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Kaptur: Congressional Inaction And Slashing Led To Toledo Water Ban

Rep. Marcy Kaptur with satellite map of Lake Erie with algae growth (Brian Bull/NASA Goddard Space Flight Ctr)
Rep. Marcy Kaptur with satellite map of Lake Erie with algae growth (Brian Bull/NASA Goddard Space Flight Ctr)

Ohio Democrat Marcy Kaptur says underfunded and herky-jerky appropriations on the environmental front fit a Congressional pattern.

“Think about it. Recently, the Congress was unable to pass a Surface Transportation Act. So they said, “Well, you know what? We’ll just do it through this December,” says Rep. Kaptur.

"So mayors across the country are thinking, “Well, what about next March?” Contractors are saying “Which interstates will they do next year?” The fits and starts at the national level, have made it very hard to plan effectively.”

Kaptur says Toledo alone needs half a billion dollars to upgrade its water treatment plant, to help safeguard against future incidents.

Kaptur also wants greater transparency from environmental regulators so the public can more readily learn about local water quality.

Roughly 400,000 people were affected by the City of Toledo's ban on its local drinking water.