Press Release  Governor Healey, Attorney General Campbell and Treasurer Goldberg Urge EPA to Reconsider Lead Water Pipe Replacement Funding Reduction

Boston — Today, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, and Treasurer Deborah Goldberg submitted a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan urging him to reconsider a new grant formula that has reduced lead service line replacement funding to Massachusetts by more than $30 million. The EPA’s new data and methodology has cut nearly half the Massachusetts share of funding through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Lead Service Line Grant. Massachusetts received $65,783,000 in fiscal year 2022, but was only allocated $33,700,000 for 2023 and future years of the program. 

“Massachusetts has made great progress in removing lead service lines so that all of our communities can rely on clean drinking water,” said Governor Maura Healey. “The historic federal investments made possible by President Biden and our congressional delegation have been instrumental in these efforts, and we ask the Environmental Protection Agency to provide us the resources so we can together continue advancing this important work.” 

“Contamination from lead pipes disproportionately hurts our historically marginalized populations and environmental justice communities,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “We ask the EPA to reconsider these changes in their funding allocations to ensure that federal dollars are distributed most effectively to Massachusetts and states across the country.” 

“Lead pipes are known to contaminate the water we drink, including in our homes and schools, and pose serious health risks for Massachusetts residents especially children and those living in underserved communities,” said Attorney General Campbell. “I am grateful to partner with Governor Healey, Treasurer Goldberg, and Secretary Tepper in calling on the EPA to swiftly restore Massachusetts’s lead service line funding to prior levels so we can replace these pipes with the urgency our residents deserve.”  

“We are deeply committed to ensuring the safety of our drinking water, protecting the public's health, and supporting our communities across the entire state,” said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, Chair of the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust. “There are very serious concerns with the EPA’s data that will hinder this vital work, and we urge them to reevaluate their position. The well-being of Massachusetts residents, particularly our most vulnerable, depend on the continuity of these critical resources.” 
 
The EPA’s lead remediation programs are a realization of President Biden’s goal to remove 100% of lead service lines nationwide and address the critical public health and environmental justice challenges that come from lead-contaminated drinking water. This includes the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund which has $15 billion in funding nationally from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), signed by President Biden in 2021. 

The letter from Governor Healey and state leaders identifies Massachusetts’s unique needs for lead remediation funding based on the high percentage of housing stock from before 1940, when the use of lead in service lines was prevalent and emphasizes how the effects of this today cause disproportionate lead exposure in communities of color. Massachusetts has leveraged BIL money to meet these challenges, including commitments since 2022 of more than $59 million in federal funds for lead remediation projects. This funding has gone towards needs assessments and the development of action plans in 121 Massachusetts communities and has financed $30 million for remediation including projects in Andover, Boston, Fall River, New Bedford and Somerville. 

While the historic funding provided by the Biden Administration seeks to effectively tackle lead line replacement, the letter describes a flawed process behind the EPA’s award numbers that included calculations based on incomplete data, formulas which fail to account for relevant state specific factors, and a lack of clarity from the EPA that data requested from states on a voluntary basis would be used to determine funding. 

“Massachusetts and our cities and towns lead the nation in eliminating lead service lines,” said Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Rebecca Tepper. “Low-income and communities of color face a higher burden from environmental pollution. Reducing lead service line funding will directly impact our state’s most vulnerable residents. We urge EPA to fully fund the state’s lead service line grant allotment.” 

“These funds are critical to continue the important work of protecting our vulnerable residents from the negative health impacts of lead in drinking water,” said Massachusetts Commissioner of Environmental Protection Bonnie Heiple. “MassDEP and Massachusetts communities are ready to spend this money, complete projects, and get the job done. The EPA has been a strong partner in this work, and we eagerly await their decision on the reconsideration of this funding.” 

“The reductions in EPA funding could dramatically limit Massachusetts’s incredible work addressing our unique challenges with lead service lines,” said Director of Federal Funds and Infrastructure Quentin Palfrey. “Massachusetts has shown the ability to impactfully use federal funding to make progress on this public health crisis, and we will continue our efforts to secure each and every federal dollar that enables this work to continue.” 

Massachusetts is set to secure a $5.76 million reallotment of 2022 funding from the EPA due to a reallocation of EPA funds. However, this amount is only a small step towards reversing the funding shortfall caused by the EPA’s new allotment determinations. The Massachusetts federal delegation has strongly advocated for a revision of the EPA’s methodology, including in a September letter. 

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