Schumer Announces Senate Passes New Bill Requiring Army Corps To Conduct Immediate Study Of Utica-Oneida Water And Sewer Issues

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Schumer Announces Senate Passes New Bill Requiring Army Corps To Conduct Immediate Study Of Utica-Oneida Water And Sewer Issues

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that the United States Senate has passed a provision he authored requiring the Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a comprehensive study to evaluate the waste water drain and disposal crisis in the Utica and Oneida County area. Schumer had called for a similar study last week. The legislation cleared the Senate late last night and was passed as part of the Water Resources Development Act. The full legislation now will go to a joint House-Senate Conference before final passage by Congress. "This is a critical step forward toward resolving this crisis," Schumer said. "My legislation puts the Army Corps' wheels in motion and requires their experts to come in and inspect the entire system. This crisis threatens the economic and public health of Utica and Oneida Country, but with yesterday's action, we are one step closer to resolving it." "I discussed the problems that have resulted from the State Consent Order that has been placed on Oneida County with Senator Schumer less than two weeks ago when he visited the Mohawk Valley, and I commend him with finding a solution. This study will help to define the problem and its costs to our community," said Assemblywoman RoAnn M. Destito (D-Rome.) "I am already receiving calls from businesses considering expansion that have been affected by this moratorium, so it is urgent that we begin to solve this problem immediately." Due to outdated infrastructure and limited capacity, untreated sewage from the sanitary and storm water sewage disposal is being dumped into the Mohawk River from the Oneida County sewer district, which consists of 13 different towns and villages. As a result, New York State slapped Oneida County with a proposed consent order that puts a stopper on new development, and would require the County to fix the problem by 2011. Schumer today said the federal government via the Army Corps must step in to create a plan with concrete solutions for state and local environmental officials. Schumer's legislation specifically requires the Army Corps to come in and study the problem and deliver concrete recommendations to state and local officials. The three part study would evaluate the sanitary and storm water sewage disposal flows for the Oneida County sewer district, which consists of 13 different towns and villages; evaluate the sewage flows management from each of the individual municipalities to determine the source of the excess water into the sewer district interceptor sewer system and evaluate the results of the studies, identifying potential solutions to treat, store and/or eliminate excess flows and then reducing these conclusions to writing. Schumer offered an amendment to the Water Resources Development act that included language requiring the study. Last week, Schumer called on the Army Corps to come in and evaluate the system, but the Senate's action now requires it to come in and inspect.

The estimated cost to repair the waste water problem is $66 million. Until the problem is fixed, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation will not approve additional sewer extensions. As a result, the County is unable to approve building permits for commercial projects. In addition, there are serious health concerns from the sewage, including: fish and aquatic life in the water; animals wading in the water; and people who use the water for recreational uses, including swimming.

"Sadly, over the past decades the federal government has retreated from its responsibilities under the Clean Water Act and other legislation to be a full partner with state and local government to maintain first-rate water treatment systems. In this instance, local officials have been very active, but now we need the full resources and capabilities of the federal government to get this situation under control," said Senator Schumer.

In 1972 the Clean Water Act was passed. Among its provisions were grants for the construction of municipal wastewater treatment plants. Under this program, the Federal government funded 75% of the construction costs for these projects. In 1981, Municipal Wastewater Treatment Construction Grant Amendments were passed. These reduced the federal share of the construction costs to 55%. In 1987, the Clean Water Act was reauthorized. Federal support for municipal wastewater treatment plant construction was converted from grant assistance to a State Revolving Loan Fund. Over the years, funding for this loan program has been decreased and may even be phased out entirely by 2011. America faces a shortfall of $11 billion annually to replace aging facilities and comply with safe drinking water regulations. Federal funding for drinking water in 2005 remained level at $850 million, less than 10% of the total national requirement.

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