Pike County stormwater management may get $10 million from Congress

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022, which includes provisions for more than $68 million in federal funding for storm and wastewater projects in Monroe and Pike counties, said Congressman Matt Cartwright (PA-08), noting that he had requested the funding.

The project authorization amounts include $36 million to Palmyra Township in Pike County, for wastewater infrastructure; $22 million to the Brodhead Creek Regional Authority, Monroe County, for water and wastewater infrastructure; and $10 million to Pike County for water and stormwater management infrastructure, including water supply.

A new study for ecosystem restoration and flood management for the Broadhead Creek Watershed in Monroe County was also included in the legislation, but the amount of funding for the analysis has not yet been determined.

Every two years, in the bipartisan WRDA reauthorization, Congress provides direction to the Army Corps of Engineers by authorizing much-needed projects and programs across the country to help make communities more resilient and sustainable.

“There are lot of wins for Northeast Pennsylvania in this year’s reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act,” said Rep. Cartwright, who is also a member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chair of the Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Subcommittee. “These projects represent a major investment in regional infrastructure and will significantly improve quality of life, create good-paying jobs, and benefit the local economy. This bill gets them in line for federal help.”

The Water Resources Development Act of 2022 is now headed for the Senate where it is expected to be approved.

Appropriations for WRDA-authorized projects is a multiple step process. Projects in WRDA can be allocated Community Project Funding in future appropriations legislation.