09.25.20

Cantwell Applauds $4 Million Grant to City of Stevenson for Wastewater Collection System Upgrade to Protect from Flooding, Increase Capacity

Project expected to create 371 new jobs, generate $2 million in private investment

WASHINGTON DC – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), the Ranking Member on the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, applauded the announcement of a $4,054,400 grant for the City of Stevenson for wastewater collection system upgrades that will help protect the City’s wastewater system from flooding and increase capacity for new commercial connections. The upgraded wastewater collection system will help the region quickly restore power to commercial and industrial customers after disastrous flooding events, spurring economic resiliency throughout the region. The project is expected to create 371 new jobs, save eight existing jobs, and generate $2 million in private investment.

“During severe winter storms in 2017, high rain events led to a water overflow at a critical pump station, straining and damaging the City's entire wastewater system. Investment is critically needed to protect the City's wastewater system from flooding events and to facilitate economic growth by increasing capacity,” Senator Cantwell wrote in a letter for support for the project in July 2019. “With grant funding, the City will be able to replace pump stations, increase the size of the wastewater infrastructure and provide protection to the city's wastewater treatment plant."

According to the City of Stevenson, the City cannot currently add new commercial connections to the wastewater treatment system because of the lack of capacity within the current system. Replacing the pump stations and improving the current infrastructure, including adding a load and flow control through the sewer system to improve wastewater management, will help grow and retain local businesses, attract new economic opportunities to the region, and help create jobs in Stevenson and throughout Skamania County.

The funding for the project comes from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA).

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