Guest MINDSETTER™ Mesolella: Remembering the Cuyahoga River Fire
Guest MINDSETTER™ Vincent Mesolella
Guest MINDSETTER™ Mesolella: Remembering the Cuyahoga River Fire
Citizen outrage about the fire enhanced public demand for water protection in Washington, DC. Later that year, Congress passed the National Environmental Policy Act, which ultimately led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, which was established in 1970—the year of the first Earth Day. In 1972, Congress enacted the Clean Water Act, which set the course for improving water quality throughout the nation.
In Rhode Island, our rivers never caught on fire, but they did suffer from decades of pollution and were the source of a cholera epidemic in the late 1900s. In 1980, when the Narragansett Bay Commission (NBC) was created, Rhode Island took a first hopeful step to reclaiming healthy rivers and a clean bay. The NBC repaired the failing clean water infrastructure and built new facilities to handle the biggest pollution problems, like the Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Project and nitrogen reduction. Along the way, the NBC also committed to renewable energy and a reduced carbon footprint with wind turbines, biogas generation facilities, and solar power.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTToday, supported by the investments of the ratepayers of the Narragansett Bay Commission, Narragansett Bay is cleaner than it has been in 150 years, the shellfishing industry is more robust than ever, and our urban rivers draw thousands of people to their banks for WaterFire---a completely different type of blaze than the one in 1969 Cleveland.
Clean water doesn’t happen without infrastructure: pipes, pumps, and treatment plants. This week, we celebrate Infrastructure Week. Across the country, hundreds of businesses, labor organizations, elected officials, and more will come together to spread the message that we must #BuildForTomorrow. Investing in infrastructure consistently garners strong bi-partisan support among voters, with more supporters wanting action from government on infrastructure than almost any other issue.
Clean water infrastructure creates jobs. Phase I of the NBC’s CSO Project brought over 350 jobs to the state in the construction trades alone. Phase III, slated to begin construction in 2022, is predicted to open up even more good-paying job opportunities for Rhode Islanders.
In the five decades since the Cuyahoga fire, we’ve made great strides, but we must remain vigilant, as even excellent infrastructure has a natural lifespan. Protecting our valuable waters as well as public health will require a strong federal commitment. We must increase the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Funds, we must fund the Water Infrastructure Finance & Innovation Act (WIFIA) program at or above its fully authorized level, and we must fully endow new grant programs created in America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018. We call upon Congress, in partnership with local communities, to support the financing and funding tools that have propelled the construction, maintenance, and evolution of our nation’s water infrastructure systems to date.
Healthy communities, clean water, and good jobs: infrastructure makes it all happen.
Vincent J. Mesolella is chairman of the Narragansett Bay Commission.
This piece is part of a sponsored content partnership between GoLocal and Narragansett Bay Commission.
19 to Watch in 2019 - FULL LIST
Angie Armenise
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Marcela Betancur
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Brian Goldner
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Cortney Nicolato
New United Way of Rhode Island President and CEO Cortney Nicolato succeeded Anthony Maione in 2018 — and takes on her first full year at the helm of the social service organization in 2019.
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Sabina Matos
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Jamie Bova
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Jennifer Wood
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Matt Voskuil
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David Torchiana
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RI GOP Party Chair
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Anthony Baro
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Blake Filippi
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Desmond Cambridge
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Sarah Markey
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Peter Neronha
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Dylan Conley
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Mike McGovern
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