Kelly Airs Concerns on Wastewater Blending
Kelly Airs Concerns on Wastewater Blending
April 13, 2005
WASHINGTON - U.S. Congresswoman Sue Kelly today continued to express her concerns about wastewater blending during a hearing before the House Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
State and local officials along with wastewater management and public health experts testified at the Congressional hearing that focused on wastewater blending, public health and environmental issues regarding blending, and its legality under the Clean Water Act.
Blending is a method used by some wastewater management plants to address excess wet weather flows resulting from heavy rain or snow melts.
Late last year, reports indicated that the EPA is considering issuing new wastewater blending guidelines that would broaden the circumstances under which wastewater could be discharged by into surrounding water bodies.
These reports prompted Kelly to write to then-EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt on the subject of wastewater blending and convey her concerns as well as those of her constituents in the Hudson Valley (see text of letter further below).
The following was Kelly's statement at today's hearing:
Thank you Chairman Duncan for holding this hearing today.
Managing wastewater runoff is an incredibly important task for our local communities.
I think everyone on today's panel can and will attest to that. Their presence here today is testament to the issue's salience in our communities.
Over the past two weeks, I have visited areas of my Congressional district that have been seriously damaged by heavy rains and flooding.
Hundreds of people will not be able to return to their homes, and damage estimates for the Hudson Valley are over $100 million.
In addition to home and property damage, health authorities are warning that well water might be contaminated by upstream sewage and wastewater treatment plant discharge.
So there are times when Mother Nature will not cooperate with our regulations, regardless how strict, and wastewater discharges occur.
But these occurrences should be limited to such emergencies, and I fear that blending waste streams at times other than such disasters will result in the unnecessary discharge of harmful contaminants and cause tremendous risks to the public health.
My constituents are very concerned with any modifications to EPA guidelines.
In the Hudson Valley, we are firm believers in the importance of systems that will restore and protect the great diversity of critical water resources in our area.
It is this belief that led me to author the Clean Water Infrastructure Financing Act, which when passed by Congress would dedicate $25 billion over five years to improving the quality of our nation's deteriorating water infrastructure.
Last Congress, 151 bipartisan co-sponsors, many on this Subcommittee, joined me in supporting this important investment. I plan to reintroduce it again in the near future, as the need for this investment is being demonstrated by today's hearing.
Wastewater infrastructure is of vital importance to our quality of life.
It is crucial that we carefully review any proposed changes to EPA guidelines to ensure that they do not undermine protections in place for our water resources.
I hope today's hearing will be a first step in recognition of the poor state of our water infrastructure and the start of examinations into how to bring it back from its current state of disrepair.
Kelly letter to EPA regarding wastewater blending:
December 9, 2004
The Honorable Michael Leavitt, Administrator
Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20460
Dear Administrator Leavitt:
Recent news reports indicate that the EPA may soon issue new wastewater blending guidelines. According to these reports, new EPA guidelines that would broaden the circumstances under which wastewater could be discharged by into surrounding water bodies are imminent.
In the Hudson Valley, we are firm believers in the importance of systems that will restore and protect the great diversity of critical water resources in our area. It is this belief that has led me to be the chief sponsor in the House of Representatives of the Clean Water Infrastructure Financing Act, which seeks to substantially increase federal investment in wastewater infrastructure.
Understandably, the reported modification to EPA guidelines has generated concerns among my constituents. My purpose in writing is to urge you to carefully review any proposed changes to EPA guidelines to ensure that they do not undermine protections in place for our water resources in the Hudson Valley. If I can be of any assistance to you in this process, please do not hesitate to let me know. I look forward to your response on this important matter.
Sincerely,
Sue W. Kelly
Member of Congress
http://suekelly.house.gov/News.asp?ARTICLE3316=15413