Washington, DC – Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) has secured funding for four Fairfield County environmental and energy infrastructure projects in the Energy & Water Appropriations Act signed into law late yesterday. The legislation protects the livelihood of local businesses and communities and provides investment in forward-looking projects that will both spur innovation and ensure taxpayer dollars are spent in the most efficient way possible.
“Freight operators, families, and fishermen alike know how important a clean safe Long Island Sound is to our future,” said Congressman Himes. “As we look to grow the economy in a sustainable way, long-term investment like this is the only responsible action.”
Three local projects to protect the Long Island Sound will receive federal funding under the bill. The City of Norwalk will use $1,432,000 to continue comprehensive maintenance dredging of the Norwalk Harbor. The Town of Greenwich will receive $100,000 to conduct an initial assessment for maintenance dredging of a channel that provides access to water and land-based facilities in Greenwich including the town’s pump-out dock for recreational boater waste disposal. The bill also provides funding to continue the restoration of the Mill River in downtown Stamford, including river shoreline stabilization and restoration, ecosystem restoration, and green infrastructure for stormwater management.
“Additional federal funding for water projects in Fairfield County will help ensure the successful completion of the Mill River restoration, a project that will revitalize our downtown and restore a beautiful natural resource for our community,” said Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy.
In addition to these infrastructure projects, the Congressman also helped secure funding for the Connecticut State University System for nanotechnology research and education. Programs at the university will advance research into nanotechnology in the areas of biology, chemistry, and physics.
Other highlights of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act include provisions to:
- Increase weatherization grants to help struggling families improve their homes’ energy efficiency and save hundreds of dollars annually in electricity and heating costs;
- Develop new technologies that will create the next generation of vehicles with improved fuel efficiency, better and cleaner engines, and better batteries;
- Protect the safety and reliability of nuclear weapons and to secure nuclear weapons and materials abroad.
“These investments in our physical and intellectual infrastructure will directly drive economic prosperity in the form of growth, jobs, and new businesses,” said Congressman Himes.