Sewer Line Break Forces Declaration Of Emergency
Days Later, Trump EPA Brags About “Proactive Approach” To “Upgrading Local Sewer Infrastructure” And “Safer Water”
[Update below]
This one is too rich. Egg, meet face.
In what could be the worst case of clueless timing ever, yesterday (Wednesday March 12), the Trump EPA issued an over the top press release, touting their assistance in helping municipalities in meeting environmental goals, see:
New York, N.Y. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s regional office helps businesses and municipalities across New York and New Jersey protect human health, improve local infrastructure and foster strong economic growth by offering direct technical assistance. From helping businesses navigate complex environmental regulations to supporting local governments in critical infrastructure upgrades, EPA’s proactive approach is making a tangible difference across the region – preventing costly violations and delivering cleaner air and safer water.
Among the examples of success EPA cited was in Phillipsburg, NJ:
Town of Phillipsburg, NJ – Upgrading Sewer Infrastructure for Environmental Protection
EPA worked with the Town of Phillipsburg, NJ, to resolve aging sewer infrastructure that caused overflows during heavy rainstorms. With EPA’s guidance, the town is investing $10 million to upgrade its sewer system, including moving a pump station out of a flood zone. Local officials praised EPA’s role in ensuring the project moved forward smoothly.
“Town of Phillipsburg express our appreciation for the time EPA took to attend our Sewer Utility meeting and to answer questions from the Town Council,” said Council President Peter Marino. “EPA was able to explain the commitment and need to invest in the Town’s sewer system. This is helpful as we plan and make decisions on how to best fund and invest in the Town’s sewer infrastructure.”
You can’t make this stuff up, but it just so happens that just 5 day prior, on Friday March 7, the Mayor of Phillipburg was forced to declare an emergency due to catastrophic failure of the ancient sewer system:
The Town of Phillipsburg declared a state of emergency for some of its residents over the weekend.
A sewer line breakdown in the neighborhood of No. 1 to 5 Fairview Heights and 36 to 43 Washington Streets required immediate repair. The break affected some of the town’s historic terracotta pipelines. […]
“This incident serves as a reminder that our sewer system, along with other underground utilities, need the upgrades and replacements that we have been witnessing throughout the streets of Phillipsburg,” Mayor Randy Piazza Jr. said. […]
Town administration did not comment on whether a similar incident was likely to occur. The town said it’s taking an piecemeal approach to replacing its century-old sewer system throughout the rest of Phillipsburg. Recent emergencies are unlikely to change its strategy.
Unfortunately, the local news coverage does not report about public health risks and water quality impacts on the Delaware River.
Was EPA Region 2 so clueless that they didn’t know of this emergency before they issued their press release 7 days later?
And is the town’s seriously flawed “piecemeal approach” to replacing the sewer system based on that highly touted EPA technical assistance mentioned in the press release? You know, the spin about “Upgrading Sewer Infrastructure for Environmental Protection” and helping:
local governments in critical infrastructure upgrades, [and] EPA’s proactive approach … [to] safer water”
Wow.
How incompetent and ill informed can you get?
[Update: A reader just sent me an email asking if I wanted to pay more in taxes and if the State should fix local sewer lines. The reader asked for solutions. Here’s my reply:
President Regan killed the Clean Water Act’s construction grants program that federally funded wastewater and drinking water infrastructure. We need to restore that federal funding approach. The State Revolving Funds don’t come close to this level of financing.
The DEP role is to enforce clean water act standards. If a local sewer line breaks and pollutes the Delaware River (or people’s basements), DEP should issue enforcement fines and mandate corrective action.
DEP also operates the environmental infrastructure bank that provides low and no interest loans for this work.
The Biden infrastructure funding programs Trump impounded billions of dollars from also could finance some of this work.
Here are 4 solutions, NONE of which are getting done or even discussed by media or advocated by environmental groups.
Additionally, at the State level, Senator Smith has talked about a water tax for 20 years and done nothing.