Gillibrand Urges EPA To Reject $1.6 Billion Unfunded Federal Mandate To Cover Hillview Reservoir

Press Release

With New York City facing the forced implementation of an unfunded $1.6 billion federal agency mandate to cover the 90-acre Hillview Reservior that would have little public health benefit and place an unnecessary financial burden on City residents, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), a member of the Senate Environmental Public Works Committee, urged Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson to reject and lift the mandate. Senator Gillibrand pointed out that with City efforts already underway to build the world's largest ultraviolet water disinfection facility to protect one of the country's largest water systems from pathogens and parasites, the redundant order would have only a minor public health impact at a burdensome cost for New Yorkers. Gillibrand questioned Ken Kopocis, nominee for Assistant Administrator of the Office of Water within the Environmental Protection Agency, during his nomination hearing in the Senate earlier this week.

In a letter to EPA Administrator Jackson, Senator Gillibrand wrote, "I am concerned that the $1.6 billion unfunded mandate to cover the 90 acre Hillview Reservoir, located north of the City, would place an undue sizable financial burden on New York City residents, while only achieving a minimal public health benefit… I ask for your support… to prevent the implementation of a redundant system that would have little public health benefit at enormous cost to New York City… Forcing New York City to build a redundant protection system would place an unnecessary economic burden on the people and government of New York."

The EPA requires New York City to build a concrete cover over Hillview Reservoir, which would likely add a 3% increase in water rates for New York City residents on top of a 90% increase over the last five years. New York City Department of Health estimates there are only 100 cases of cryptosporidium reported each year, in a City of over 8 million residents, and in a recent study of the Hillview Reservoir, did not find it to be a source of concern for these pathogens. For nearly a century, the Hillview Reservoir has delivered safe, clean drinking water to millions of City residents without a single major health incident.

Earlier this week, Senator Gillibrand raised her concerns with Ken Kopocis, nominee for Assistant Administrator of the Office of Water within the Environmental Protection Agency. Mr. Kopocis called the New York City Watershed as a national model for how watershed's are used for drinking water, and agreed to work with Senator Gillibrand on this critical issue.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source