Philpott Wastewater System Groundbreaking Ceremony

November 23, 2009

          I am pleased to return to Philpott Lake today for the start of construction on a new major wastewater project which will significantly benefit Henry County’s economic development efforts.

          Today construction begins on a new wastewater system to serve Philpott Park and Philpott Lake. The lake is a great asset to Henry County’s tourism development efforts. More than 750,000 people visit Philpott Lake each year, but the Lake has the potential to attract many more visitors if a marina is constructed. Currently, however, the lack of a wastewater system prevents further development at the lake.

          To address this problem, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, at my urging, has provided federal funding totaling $1.7 million to assist the Henry County Public Service Authority construct a wastewater system to serve the Lake area.               Of that total amount, $1.4 million is the result of the economic Recovery Act approved by Congress and signed into law by President Obama earlier this year to stimulate the economy in the short term and create a long-term foundation for economic growth in the region. To date, the Ninth Congressional District has received more than $400 million in Recovery Act funds.

Safe and reliable water and wastewater systems are essential to achieving our economic development goals for the region and maintaining our region’s excellent quality of life. For these reasons,  early this year, I urged that robust grant funding be included in any economic stimulus legislation for the construction and improvement of water and wastewater systems, and more than $10.2 billion was included in the measure for this purpose nationwide.

As a result of this funding, to date the Ninth Congressional District has been awarded more than $100 million to construct new and improve existing wastewater systems, which will assist localities like Henry County in long-term economic development efforts.

           As a result of our success in securing these Recovery funds, many more residents throughout the Ninth District will have access to public water service and wastewater service. Additionally, we are laying a strong foundation for future growth in the number of businesses and residents the region’s water and wastewater infrastructure can support.

          Today, construction begins on a new wastewater system to serve the Philpott Lake area. In addition to the federal funding, Henry County has provided more than $400,000 to construct the new wastewater system.

          As part of the project, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Henry County Public Service Authority will install       more than 13,000 feet of wastewater lines, which will connect with Henry County’s existing wastewater system for treatment. The new wastewater system is expected to be completed in the Spring of 2010. The new system will be jointly maintained by the Henry County PSA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

          With the benefit of the new wastewater system, the development of the new marina, which is planned for the lake, can move forward.        The new marina will help Henry County attract more visitors to the County and create new opportunities for tourism related businesses for local entrepreneurs. Additionally, the new wastewater system will improve the quality of the groundwater in the area by eliminating the aging infrastructure that is currently used to treat wastewater in the area.

          Today’s announcement represents a significant step in our efforts to expand Southwest Virginia’s water and wastewater infrastructure and will provide a significant boost to Henry County’s tourism economy.

          I would like to take this opportunity to thank a number of individuals without whom this announcement would not have been possible.

          I would like to thank my colleague in the House of Representatives, Tom Perriello. Tom has done an outstanding job representing the Fifth District, and I enjoy working with him on a number of projects that will benefit our region.

          I also want to thank Benny Summerlin, Henry County Administrator, for his leadership and foresight in advancing projects which benefit Henry County residents. I want to also recognize Tim Hall, Deputy County Administrator for his outstanding work.

          I also would like to thank Rocky Rockwell, Operations Project Manager at Philpott Lake, and Colonel Jefferson Ryscavage, Wilmington District Commander with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, for their efforts to improve Philpott Lake.

          Debra Buchanan, who is the Chair of the Buchanan County Board of Supervisors, and Gerry Lawicki, who is the Chair of the PSA, deserve our thanks today for their continued efforts on behalf of Henry County residents. I also want to recognize Jim Adams, who represents this area on the Board of Supervisors, for his efforts, and the other members of the Board and PSA.

          Roscoe Reynolds, who represents this area in the Virginia Senate, deserves our appreciation today for his longstanding support of Henry County infrastructure projects.

The construction that begins today will greatly benefit Henry County’s tourism economy, and I am pleased the federal Recovery Act funds were granted for this project. The Recovery Act was designed to stimulate the economy and create a foundation for long term economic growth. The new wastewater system will do just that. Local residents will broadly benefit from the new wastewater service that will soon be available at Philpott Lake and all the attendant tourism benefits afforded by this project. I want to commend everyone here for this significant achievement.