CONNECTICUT — State lawmakers whose districts border the Connecticut River say they are continuing their fight against upriver pollution.
State Representatives Tami Zawistowski and Devin Carney sent a letter in August to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Mark Sanborn, asking for his help to prevent Massachusetts and other upriver states from discharging sewage and other pollutants into the river.
“When these discharges occur, you can actually see some of the solid waste from untreated sewage floating down with the current,” lawmakers said.
Lawmakers asserted such discharges pose significant health and environmental risks to downstream communities, including in Connecticut. The discharges are particularly a problem following major rain events, according to lawmakers.
They gave an example of Holyoke, Massachusetts in July discharging millions of gallons of untreated sewage and stormwater.
Zawistowski’s district includes Suffield, East Granby, and Windsor Locks, while Carney’s district encompasses Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, and Westbrook.
Sanborn responded to lawmakers in a Sept. 18 letter, indicating the EPA has spent a “significant amount of time and resources” to work with all communities, including in Connecticut, to address these issues in a robust and timely manner.
He indicated the EPA has been working with Springfield, Chicopee, and Holyoke for many years, and all have made significant reductions in their annual CSO (Combined Sewer Overflow) discharge volumes.
“All three communities are working under enforcement actions signed with EPA and (the Department of Justice) to further reduce the volume of sewage mixed with stormwater that is discharged from their systems,” Sanborn wrote.
He indicated the communities have spent hundreds of millions of dollars towards infrastructure improvements that have reduced these discharges.
“While we have made progress in reducing CSO discharges, a significant amount of work remains,” Sanborn wrote. “EPA has been, and will continue to be, focused on this issue. We will continue to work with all communities and our state partners to reduce, and where possible eliminate, CSO discharges.”
Zawistowski said she appreciates the EPA’s timely response and is glad to have open communication with the federal agency as state lawmakers continue to push for an end to the upriver pollution.
“Unfortunately, the official reply falls short of providing any immediate, short-term solutions and insists that changes are being made, albeit slowly and as funding permits,” Zawistowski said.
Carney said lawmakers will continue to fight to protect the Connecticut River, which he described as being vital to the state’s communities, economy, and environment.
“As legislators representing both ends of the Connecticut River as it traverses our state, we remain committed to finding practical, workable solutions that will have a much more immediate and greater impact to this important health and safety issue than waiting decades for funding and projects to eventually be completed,” Carney said.
State Senators Stephen Harding, John A. Kissel and Heather Somers wrote a letter on Aug. 29 to Connecticut Attorney General William Tong expressing concerns about wastewater from Massachusetts in the Connecticut River.
In a Sept. 18 response letter, Tong said he shares their concerns about untreated discharge on Connecticut’s “environment, public health, agriculture, aquaculture, economy, and quality of life.” According to Tong, wastewater discharged over the state line in Massachusetts is regulated by the EPA.
“I would be happy to join you in writing to the EPA and urging the agency to better support efforts by communities, including through increased funding for infrastructure modernization projects,” Tong wrote.