Duckworth, Budzinski Host Metro East Water Infrastructure Community Day

Duckworth, Budzinski Host Metro East Water Infrastructure Community Day

[EAST ST. LOUIS] - US. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), today hosted a Community Day for Metro East residents to learn more about the latest updates on flood mitigation and water infrastructure improvements throughout Cahokia Heights, East St. Louis and the region. Duckworth and Budzinski met with residents, shared their efforts at the federal level to bring funding and oversight to water infrastructure projects throughout the region and received status updates on ongoing improvement projects from USACE and local officials. Photos from today's event are available on the Senator's website.

"For years I've been working to bring awareness to the longstanding flooding and environmental issues that plague this region and bring in more funding and oversight," Duckworth said. "It took decades of neglect, lack of investment or resources and environmental racism to get here, and that's unacceptable. I'm proud of what we've accomplished in the past few years, but I know it's not enough and more must be done. One grant, one project, one piece of legislation isn't going to fix these issues. We need a whole of government approach, bringing together federal, state and local agencies to support a full, comprehensive overhaul of the region's water infrastructure."

"Addressing the longstanding infrastructure issues in the Metro East is one of my top priorities. Today's event was an opportunity to give the community an update on some of the projects we have underway, as well as to share resources to support residents in the wake of severe storms and flooding," said Budzinski. "Thanks to the strong partnerships we've built and the hard work of dedicated federal, state, and local leaders, I'm proud to say that we've begun to make real progress on this issue. We certainly have a long road ahead of us, but I feel confident on the right track to not just mitigate, but to prevent the sewage backups and overflows that have plagued this region for far too long."

Duckworth and Budzinski met with USACE Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations Major General Jason Kelly, USACE St. Louis District Commander and District Engineer Colonel Andy Pannier and leaders from Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, St. Clair and Madison counties, Cahokia Heights, East St. Louis and the Metro East Sanitary District.

As co-chair and co-founder of the U.S. Senate's first ever Environmental Justice Caucus, Duckworth has been a strong advocate for bringing environmental justice to Illinois and the entire country. Her Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act was signed into law as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as the most significant federal investment in history to help rebuild our nation's crumbling and dangerous water infrastructure, with many of the provisions to help low-income communities designed specifically for communities like Cahokia Heights and East St. Louis. Duckworth is also the lead Senate sponsor of the A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice For All Act, the most comprehensive environmental justice legislation in history.

In the Metro East, Duckworth has long worked to bring attention to the environmental injustices, calling on EPA to conduct enhanced monitoring and enforcement of the area, requesting a formal public health assessment by the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) on the impact of decades of flooding in Cahokia Heights and working to provide federal oversight and funding to repair the failing water system and improve the community members lives. Duckworth has frequently met with residents to discuss the persistent inland flooding and environmental justice issues the community faces, including leading a federal delegation tour of the area. Duckworth, along with U.S. Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) has secured funding for multiple projects throughout the Metro East to help repair the crumbling water infrastructure through the Congressionally Directed Spending process.

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