White House Photo
President Donald Trump after taking the oath of office.
THE VALLEY — Connecticut’s federal delegation sent a letter to President Donald Trump Feb. 3 demanding that he rescind an order officials said is holding up 8.6 million in local dollars.
​“We are deeply concerned about the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) illegal efforts to withhold congressionally appropriated funding from our constituents, in response to the swath of Executive Orders you have issued since being sworn in,” the letter states. ​“These executive orders to freeze funding, including ​“Unleashing American Energy,” are clearly unconstitutional and should be rescinded immediately.”
The letter was signed by U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, U.S. Rep John Larson and U.S. Rep. Jim Himes.
The $8.6 million was already allocated to the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG), the Waterbury-based agency that plays a vital role in Valley redevelopment projects.
NVCOG uses the money, in part, to clean up contaminated properties in order to attract private investment.
Rick Dunne, the Derby resident who is NVCOG’s executive director, told The Valley Indy last week that his agency lost access to the money after the president issued a memo and executive orders freezing federal spending.
Dunne said there are environmental cleanups underway in Shelton and Waterbury in which contractors are submitting bills for NVCOG to pay — but officials can’t access the funds.
Click here to read the letter.
Click here to read a previous Valley Indy story on the issue.
