Division I regional track finals
Fenwick graduation 2012
Ponitz graduation 2012
Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2009 > May > 14 > Entry
Voino, Brown sewer bill passes committee
Sens. George Voinovich and Sherrod Brown’s bill aimed at giving $1.8 billion over five years to communities who want to get rid of their outdated combined sewer overflow systems passed through a Senate committee Thursday, May 14, putting the bill one step closer to Senate passage.
The bill aims to take some of the heat off communities required update their sewers by federal environmental standards who can’t afford the costly upgrades. Their bill, a grant program, would provide a 75-25 cost share for municipalities to use for planning, design, and construction of treatment works to control combined and sanitary sewer overflows.
Eighty-six Ohio communities, including Springfield, have combined sewage systems, which can put human waste in storm water drains during excessive rain. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that about 850 billion gallons of untreated wastewater and storm water are released through combined sewer each year in the United States. The EPA estimates that communities across the nation have about $50 billion in need for combined sewer renovations.
Voinovich is an Ohio Republican. Brown is an Ohio Democrat. The bill now must be approved by the U.S. Senate, as well as the House of Representatives, before going to President Obama.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment |
Comments