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AMSTERDAM, NY—Congressman Paul D. Tonko, Chair of the Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Environment & Climate Change, announced that the new House infrastructure package will include major investments in protecting, fixing and upgrading America’s drinking water systems. Among other things, the legislation authorizes more than $23 billion in drinking water support administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—including the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund that recently awarded $45 million to New York State—to help local communities provide safe drinking water and remove dangerous contaminants including PFAS and lead from local water systems, schools, and more.

“No American should be exposed to dangerous contaminants or denied access to clean, safe drinking water,” said Congressman Tonko. “Sadly we have seen countless water systems across our state and nation contaminated by dangerous and even deadly pollutants, with far too little being done to help those affected. I am proud of our bipartisan work in the last Congress to add billions in funding to restore America’s drinking water systems, but even that significant funding pales in comparison to the needs of these failing systems across the nation. Delivering these basic resources and upholding clear safety standards for our drinking water systems are the very least the American people should be able to expect of us. I look forward to voting with my colleagues to advance our critical legislation to implement these standards.”

Tonko has worked in Congress for years to ensure Americans have access to safe drinking water. Earlier this year, he celebrated the advance of major PFAS legislation—spearheaded by his Environment & Climate Change Subcommittee—out of the House of Representatives. The comprehensive PFAS Action Plan he helped lead was designed to reduce human and environmental exposure to these dangerous substances, improve protections for first responders, and provide grants to clean up contaminated water systems.

In addition to these critical drinking water investments, H.R. 2 also reauthorizes $2.7 billion over 5 years in EPA’s Brownfields program. This program supports local economic redevelopment of communities through assessment and remediation of contaminated properties.

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