NH Delegation Announces Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding for Piscataqua Region Estuaries
(Washington, D.C.) — U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), negotiators of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) welcomed today’s announcement from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that $132 million from the bipartisan infrastructure law will be invested in the National Estuaries Program (NEP). This unprecedented investment will provide each of New England’s estuaries of national significance with up to $4.5 million over the next five years to fund important work to protect and restore the estuaries, including the Piscataqua Region Estuaries.
The delegation’s statements today follow their announcement in June on the release of $1 billion from the bipartisan infrastructure law out of the $5 billion allocated in the legislation to address PFAS and other emerging contaminants in small and disadvantaged communities. Last year, Shaheen, Hassan, Kuster and Pappas announced more than $72 million in federal funds for New Hampshire from the EPA to improve the state’s drinking water and wastewater systems, including addressing PFAS and lead in Granite State water supplies. As a core negotiator of the IIJA, Shaheen spearheaded the water infrastructure provisions with Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT). Senator Hassan secured nearly $1 billion in critical funding for coastal resilience in the IIJA, helping to prevent severe flooding and restoring ecological habitats.
"This latest infusion of federal dollars serves as a continued reminder about how the bipartisan infrastructure law is delivering for New Hampshire communities. It’s exciting to see how these dollars will make a tangible difference in our communities, and in this case, through restoring water quality and ecological integrity in the Piscataqua Region Estuaries,” said Shaheen. “As a lead negotiator of this legislation, I'm proud to see these crucial federal resources benefitting our state as intended. Whether it’s updating drinking water infrastructure or mitigating the effects of climate change or preserving our waterways, the investments from the infrastructure law just keep coming.”
“This new funding will help both our environment and our economy, and is yet another example of how the bipartisan infrastructure bill that we passed into law continues to deliver for New Hampshire,” said Senator Hassan. “This latest funding will help protect and restore our estuaries – which is critical to supporting the environment and our tourism industry.”
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Package continues to deliver for our Granite State communities – this funding for the National Estuaries Program is another example of its impact,” said Representative Kuster. “I’m pleased to see these resources heading to our state to improve the water quality and overall health of the Piscataqua Region Estuaries and protect New Hampshire’s natural landscape. I look forward to the positive impact of this funding on our state and our environment.”
“New Hampshire’s way of life and our economy are rooted in our natural environment,” said Representative Pappas. “It’s welcome news that these funds are being delivered to our communities to protect and restore the Piscataqua Region Estuaries, work that will improve access to clean water and resiliency on the Seacoast. I’ll keep fighting in Congress to ensure that our state receives the resources needed to protect our environment and build safe, resilient infrastructure in all our communities.”
As a senior member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Shaheen has long supported the National Estuary Program (NEP). The NEP is a place-based program that, since 1987, has funded projects that restore water quality and ecological integrity across 28 estuaries of national significance. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding will accelerate work on Comprehensive Conservation Management Plans, which are structured frameworks for protecting and restoring estuary resources and meeting water quality needs. Additionally, NEPs have been at the forefront of addressing climate impacts and environmental justice disparities in their watersheds.
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