Mayor Rizzo Meets with Massachusetts Delegation to Fight for Increased Water Infrastructure Funding

April 10, 2014

MAYOR RIZZO MEETS WITH MASSACHUSETTS DELEGATION IN WASHINGTON TO FIGHT FOR INCREASED WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING

Mayor speaks to New England Water Environment Association, Senator Warren, Senator Markey, Congresswoman Clark, and Congressman Lynch

This past week Mayor Rizzo traveled to Washington D.C. in order to speak with officials in the Federal Government about water and sewer infrastructure funding as part of a coordinated plan to respond to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Consent Decree facing the City of Revere.

The City and the EPA have entered into a Consent Decree to detect and eliminate illegal sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) in the city over a 10 year period. The improvement projects will target sources of inflow and infiltration (I/I) as well as illicit discharges within the City’s aging sewer and drainage system(s). These improvements are expected to total more than $150 million.

Mayor Rizzo, along with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Congressman James McGovern of Massachusetts and Jeffrey Wennburg, from the City of Rutland, Vermont spoke at the New England Water Environment Association (NEWEA) 2014 Congressional Clean Water Breakfast. NEWEA is an organization of over 2,100 water quality professionals from across the region who works to protect and manage the water environment in New England. Mayor Rizzo addressed the group about the serious issues facing the City of Revere and the need to work together to obtain more Federal (and state) support for projects through the State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs. Mayor Rizzo said as part of his prepared remarks to the NEWEA group; “Hopefully the message we deliver during World Water Week 2014 is that federal support is needed now, more than ever, as we deal with complicated water infrastructure issues in our communities”

Later in the day Mayor Rizzo had one-on-one meetings with Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Edward Markey, Congresswoman Katherine Clark, and Congressman Lynch.. Mayor Rizzo was able to meet with each legislator personally in order to discuss rate relief and increased funding from the Federal Government in order to assist with the rehabilitation of the City of Revere’s Water Infrastructure. Mayor Rizzo is helping to lead the fight for increased water and sewer infrastructure funding for Revere and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Mayor Rizzo also discussed his concerns regarding the issues facing the City of Revere with EPA Region 1 Administrator, Curt Spaulding during the day-long meetings in Washington. The Mayor will hold follow-up meetings with EPA, the Department of Justice, and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection over the coming weeks in response to the conversations in Washington.

“I went down to Washington D.C. to speak with our Senate Delegation and Congresswoman Clark in order to find ways to respond to the Consent Decree we are facing from the EPA. I will do everything in my power in order to ensure our rate payers see some sort of relief,” stated Mayor Rizzo.

If you would like to learn more about Mayor Rizzo and his advocacy for the rate payers in the City of Revere please visit www.revere.org or call the Mayor’s Office at 781-286-8111.

Back to News

Mayor's Office
Contact Information
Patrick M. Keefe Jr.
Mayor
Linda DeMaio
Executive Secretary/Schedule
781-286-8111
Claudia Correa
Chief of Staff
781-286-8111
Robert Marra
Senior Advisor to the Mayor
781-286-8111
Follow us on Social Media!
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Feedback
Provide Website Feedback

There was a problem with your submission. Please correct the issues below

* Required Fields

Please wait…