{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://kennedy.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-kennedy-questions-new-epa-head-on-cost-of-compliance-for-ma-4", "CONGRESSMAN KENNEDY QUESTIONS NEW EPA HEAD ON COST OF COMPLIANCE FOR MA-4 COMMUNITIES", "2013-11-14", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "MA", "Joseph Kennedy", "K000379", "kennedy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 At a hearing today of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, Congressman Joe Kennedy questioned Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy about measures the federal government could take to help local municipalities tackle the cost of complying with updated environmental regulations. Across the 4th District of Massachusetts, communities have struggled with the cost of upgrading local infrastructure to meet new guidelines for combined sewage overflow, phosphorous runoff, and stormwater management. The towns of Milford, Bellingham and Franklin, for example, are looking at upgrades that will cost them over $200 million combined in order to comply with a new EPA pilot program designed to decrease phosphorous runoff into the Charles River.\u00a0 The City of Fall River is estimated to have spent nearly as much in federally-mandated sewage updates over the past decade. \u201cWhen I talk to local officials and businesses -- they want to be EPA compliant,\u201d said Congressman Kennedy. \u201cThey are tremendously concerned about the effects of contamination, pollution and other environmental hazards that wreak havoc on their hometowns.\u00a0 They know the long-term cost savings associated with clean up now are substantial. But they're stuck.\u00a0 They don\u2019t see a way to possibly account for these costs, given the financial reality they\u2019re facing every day.\u201d \u201cIn your opinion, is there any assistance the federal government can give these already-strapped municipalities that are struggling with the cost of compliance?\u201d Kennedy asked Administrator McCarthy. \u201cI ask this of course understanding the obvious fiscal constraints the federal government has right now,\u00a0 but also knowing that those fiscal challenges are the same -- if not magnified -- at the local level.\u201d For video of Congressman Kennedy and Administrator McCarthy\u2019s exchange, please click here. # # # For Immediate Release:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 November 14, 2013  \n\tContact:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Emily Browne  \n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (617) 332-3333 Follow Congressman Kennedy on\u00a0Facebook\u00a0and\u00a0Twitter.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://kennedy.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-kennedy-questions-new-epa-head-on-cost-of-compliance-for-ma-4"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4228059444576502, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}