05/20/2026
CT River Update: Earlier this week, our cross-border group supporting cleanup of the Connecticut River met at the Holyoke Dam, an impressive facility that hosts a sophisticated fish elevator and turbines that produce enough electricity to power nearly the entire City of Holyoke. Located at Hadley Falls, the dam is part of a historically significant canal system that was built along a sharp curve and natural 53 foot drop in the river in the mid-1800s.
Together with Holyoke Mayor Garcia, Massachusetts State Representative Patricia Duffy, experts from Holyoke Gas and Energy and other officials and environmental advocates, we are all deeply interested in the overall environmental well-being of the Connecticut River watershed. Our group’s main focus is tackling the river’s most significant source of pollution by reducing and eventually eliminating Combined Sewage Overflows (CSOs) from the cities of Holyoke, Chicopee and Springfield and other cities in Vermont - as well as continuing the efforts well underway in Hartford.
I’m encouraged by the progress our group has made so far to identify areas of concern and work on a pathway forward, and we all understand that a project of this magnitude will take a considerable amount of time to implement fully. Ultimately, with pressure from our cross-border coalition, we’re hoping to see major changes within a decade - not a century.
Understanding that substantial public funding will be required for these projects, Representative Duffy noted that she is working to secure $10 million from a larger Mass Ready Grant Program to be set aside by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission to study and combat CSOs. The group also discussed the possibility of accessing funding from similar grant programs related to flood resilience, and working with consultants to improve wastewater plants and systems.
With the goals of improving overall treatment system performance, anticipating future needs and finding ways to better treat bio solids to lessen the impact on downstream communities, the group continues to engage with environmental groups and stakeholders to coordinate cleanup and recovery efforts.
By way of background, Rep Devin Carney and I sent a formal letter to US EPA in 2025 to request assistance to prevent up-river states from continuing to discharge sewage and other harmful substances into the Connecticut River. Those critical concerns, including the interstate water quality impact, public health risks, environmental justice, and the economic impact to tourism, recreation, and property values along the river corridor were what prompted these ongoing discussions.
