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Motion of the Council of Allegheny County expressing the Sense of Council urging Congress to provide the necessary funding to help Allegheny County municipalities upgrade their existing sewer and storm-water infrastructure problems under the terms of the Consent Decree entered into by various municipalities and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
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WHEREAS, rather than pursuing litigation against the Allegheny County municipalities that were in violation of the federal Clean Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency into a Consent Decree with various municipalities within Allegheny County; and
WHEREAS, the Allegheny County Health Department in conjunction with Three Rivers Wet Weather and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) have been working to help Allegheny County municipalities meet the requirements of the federal Clean Water Act; and
WHEREAS, according to Three Rivers Wet Weather, the estimated total project cost for updating these sewer and water systems within Allegheny County is three to three and a half billion dollars; and
WHEREAS, bearing this cost is a significant burden upon many of the communities within the County; and
WHEREAS, storm-water runoff and outdated sewage and water treatment systems pollute the region's groundwater, rivers and streams; and
WHEREAS, with adequate funding, our communities can invest in water resource management and improve our region's quality of life;
NOW THEREFORE, IT IS MOVED that this Council encourages Congress to provide funding to Allegheny County's municipalities in order to help them update their failing water and sewer systems in order to meet the requirements of the Consent Decree and the Clean Water Act.