McCollum Hosts City of New Brighton and U.S. Army for Meeting to Explore Options for Future Funding of City’s Contaminated Groundwater Recovery System

Washington, DC – Yesterday, Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN) hosted a meeting between the City of New Brighton and the U.S. Army to attempt to resolve differences related to the Army’s future funding obligations for treatment and de-contamination of the City of New Brighton’s groundwater. Attending the meeting were New Brighton Mayor Dave Jacobsen, City Manager Dean Lotter, and the city’s legal counsel. The Army was also represented at the meeting.

In a 1988 litigation settlement agreement between the City of New Brighton and the federal government, the Army accepted responsibility for contaminating city’s groundwater with trichloroethylene (TCE), a known carcinogen[1], originating from the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP). Since that settlement agreement the federal government has paid the city to operate the New Brighton Contaminated Groundwater Recovery System (NBCGRS) to eliminate TCE from drinking water. In 1992, the Army paid $17 million to New Brighton to operate the NBCGRS for twenty-years. Those funds are expected to be exhausted in July 2015 and the parties are now engaged in negotiations regarding future federal funding to operate the NBCGRS. The Army’s obligation to pay for groundwater treatment is expected to continue for many decades into the future.

“The families consuming New Brighton’s water are my constituents and the constituents of Mayor Jacobsen,” said Congresswoman McCollum. “Ensuring the health and safety of every New Brighton resident who is consuming this water is my priority, it’s a priority for Sen. Klobuchar and Sen. Franken, as it is for the City and the Army. The City must be provided with the federal funds to operate the Contaminated Groundwater Recovery System, likely for generations to come. The Army must provide the City with those federal funds within the parameters of federal law set forth by Congress. It is my hope that the city and the Army will prioritize the safety of the people of New Brighton and come together to reach an agreement.”

Rep. McCollum invited New Brighton and the Army together for a face-to-face meeting with to seek a negotiated agreement that could avoid costly taxpayer funded litigation.

Representative McCollum's opening remarks from the meeting as prepared for delivery and a meeting agenda can be found below.

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Congresswoman Betty McCollum is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.
She is Democratic Co-Chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus