City gets a double helping of CSO money from stimulus funds
Date: 2/2/2010
Feb. 3, 2010.By G. Michael Dobbs
Managing Editor
Chicopee and Springfield will benefit from a release of $185 million by the Patrick Administration in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds to assist in meeting Environmental Protection Agency mandates on correcting combined sewer overflows (CSO) into the Connecticut River.
The announcement of the grants was made Jan. 25 at the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission offices in Springfield.
The Chicopee project received $4.2 million, while Springfield was awarded $2.4 million.
Ed Colletta, the spokesperson for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, explained the communities received 11 percent of the cost of the projects from ARRA funds with the reminder of the cost financed by state loans at the rate of two percent payable over 20 years.
Chicopee, however, received almost double the allotment made to other communities. Chicopee Mayor Michael Bissonnette said the reason for the additional funds was other communities that could have applied for the funds did not.
In Chicopee the phases of the CSO abatement covered by the new funding are Upper Granby Road, Broadway and Beauchamp and Cecil Drive. These three projects make up 20 percent of Chicopee's total annual CSO volume and will also provide needed relief for a number of sewer back-up conditions in some of the most seriously affected areas.
The total price tag is $22,876,874.
In Springfield, Kathy Peterson of the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission said the funded CSO projects are both in the North End. One is on Roland Street and the other is on Springfield Street near Dover St. The total cost for the two projects is $22,251,162.
"Today's announcement will provide communities in Western and central Massachusetts with millions of dollars in federal stimulus money for vital water infrastructure projects. This significant investment will create jobs, help improve the local economy and make our drinking water cleaner. It is another reminder of how the stimulus is making a difference in Massachusetts. I congratulate Gov. Patrick on his leadership of this high priority program," Congressman Richard E. Neal said.
"The Federal Recovery Act is all about creating economic activity and putting people to work," Gov. Deval Patrick said. "With these funds, we are maximizing economic activity by doubling the amount of water infrastructure investment taking place this year, reducing project costs for municipalities, and using renewable energy to reduce operating costs at these energy intensive facilities. I thank the members of the Congressional delegation for delivering for Massachusetts."
