WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and U.S. Rep Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., secured funding to remedy the contamination of drinking water in Martinsburg, which was caused by the use of perfluorooctanic acid in aqueous film forming foams used by the Air National Guard to suppress fires. The funding is included in the compromise spending bill between the House and the Senate, securing its passage.
“In 2016, when Martinsburg and other West Virginia communities were faced with the daunting news that their drinking water sources had been contaminated with unacceptable levels of PFOA, I started working with federal agencies and Martinsburg officials to find a solution to this problem. This action is long overdue, but I am excited that Martinsburg will finally be reimbursed for the cleanup costs and infrastructure upgrades following the detection of unacceptable levels of PFOA in the water supply,” Manchin said.
“The reopening of the Big Springs Water Plant was so critical to residents, businesses, and the entire Martinsburg community; and it’s important that we ease the financial burden the city incurred as it worked to do so,”Capito said. “As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I’ve worked hard alongside my West Virginia delegation colleagues–as well as with federal, local, and military leaders–to find a solution to the Big Springs situation, and I’m thrilled we were finally able to deliver a fix through this government funding agreement.”
“Glad to work with my colleagues in Congress to secure this funding reimbursement for the City of Martinsburg to ensure clean drinking water and to aid in the effort to clean up pollution,” Mooney said.
Last week, Manchin, Capito and Mooney sent a letter to the House and Senate Conference Committee, urging them to keep the funding in the final spending package.