Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
State officials are strongly objecting to a Trump administration decision to delay $50 million in federal funding for the replacement of lead service lines in Massachusetts.
The state had been set to receive the money through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Massachusetts’ allocation in May 2024.
The White House said it was pausing the funding while it conducts a review “against President Trump’s executive orders,” and there’s no timeline for when the money might be released.
On March 25, Gov. Maura Healey, Attorney General Andrea Campbell, and State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg responded with strong concerns.
“Massachusetts has some of the oldest housing stock and water infrastructure in the nation, and lead service lines remain a threat to public health, particularly for young children,” Healey said. “We urge the Trump Administration to cease this dangerous delay in critical funding.”
Campbell said lead pipes “pose serious health risks for Massachusetts residents, especially children and those living in poorer communities,” and she “will continue to speak out against policies that put the health and safety of our residents at risk.”
Goldberg, who’s also chair of the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust, said, “Providing clean, lead-free drinking water should not be controversial.”
Last May, the EPA announced a 2024 Lead Grant allocation of $50.1 million for Massachusetts. The EPA allocates this funding to the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection implements the program by selecting priority projects and partnering with municipalities and other recipients to ensure that the infrastructure projects are completed as planned.
The Healey-Driscoll administration said the funds have facilitated the removal of harmful lead from drinking water by supporting public water systems for inventorying lead service lines and creating plans for the replacement of those lines.
In addition to the delay of the 2024 funding allocation, Massachusetts is still awaiting the EPA’s revised formula for the funding. Massachusetts officials have been advocating for an improved formula in line with previous allocations. If the formula changes, it could impact the amount of the 2025 and 2026 grants.
Last October, then-President Joe Biden announced a 10-year deadline for public water systems across the country to replace lead service lines, a requirement aimed at ensuring safe drinking water for all Americans. The former president also announced that the EPA would invest an additional $2.6 billion nationwide for drinking water upgrades and lead pipe replacements, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.