe
Drinking Water  
EPA announces latest round of funding toward President Biden’s commitment
to replace every lead pipe in the nation, protecting public health and helping
to deliver safe drinking water
NEW YORK (May 2, 2024) – 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 
(347) 908-3374
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