Rep. Emily Kinkead and Molly Parzen: Federal support needed for infrastructure and stormwater improvements

Recently our area was inundated with flooding due to stormwater. This, of course, is nothing new to us. Route 51 often turns into a river, the section of the Parkway known as “the bathtub” gets shut down, Union Avenue in Ross Township in my district turns into an impassable lake and fire departments throughout our area respond to numerous flooded basements.

The reality is that our region’s infrastructure is old and inadequate.

Allegheny County municipalities, organizations and even neighborhood groups have attempted to deal with stormwater management in variety of ways — constructing rain sewers, passing ordinances preventing sewage from contaminating runoff, implementing stormwater fees and creating stormwater authorities. We’ve constructed rain gardens, bioswales and riparian buffers. The list goes on, but the stormwater keeps coming, damaging homes and business, buckling roads, and swamping first responders.

While stormwater problems pose major challenges for us in Pittsburgh, the problem is not unique to our area. Towns across Pennsylvania and in many other states face similar problems. The rain continues, the old system crumbles and the cost of addressing this goes up. Stormwater is a regional problem, requiring regional approaches, ideally state assistance and likely additional federal support. It is simply not possible for many of our communities to cover this cost on their own.

This dynamic was recognized earlier in the year when over 1,200 elected officials from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. — including Gov. Tom Wolf and 100 Pennsylvania state and local elected officials — signed a letter calling on Congress to support President Biden’s bold and transformational infrastructure plan. With a focus on building a clean energy future and securing environmental justice for all, the signers urged Congress to seize this moment and tackle the climate crisis.

The White House found Pennsylvania had 37 extreme weather events between 2010 and 2020, costing the state $10 billion in damages. These numbers are likely to increase. Independent report cards give our state infrastructure a “C-” grade, with low income communities particularly ill-prepared and under-supported to address such deficits. The Harrisburg GOP majority seems content to hoard billions in reserves rather than support our local communities and put our great trade unions to work.

With that in mind, it is crucial that Congress comes together to pass Biden’s big, bold infrastructure plan.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal is an important first step, but to truly Build Back Better and deliver new economic opportunities for union workers in the clean energy economy, Congress should pass the full budget reconciliation package supported by Biden and outlined by the Senate Budget Committee. As a state legislator whose district straddles two congressional districts — 17 and 18 — I am eager to see our delegation work together toward this goal, especially Reps. Mike Doyle and Conor Lamb.

Using American products and American workers we can build our future, protect homes and property, advance family-sustaining union jobs, and revamp our infrastructure for the climate challenges still to come. About 80% of Pennsylvania voters are in favor of Biden’s American Jobs Plan to make these investments, including 80% of voters in purple districts like Pennsylvania’s 17th congressional district, according to modeling released by Data for Progress.

Proper stormwater improvements will enhance our local communities by addressing street flooding, stopping sewage overflows, and saving homes and businesses from basement backups. The federal infrastructure plan would bring a myriad of improvements to our region, state and country. It will create jobs and make sure we are better prepared for the next storm.

Whether focused on infrastructure for business needs, quality of life, climate change, or all of the above we need our congressional delegation to help move Pennsylvania forward.

Rep. Emily Kinkead, a Democrat, represents District 20, which encompasses Bellevue, Avalon, West View, Ross Township and parts of the City of Pittsburgh. Molly Parzen is interim executive director of Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania, of which she was formerly assistant director and development director.