EPA Awards $80M In Water Infrastructure Funding To Kansas At Clean Water Act 50th Anniversary Celebration Where Missouri And Kansas Rivers Meet
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox joined EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister for the Midwest stop on the Clean Water Act 50th Anniversary Celebration Tour today at the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas rivers.
According to Fox, the Clean Water Act, which was passed by Congress in 1972 with a resounding bipartisan majority, “set a new course for America’s waters.”
“Over the past 50 years, the Missouri and Kansas rivers, as well as other nationally significant waterways, have been converted into areas that support a thriving economy, a healthy environment, and recreational opportunities.”
Through the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we will have a rare opportunity to maintain the protection of these rivers and make investments in Kansas’ water infrastructure.
The EPA officials gave the Kansas Department of Health and Environment a large check for $80 million during the event at Kaw Point Park in Kansas City, Kansas, for their State Revolving Fund (SRF).
First SRF distribution supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the award is significant for the state.
The first of five yearly payments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this additional cash takes Kansas’ total for the year to about $100M.
Big rivers run in the Heartland, with the Missouri River—the longest in North America—passing through Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.
Today, we honor the achievements of the Clean Water Act that have made our rivers into recreational areas, the historic funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act that will enable us to maintain our water protections, and the community organizations that are essential to maintaining the cleanliness of our river access points.
Sharice Davids (KS-3) of the U.S. House of Representatives, Leo Henning of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), Tyrone A. Garner, the mayor and chief executive officer of Kansas City, Wyandotte County, and other local partners joined EPA to consider the achievements of the Clean Water Act and the potential of Kansas’ historic SRF award.
“Water infrastructure affects many aspects of our lives, from the water in our tap to the rain in our gutters.
It’s common for people to underestimate the significance of such systems until they break down, but it’s up to us to prevent that from happening, according to Davids.
“I am pleased to welcome funds from the bipartisan infrastructure bill to assist provide our communities with cleaner drinking water, safer stormwater systems, and improved wastewater management.”
Since the Clean Water Act’s inception in 1972, Kansas has taken seriously its obligation to administer it, according to Henning.
We have made major investments in our wastewater infrastructure, made possible by grants like the one from the EPA awarded today.
As a rural state, we have had to be creative in how we encourage management methods to lessen the number of contaminants that drain off agricultural areas.
Even though new problems with clean water are always on the horizon, KDHE is prepared to handle them now and in the future because of its strong staff, programs, and authority.
We appreciate our cooperation with Region 7 as we seek to safeguard and enhance Kansas’s water in accordance with the intent of this Act’s original 50-year-old provisions.
With great appreciation, we welcome this investment, which will assist maintain the infrastructure created to keep clean water available at the “tap” for a number of applications in Kansas for years to come, said Garner.
Participants included community members and partner groups who have worked together over the years to improve access to and clean up the Kansas and Missouri rivers for recreational purposes.
Larry O’Donnell, of the Little Blue River Watershed Coalition, and Vicki Richmond, of the Healthy Rivers Partnership, received certificates of gratitude from EPA Region 7, and the celebration was finished with a river cleanup.
Background
The Clean Water Act has been in effect for 50 years, and throughout that time the infrastructure for stormwater runoff and wastewater has been enhanced. Strong collaborations between the EPA, state, municipal and tribal governments, as well as community and environmental organizations, businesses and agriculture, served as the foundation for this progress.
The EPA is working with its partners to set a direction for the next 50 years of advancement for clean water as it continues its nationwide tour honoring the Clean Water Act.
A significant investment in water infrastructure was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, including $12.7 billion from the SRF programs created by the Clean Water Act amendments of 1987.
The national tour, which will culminate on October 18—the 50th anniversary—will highlight the significance of water to human health, thriving ecosystems, agricultural output, and economic development.
Puget Sound, the Florida Everglades, the Chesapeake Bay, the Great Lakes, the Cuyahoga River and more are among the other stops.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
