Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Announce More Than $800,000 for New Luke Water Distribution Lines

U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman David Trone (all D-Md.) today announced $802,000 in federal funding to replace the water distribution lines in the Town of Luke. Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development mission area as a part of the Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants Program.

“The safety of a community’s drinking water should never be in question. With the closing of the mill, the Town of Luke is working to provide local residents access to clean water, and we must do all we can to help. This new federal funding will help ensure that Luke families can depend on safe water,” said Senator Van Hollen, a member of the Appropriations Committee. “We will continue working in Congress to provide vital resources for the Town of Luke and for the region’s economic growth and infrastructure.”

“Closing the paper mill in Luke had an incredible impact on basic services for the town. In this day and age, they should not have to worry about whether their drinking water is safe to consume. This latest round of federal funding will replace the water distribution lines in the Town of Luke and keep families and children safe,” said Senator Cardin, Chair of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure. “As a delegation, we remain committed to supporting the Town of Luke in their economic and infrastructure related recovery efforts following the closure of the paper mill.”

“Luke residents are working to rebuild after the closure of the paper mill, and the last thing these folks should have to think about is whether their water is safe to drink,” said Rep. Trone. “This funding will make necessary repairs to the water system and help continue to create a stronger, healthier community.”

Senators Van Hollen and Cardin and Congressman Trone have long advocated for rural and economic development in the communities impacted by the closure of the paper mill in Luke. They previously announced more than $150,000 in federal funding to support the development of the Forestry Economic Strategy, an action plan for countering the economic impact of the closure of Verso’s mill in Luke, Maryland last year.