Holyoke, MA – Today, Congressman Richard E. Neal joined Holyoke Mayor Joshua A. Garcia and local officials to announce $800,000 in federal funding for the City of Holyoke’s Sewer Separation Project, supporting vital upgrades to the city’s wastewater and sewer infrastructure. This allocation was made possible through Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Congressman Neal included funding for this project in the Fiscal Year 2026 spending bill.
“Investments like this are essential to modernizing aging infrastructure and protecting water quality. Holyoke has made real progress in addressing its sewer and stormwater challenges, which is why I am pleased to support the city’s continued work to build a cleaner, healthier future,” said Congressman Neal. “Clean water and reliable infrastructure are fundamental to a strong community, and these investments will help Holyoke continue building the strong, resilient infrastructure that families and businesses deserve and rely on every day.”
This funding will be prioritized and applied to the City’s ongoing combined sewer overflow (CSO) projects, including consideration for capital improvements in both the wastewater treatment plant and the sewer collection system. This award recognizes the significant financial commitment the City’s ratepayers have already made and will help ease the burden placed on residents. Investments supported by this funding will strengthen the city’s infrastructure, ensure compliance with the City’s consent decree, maintain water quality, and protect public health.
“This funding will support Holyoke’s ongoing efforts to modernize and improve our wastewater treatment plant and sewer collection system,” said Holyoke Mayor Joshua A. Garcia. “It’s a big step forward for environmental stewardship and public health.”
Under guidelines issued by the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, members of Congress requested CDS funding for projects in their state for Fiscal Year 2026. CDS requests were restricted to a limited number of federal funding streams, and only state and local governments, and eligible non-profit entities, were permitted to receive CDS funding. Congressman Neal has consistently used this process to advance environmentally focused infrastructure investments, securing tens of millions of dollars for clean water upgrades, wastewater and stormwater improvements, and projects that help communities meet federal environmental standards.
This project is one of fifteen CDS projects submitted by Congressman Neal, totaling over $14 million in investments throughout the First Congressional District of Massachusetts.
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