Shaheen Leads NH Delegation in Announcing $1B Available for NH, States to Apply for Water Infrastructure Resources
**Shaheen Led Negotiations on Water Infrastructure Provisions with Senator Romney on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Signed into Law in November**
(Washington, D.C.) — U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a lead negotiator of the water infrastructure provisions in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) that was signed into law in November, and Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) welcomed today’s announcement from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that $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 will be made available. States will be eligible to apply for grants to assist communities. Additionally, the IIJA is providing $4 billion to address PFAS and other emerging contaminants through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and $1 billion through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.
“When I was writing the water infrastructure provisions with my republican colleagues as we negotiated the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, I envisioned moments like this – seeing the tangible results for our communities in New Hampshire. That’s why I fought to include record-level funding to address PFAS exposure in our water supplies – to ensure ample resources for New Hampshire and similarly impacted states throughout the nation,” said Senator Shaheen. “This funding will help make a meaningful impact in cleaning up water supplies and addressing the scourge of PFAS contamination, which for too long has plagued our households. I'll continue to prioritize policies in the Senate to invest in PFAS research, remediation and prevention.”
“The federal funds headed home to address dangerous PFAS exposure in our drinking water is another important example of the bipartisan infrastructure law working for Granite Staters,” said Senator Hassan. “PFAS can cause severe health issues, and we must addresses PFAS contamination in our water supply, which is why we prioritized these investments in the bipartisan infrastructure law that will now lead to real progress for our communities. I will continue working across the aisle to protect Granite Staters’ health and safety and ensure safe and clean water for all.”
“Every Granite Stater needs access to clean, safe drinking water free from dangerous PFAS chemicals,” said Representative Kuster. “I was proud to vote for the bipartisan infrastructure package which included critical water infrastructure funding for New Hampshire. These federal resources provide a tremendous opportunity to make a real impact on the lives of Granite Staters in communities across our state. I will continue working to address PFAS contamination and strengthen our water safety for generations to come.”
“The danger posed by forever chemicals like PFAS is one of the most pressing environmental and public health concerns of our times,” said Representative Chris Pappas. “Too many New Hampshire families worry about their water being contaminated by PFAS. That’s why I fought hard to ensure the bipartisan infrastructure law included funds to update our water infrastructure and ensure all families have access to clean, safe drinking water, and the announcement that these funds are now available is welcome news.”
Senator Shaheen has spearheaded efforts in Congress to uncover the potential health effects related to PFAS contamination, respond to the chemical exposure and remediate polluted sites. Senator Shaheen has successfully included continued authorization and funding for the PFAS health impact study that she created in the 2018 defense legislation, which includes a pilot study at Pease. In addition to her leadership on the bipartisan infrastructure law and through her work on the Senate Armed Services Committee, as a senior member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Shaheen helped secure investments in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure for New Hampshire in government funding legislation recently signed into law. Congress provided $1.638 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRFs) and $1.126 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund through the fiscal year 2022 government funding bill, including more than $18.6 million to the state to make additional water infrastructure updates. Senator Hassan has led additional efforts in Congress to address PFAS contamination. The bipartisan infrastructure law included a provision that Senator Hassan secured to better ensure that New Hampshire towns would be eligible for an advanced technology grant program that could be used to remove PFAS from drinking water. Yesterday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee passed Senator Hassan’s bipartisan measure to address PFAS contamination in food wrappers.
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