Transcripts For CSPAN3 Hearing On Water Infrastructure Envi

The committee on Homeland Security will be in order. Without objective, the chair has authorized to declare the committee in resource at any point. Good morning. I would like to begin by saying that my thoughts are with those living in alaska, puerto rico california and oregon who are experiencing disasters. Over the weekend, alaskans felt the impact of a typhoon. Puerto rico was hit with Hurricane Fiona. Nearly five years to the date since Hurricane Maria. Meanwhile, americans in the west are dealing with wildfires and record breaking temperatures. As the nation continues to cope with simultaneous disasters, as we recognize National Preparedness month todays hearing on preparedness under the limbs is the preparedness and resilience of Critical Infrastructure and particularly Water Infrastructure hits close to home. My community of jackson mississippi suffered serious flooding last month, leveller of a water pumping station eyelash more than 100,000 of my constituents without clean water or appropriately managed wastewater. Residents could not use the water coming out of their faucets to brush their teeth, bathe, or wash the dishes. The lack of water lead to school and business closure. Tens of millions of gallons of untreated raced water flowed into jackson area waterways. The state has recently lifted the boil water advisory. Sporadic boil water notices continue in the city. This crisis is not over and will not be over until we fix the underlying problems that caused it, starting with a lack of investment Critical Infrastructure such as a Water Systems. Jackson is not alone. Many areas around the country have suffered from this investment and struggled with aging infrastructure. Particularly in communities of color and low income areas. In fact, the Water Systems consistently violate federal Drinking Water standards, 40 of them served communities of color. That is not a coincidence. Studies show that black and brown communities are more likely to bear the brunt of natural disasters. To make matters worse, Infrastructure Investment and disaster systems are often directed to areas that already have more resources rather than those that desperately need it. Ive seen this time and time again as the dollars are steered away when communities like those i represent. Clearly, fema and its partners must do a better job of ensuring that states provide federal funding to those communities most in need. For years, i have been a champion of equity. This congress i was proud to see my legislation, the fema equity act passed the house as part of the National Defense authorization act. I intend for this legislation to be part of a concerted effort to address the lack of equity in Infrastructure Investment, Disaster Assistance funding and other federal programs. I applaud the Biden Administrations commitment to that work. I will do everything in my power to ensure that we make Real Progress for jackson and communities like mine across the united states. To that end, i am looking forward to having a fruitful discussion today about how we can invest in infrastructure, improved preparedness and boast are resilience to all communities and so all communities have the tools they need to weather the storms we face. With that, i look forward to the discussion today. I thank the witnesses for their participation. The chair recognizes the Ranking Member of the community, the gentleman from new york, mr. Katko for an opening statement. Thank you very much, mister chairman. I echo your sentiments. I hear those in a moment. Before i began, id like to say that im encouraged to hear mr. Chairman at the Water Services have been restored in jackson, mississippi. I realize theres more work to be done. It is my sincere hope that the situation continues to move in the right direction. Its my understanding that fema, and the Environmental Protection agency are currently working with the management agency. They identified longer term jacksons emblematic of our communities nationwide. Flint michigan, for example, many others. I am heartened by the fact that we have a massive infrastructure bill that we passed. Hopefully, it will provide more dollars to these jurisdictions. For the life of, may i do not understand how not everyone supported the infrastructure bill. Its times like this, you realize how important it is, i hope that the process for jackson moves quickly. Access to clean water is critical to the Overall Health and Economic Security of a community. Id also like to express my concern for the ongoing situation of puerto rico. Hurricane fiona has caused catastrophic flood an island wide blackouts. The most recent hurricane is recovering from hurricanes irma and maria. It devastated the island five years ago. I lived in puerto rico as a prosecutor in the mid 90s. I was struck by how dilapidated the infrastructure was then. Emergency, it has gotten nothing but worse. We have to help them as well. With this in, mind i want to thank the chairman for holding the hearing. Facing the Critical Infrastructure. A particular focus on Water Infrastructure. As we have seen in recent years, americas aging Infrastructure Systems are increasingly susceptible to cyberattacks. The Water Systems are no exception. In february of 2020, one a hacker remotely altered the chemicals in a Water Treatment system in florida. The operator hadnt noticed the attack, its estimated that a city of about 15,000 people would have been exposed to highly poisonous levels of chemicals in their water. This incident demonstrated firsthand the real world devastating consequences in our systems. Unfortunately, the attack in florida was not an anomaly. For this reason, i introduce the department of Homeland Security Industrial Control System and had some an act of 2021. Legislation which is cosponsor by chairman, security agencies or the lead role in protecting our nations Critical Infrastructure. Particularly Industrial Control Systems from Cyber Threats. The committees a cyber subcommittee also just held a hearing on Industrial Control Systems cybersecurity. It further exemplifies how congress is taking this issue very seriously. In addition to being susceptible to cyberattacks, aging Water Infrastructure, also it poses a growing threat to economic growth, public health, and our environment. And central new york, note stranger to the challenges caused by Water Infrastructure. In the finger lakes region, harmful algae blooms prevents Severe Health risks to human and life. Sustained high water levels continue to threaten homes and businesses and communities along lake ontario. That is why during my time in congress ive wanted to modernize the Water Systems. Ive worked hard to provide safe, clean and reliable Drinking Water to all of my constituents. Most recently, i was proud to introduce the Water Infrastructure modernization act of 2021. My legislation would expand on local efforts to develop and deploy Smart Water Technology in central new york. By making this technology more widespread, we will be taking meaningful steps to improve Water Quality and bolster the reliability and sustainability of our Water Systems. Im in addition to introducing the legislation, ive also worked with colleagues from both sides of the aisle to ensure robust funding for the primary federal programs that assist state and local governments with Water Infrastructure needs. Drinking water and clean water funds. Since their creation, these programs have provided billions of interest free loans and grants to state local governments with instruction needs. For this reason, i was promised as i mentioned to bolster these crucial funding streams and to maintain the advocacy through the congressional appropriations process. As demands for these programs continues to grow, it is critical that we keep an eye towards federal support for the security of our Water Infrastructure assets. In conclusion, the water crisis in jackson comes at a time when our country is having a serious conversation about the future of our nations Critical Infrastructure systems. The members of this community represent a wide range of districts, rural, urban, large, small, we have all been impacted in some way by the issue of aging infrastructure. Given this fact, i look forward to hearing from all of you today about how to increase infrastructure resiliency across the country. Chairman, i thank you very much for your indulgence and i apologize for being late. That is what happens when you have a new knee, physical therapy, i apologize. I thank you very. Much i yield back the balance of my time. The gentleman yields back. Other members of the committee are reminded that under the committee rules, Opening Statements may be submitted for the record. Members also are reminded that the committee will operate according to the bye guidelines letup by the chairman and Ranking Member in our february 3rd 2021 regarding remote procedures. I welcome our panel of witnesses. Our first witness, mr. Craig v8 was administrator of the federal Emergency Management agency, commonly referred to as fema from 2009 until 2017. He led the agencys response to multiple recordbreaking storms and over 500 president ial the cleric major disasters and emergencies. Prior to his service at fema, he served as director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. Our second witness, mr. David guest, the manager of the seawater. One of the nations largest Water Utilities. He oversees one billion dollar annual budget and leads approximately 1200 employees. Mr. Gadis served as member of the president s National Infrastructure advisory committee. Our third witness, miss is the environmental and Climate Justice director for the naacp. And that capacity, she oversees strategy and collaboration across the association tos mount environmental racism. Our final redness, mr. John oconnell, Senior Vice President of the National Rural Water Association. At and our w a, he helps lead the organization to train, support and promote the water and wastewater professionals serving small communities of the country. Especially ones that i live in. Im glad to have you. Without objection, the witnesses full statements will be included in the record. The chair asked the witnesses to summarize their statement for five minutes. Beginning with mr. Few gate. Good morning, mister chairman, other members of the committee. It is an honor to be here. What happened in jackson, mississippi, i think a lot of people dismissed it. Well, thats jackson. Thats their, it wont happen other places. In my history responding to disasters, ive seen systems come so close that much larger systems almost fail. Example, 2010, record setting floods in nashville, they impacted both of the Water Treatment plants. One was flooded and shut down resulting in 50 capacity for the nashville region losing potted water. The other facility came within one foot of failure, only by heroic sandbagging efforts could they say that. It took 30 days to repair the first facility before they could get full water back up to nashville. As the Ranking Member pointed out, this was not only Public Safety in Drinking Water. It was economic. It slowed down the recovery. They couldnt even bring back their venues until they got that plant back online. That is not the only story. Columbia, south carolina. 2014. Record setting floods blew out the intake canal to the Water Treatment plant for the city of Columbia South carolina. This is when haley was governor. The National Guard literally was taking helicopters flying 3000 pound sandbags trying to rebuild and fortify that intake so they would lose the water system. We know about flint, michigan. Once again, fema was asked to come in on emergency basis. When the system failed, because of the extremely i lead levels. In that response, fema is engaged in emergency actions including helping distribute water filters and other support for over eight months. Those are just tips of the iceberg. The thing i want to focus on is the record setting flooding. If you look at most Water Systems, those that depend upon surface water where built based upon the hundred year flood zone. It is a misnomer. There is no such thing as 100 year flood zone. It comes from the National Flood Insurance Rate Maps of the special risk area. This terminology that we have used is really confusing when we say, were looking at 100 year floods, 1 risk. It was based upon historical averages looking back 100 years. As the Washington Post published a couple weeks ago, we had five 1000year events in five weeks. So, not only do we have aging infrastructure, which epa estimates about 750 billion dollars worth of repairs need to be made, many of our Water Treatment plants across the nation are at increasing risks in these extreme rainfall flooding events. They were built for the last hundred years. This comes from the general county Office Recommendations at the request of the senate committee. Making recommendations on how we Start Building Climate Resilience into our Critical Infrastructure. Whats happening in puerto rico reinforces that. Merely Building Back what was their only to be destroyed once again is not a good investment of my tax dollars, sir. As a federal taxpayer, i would be willing to pay a little bit more on the front end so were not coming back time and time again with these types of failures. So, it is a combination of problems that is both asean infrastructure in, many cases smaller communities of color, lack of resources to maintain those systems. Increase risk of natural hazard, mainly flooding. Drought is also driving a lot of these impacts. A tendency to want to get back in quickly, make repairs, move on. Without understanding that building for Climate Resilience means you have got to build for the future, not for the past. With that, i will stand by for questions, mister chairman. Thank you for your testimony, mr. Fugate. The chair recognizes mr. Gadis to summarize his statement for five minutes. Thank you very much. Chairman thompson, Ranking Member katko and distinguished members of the committee. I am david gadis, ceo and general manager of d. C. Water. A member of the President Biden National Infrastructure advisory panel. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today on the resiliency of the nations critical Water Infrastructure and the importance of making Environmental Justice and water equity part of that conversation. As ceo of the seawater, i oversee one billion dollar annual budget, a workforce of approximately 1200 employees, the distribution of Drinking Water in the nations capital. The largest advanced waste Water Treatment plant in the world. Providing services to nearly 700,000 residents in washington, d. C. , and another 1. 6 million residents neighboring in the counties a maryland and virginia. Since taking leadership in 2018, a goal of mine has been to lead transformation initiatives related to Environmental Justice and water equity, including our first in Class Customer systems programs and lead free dc initiativ