EPA Announces Funding Update for Drinking Water, Wastewater and Flood Prevention in Cahokia Heights/Metro East, Illinois

CHICAGO – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it had developed a comprehensive list of drinking-water, wastewater and flood-prevention infrastructure funding and projects for the Cahokia Heights/Metro East, Illinois, area. At the request of Rep. Nikki Budzinski, EPA worked closely with more than 35 stakeholders to compile for the first-time information about how the communities have identified funding needs, accessed funding, and developed and completed projects.   

“This matrix is one critical tool to address the flooding, wastewater and drinking water issues in the Metro East area,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “While these issues will not be solved overnight, knowing what funding and projects are available to the Metro East area is a crucial step in making progress.”  

“I’m thrilled to join the Environmental Protection Agency as they release a new funding matrix that brings unprecedented transparency to our response efforts in Cahokia Heights,” said Rep. Nikki Budzinski. “For the first time in decades, we have local, state and federal officials working together in a coordinated response to the environmental health and safety crisis in Cahokia Heights. This major step forward would not have been possible without the appointment of a full-time federal coordinator through the EPA. I’m so grateful to Administrator Michael Regan for granting my request for this position and I thank Beth Murphy for the thoughtful and collaborative work to make this funding matrix a reality. These issues won’t be solved overnight, but I look forward to working closely with our incoming coordinator, Betsy Nightingale, to build on this progress as we continue to elevate our response to this crisis.” 

“For far too long, Metro-East residents have endured dangerous sewage flooding during rain storms because of dilapidated water infrastructure in the region.  This is a public health crisis that has been decades in the making,” said Sen. Dick Durbin.  “My colleagues and I have worked alongside EPA to address these serious flooding concerns, as well as spoken directly to community leaders and residents.  Today, we are launching a new ‘matrix’ to assist Metro-East communities in tracking federal investments allocated to improve water and flood-prevention infrastructure.”   

“The Cahokia Heights community has been saddled with inhumane conditions for decades,” Sen. Tammy Duckworth said. “My office, along with the offices of my Congressional colleagues, have been working together on a comprehensive approach to bring an end to this suffering. While our work is far from done, this EPA Region 5-created project funding database can help us understand the progress made and what still needs to be done. The cross jurisdictional oversight and information of this matrix will be critical as we continue to work toward a safe, reliable, equitable future for the people of Cahokia Heights and the surrounding areas.” 

Cahokia Heights is a town in Southern Illinois that faces numerous environmental challenges. Community advocates and residents raised their concerns to U.S. EPA, including their concerns about environmental justice. The Agency is committed to work toward environmental justice, which is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. 

The information in the spreadsheet will be updated and circulated on a routine basis. EPA collects voluntarily provided details for funding and projects and will continue to rely upon stakeholders to keep the information current. A copy is available to any requestor after they acknowledge disclaimers and rules of engagement. To request access, please email EPA’s Cahokia Heights coordinator, Betsy Nightingale, at [email protected].  

EPA will host webinars to answer questions on June 5th from 12:00-1:00 PM CST and June 15th from 6:00-7:00 PM CST. EPA is also planning an in-person meeting and will be announced at a later date. 

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