Press Releases

Today, Congressman Richard E. Neal joined Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle to announce a $960,000 earmark to invest in water infrastructure upgrades along Route 10 in Easthampton.

The allocation was made possible through Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) from the Department of Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency. Congressman Neal included funding for this project in the Fiscal Year 2024 spending bill that was signed into law by President Biden on March 9, 2024.

“As a member of Congress, I take great pride in the responsibility that we have in overseeing the expenditure of the public purse. That is why I am pleased to have secured funding for a project that will have a prominent impact on the Easthampton community, providing much-needed upgrades to the water infrastructure that will directly benefit the city’s business corridor,” said Congressman Neal. “I have long held the belief that members of Congress do not serve under Presidents – they serve with Presidents. By working with Joe Biden, congressional Democrats have delivered billions of dollars in funding that will address aging infrastructure throughout the nation, including right here in western and central Massachusetts.”

Undersized and aging underground utilities currently provide water and sewer services to the Northampton Street business district in Easthampton. The City of Easthampton has undertaken the design of a project to replace these aging utilities, which will ensure adequate domestic supply, fire flow, and sanitary sewer service for this area for generations. This project will also support commercial and housing developments in Easthampton’s 40R smart growth zone.

This project was also the benefactor of funds awarded to local governments under the American Rescue Plan (ARPA), much of which was drafted in the Ways and Means Committee under Congressman Neal’s chairmanship. Approximately $270,000 in ARPA funding was allocated toward the design phase of upgrading the water infrastructure along Route 10.

“This award shows how Smart Growth Development contributes to a sustainable local economy. Today's announcement makes possible the full development of an approved mixed-use project that brings jobs and housing while dovetailing into state pedestrian road improvements,” said Mayor LaChapelle. “Congressman Neal’s leadership in securing both ARPA and CDS funds unlocks the full development potential in Easthampton’s highway business corridor.”

Under guidelines issued by the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, members of Congress requested CDS funding for projects in their state for Fiscal Year 2024. 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.

This project is one of more than a dozen CDS projects submitted by Congressman Neal, totaling nearly $15 million in investments throughout the First Congressional District of Massachusetts.

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