Rep. Sykes Recognizes World Water Week, Calls For Investments In Water Infrastructure And Access To Clean Water
AKRON, OH — U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) issued a statement recognizing World Water Week, observed August 20 – August 24, 2023:
“Northeast Ohioans know the importance of clean, safe drinking water. Especially after the train derailment in East Palestine earlier this year, protecting our drinking water is more critical than ever. Access to clean water is a human right,” said Rep. Sykes. “World Water Week provides us an opportunity to highlight the need to invest in our water infrastructure and protect access to clean water for every American. As the Vice Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, ensuring our communities have access to clean water is one of my top priorities, and I am proud of the work we’ve done so far this year. Both healthy communities and a healthy economy rely on a clean drinking water supply. I’m committed to ensuring no American, especially here in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District, must worry about whether their drinking water is safe when they turn on the tap – and I’ll keep fighting to make it happen.”
Rep. Sykes has been a leader on water issues in her role as Vice Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment. On July 27, 2023, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee voted to pass out of committee Rep. Sykes’ amendment to H.R. 4877, the Abandoned Well Remediation Research and Development Act. The amendment requires the U.S. Secretary of Energy to ensure research and remediation efforts for abandoned oil and gas wells are coordinated among institutions of higher education, the Department of Energy National Laboratories, the private sector, and state and local governments. There are approximately 1,030 abandoned oil and gas wells across Ohio, including six in Stark County, three in Portage County, and two in Summit County. This amendment ensures public and private entities work together to plug these wells efficiently and effectively, thereby protecting the water, public health, and safety of people in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District.
On April 27, 2023, Rep. Sykes introduced H.R. 2921, the?Water Infrastructure Sustainability and Efficiency (WISE) Act. The bill would set aside?20 percent of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for sustainable water infrastructure projects. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund provides states with funds for water quality projects at the state and local level and is the largest source of federal financing for clean water infrastructure projects. The?WISE Act?will build upon the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s historic investments to strengthen our water systems by ensuring critical funding from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund is used to build resilient water infrastructure that safeguards our environment. The?American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009?required Clean Water State Revolving Fund programs to use a certain portion of their funds for green infrastructure projects.?Since 2009, the set aside has been implemented annually but has varied in size – in some years it was as high as 20 percent, but in many years, it was set at 10 percent. The?WISE Act?ends this yearly uncertainty and provides greater predictability for states investing in clean water infrastructure.
In this year’s Community Project Funding submissions, Rep. Sykes requested funding for five water infrastructure projects in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District, which would bring back more than $10.8 million to communities including Hudson, North Canton, New Franklin, Silver Lake, and Canal Fulton. These projects range from a new water tower, extending water and sewage systems, and well water improvements.
On April 12, 2023, Rep. Sykes led more than 30 of her colleagues in sending a letter, calling for Congressional leadership to prioritize water infrastructure funding as part of the Fiscal Year 2024 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations legislation. The letter highlights the need to create jobs, enhance the water workforce, and support clean water investments, which would yield over $220 billion in total annual economic activity, sustaining roughly 1.3 million jobs over the next 10 years by?contributing to the health of our manufacturing sector and advanced industry nationwide.
On March 9, 2023, the House Republican majority passed H.J. Res. 27, which would have used the?Congressional Review Act?to undermine the?Clean Water Act. On April 6, 2023, President Biden vetoed H.J. Res. 27, as it would have negatively affected tens of millions of American households that depend on healthy wetlands and streams. On April 18, 2023, when Republicans voted to override the President’s veto, Rep. Sykes voted to sustain that veto.
Rep. Sykes also introduced an amendment on March 1, 2023, to H.R. 1152, a bill which would limit states’ authority to review and approve federal projects that may harm a community’s water quality. The amendment would have restored some of a state’s ability to protect its drinking water. It was rejected by a vote of 34 to 26 within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, with committee Republicans voting in opposition. Rep. Sykes subsequently voted against H.R. 1152, which was passed out of committee.
Additionally, on February 24, 2023, Rep. Sykes announced a more than $130 million investment in the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to strengthen our water infrastructure systems, improve our economic prosperity, and create good-paying jobs.
Keep up to date with Rep. Sykes’ work on this important issue at sykes.house.gov/issues/water.