Long Branch, NJ – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) applauded today’s announcement from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that it will provide New Jersey with over $221 million to enable the New Jersey State Revolving Fund to support 28 new water infrastructure projects benefiting over 5.8 million people across the state. Financing will come from the federal Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan program and will be used to fund 26 drinking water projects and two wastewater projects throughout the state to protect public health and expand access to safe and reliable drinking water.
Drinking water projects will remove contaminants, prevent leaks, improve system resiliency, and replace lead service lines. Wastewater projects will improve treatment capacity and provide higher level of treatment at wastewater facilities. The projects are expected to be completed by 2024 and generate over 1,800 jobs across New Jersey.
“Today’s announcement is great news for our state and our residents, all of whom have a basic human right to safe drinking water and deserve to be able to trust the water coming out of their tap. These federal funds will help restore that trust by making critical upgrades to our local water systems by improving reliability, removing contamination, replacing toxic lead services lines, and protecting New Jerseyans from unsafe drinking water,” Pallone said. “I’m thrilled to know our communities will be kept safer by this funding and will keep fighting to build on this progress and improve more of our state’s critical infrastructure.”
Middlesex County residents will benefit from a loan of $52,131,461 to upgrade aging water infrastructure, including the replacement of lead service lines and repairs to the main transmission line. Towns in Monmouth County will also benefit from a $44 million loan to improve the emergency standby system and replace a main water line.
As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Pallone has jurisdiction over the WIFIA program. WIFIA was established in 2014 with the goal of accelerating investments in the water infrastructure across the country by administering long-term, low-cost supplemental credit assistance for regionally and nationally significant projects.
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