Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (PA-04), along with U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Dwight Evans (D-PA-3) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-6), delivered $37,543,000 from the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act to make Pennsylvania’s drinking water safer and cleaner. The funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will remove contaminants—like Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) from drinking water in Pennsylvania communities hit hard by these ‘forever chemicals.’
“The Pennsylvania Constitution guarantees our right to clean water, and as lawmakers, we have an obligation to fulfill that promise across our commonwealth—that includes combatting PFAS,” Rep. Dean said. “For too long ‘forever chemicals’ have harmed communities in Pennsylvania, like mine. The historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a major step in environmental justice and in protecting the health and safety of Pennsylvanians.”
“Thanks to the infrastructure law, Pennsylvania is finally able to tackle the scourge of ‘forever chemicals’ in our drinking water,” Senator Casey said. “This investment brings us one step closer to realizing the promise of our state constitution: that all Pennsylvanians have a right to pure water.”
“This landmark funding will help us tackle water contamination head-on in Pennsylvania by implementing vital testing projects to identify and rectify PFAS and other harmful substances from breaching Pennsylvania households,” Senator Fetterman said. “Everyone deserves access to safe and clean water. We have to make sure no community is left behind. This isn't just about infrastructure, it's about equity and environmental justice. Together with Senator Casey, we're securing resources to protect our public water systems, particularly in small and disadvantaged communities across the commonwealth. "
“This federal funding will be helpful in meeting the new federal standards on clean water and PFAS, and I’m pleased to see the Biden Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that I voted for once again delivering tens of millions of dollars in federal funding for Pennsylvania,” Rep. Evans said.
In January, the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) approved $78 million worth of projects across Pennsylvania, funded by the infrastructure law. In April, PENNVEST approved $73 million for additional projects to make drinking water safer and cleaner across the Commonwealth.
Rep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, wife, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.
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