EPA chief visits Milwaukee, leaders say federal funding provides opportunity to replace lead lines
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan visited Milwaukee Tuesday to discuss a bipartisan infrastructure framework that would support the city's efforts to replace lead service lines — an estimated $800 million project the city says could be accelerated with federal help.
Regan met with local leaders to tour a water infrastructure project and hear updates on the city's progress in replacing lead service lines.
The $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure framework that the Biden administration supports includes a goal to eliminate all lead service lines and pipes in the country. It also includes providing all homes with high-speed internet and repairing roads and bridges.
"We don't have to choose between jobs, resilient infrastructure and preparation for climate change. This is an opportunity to do all three," Regan said of the proposal.
President Joe Biden also stopped in Wisconsin last week to tout the infrastructure framework days after the deal nearly collapsed. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh visited Milwaukee in May, where he toured a lead pipe replacement project and highlighted child care availability concerns.
Plan would help Milwaukee make progress on lead line replacement
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and members of Milwaukee's Water Equity Task Force joined Regan at the Sixteenth Street Community Health Center to discuss the city's progress in replacing lead service lines.
Regan said the EPA wants to develop the right criteria to help federal dollars go to partnerships like Milwaukee's that are already working to address infrastructure gaps.
"We're not re-creating the wheel, we have existing programming that we can push these resources through to get it to those who are most in need," Regan said.
Current estimates put the cost of replacing all lead service lines in Milwaukee at nearly $800 million. Since 2017, the city has replaced more than 3,800 service lines out of the 70,000 that exist.
Lead poisoning can bring lifelong consequences, especially for young children. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported in 2018 that 9.2% of children age 5 or younger in Milwaukee have blood lead levels above 5 mcg/dL, which is when parents and other officials are alerted to take action.
City officials said federal funding is essential to continue their efforts in replacing lead lines. The state budget proposed by the Republican-led state Legislature does not include the $40 million Democratic Gov. Tony Evers proposed for lead line replacement.
Milwaukee faces a historic opportunity to replace lead paint and pipes by using federal funding flowing to the city. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett hopes to use funds from the city's $394.2 million American Rescue Plan allocation for lead paint remediation and hopes to see more funding from the infrastructure plan to address lead laterals.
"There's absolutely no way we could move at the speed with which we want to move unless we had the federal involvement," Barrett said.
Barrett said federal funding will help the city work with the workforce development agency Employ Milwaukee to grow the workforce that will replace the lead lines and pipes.
"When we talk about ramping up lead service line replacements, the workforce development is so critical. We want to make sure that we are building a workforce that has sustainable skills that are transferable to other areas," added Milwaukee Water Works Superintendent Karen Dettmer.
The Biden administration estimates that Wisconsin's drinking water infrastructure will need $8.6 billion in funding over the next 20 years. The framework includes $55 billion for clean drinking water efforts.
Department of Natural Resources Secretary Preston Cole said equity will be a key consideration as to where the federal funding goes. He said 110 cities, towns and villages in the state still have lead laterals and that Milwaukee will not be the only city to benefit from the infrastructure plan.
"We need to get on offense and stay on offense," Cole said.
More:What you need to know about lead: a resource guide for Milwaukee residents
President has 'laser focus' on PFAS
Several areas in Wisconsin, including Marinette, La Crosse, Milwaukee and Madison, are dealing with another water quality issue — contamination from PFAS, or "forever chemicals."
The state is moving forward on setting standards for PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, in groundwater and drinking water, but the standards are likely to be rejected by Republicans in the Legislature.
The EPA has not yet regulated PFAS but has issued a health advisory for two of the substances. Regan said Biden has a "laser focus" on PFAS contamination.
"We really want to focus on looking at setting a drinking water standard that addresses PFAS," Regan said. "Number two, there are resources in the president's budget asks for EPA that focuses on research and mitigation of pervasive PFAS situations across the country. So, it is not left out of the suite of options that the president wants to take advantage of."
Local leaders meet at Pulaski Park, site of restoration project
Regan also stopped at Pulaski Park, where the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District has restored the Kinnickinnic River to a natural stream to reduce the risk of flooding.
Local leaders highlighted the partnerships between governments and community members that supported the project.
"To look around this crowd and see the state, see the county, see the city, see the community, this is a model for what we want to see all across the country," Regan said.
Municipalities across Wisconsin are adapting to flooding events as climate change brings heavier rains. The infrastructure framework includes $47 billion for infrastructure resiliency and to help communities recover from extreme weather events.
Biden has pushed for additional legislation focused on "human infrastructure" to be passed together with the bipartisan plan through the reconciliation process, which allows some legislation to move ahead with a majority vote rather than through regular Senate rules requiring 60 votes. Some Democrats are urging for more climate provisions to be included in the second bill.
Baldwin said lawmakers are working through the current recess in Congress on a framework for the budget reconciliation bill. She said the infrastructure deal is being drafted into legislation and could be on the Senate floor during the week of July 19.
"I do like the idea that recognizes that people can have opportunities and good-paying jobs to see this vision through, and we aren't going to get one without the other. So it's going to be a real important complement," Baldwin said.