April 6, 2021

Hon. Conor Lamb House of Representatives (PA-17) 504 Washington Rd. , PA 15228

RE: Kirkwood Stormwater Retention Project

Dear Congressman Lamb,

I am writing to express my enthusiastic support for O’Hara Township’s Community Project Funding request for the Kirkwood Stormwater Retention Project. The issue of stormwater management in O’Hara Township and its downhill neighbor, the Borough of Sharpsburg, is a recurring and escalating concern for the health, safety, and economic well-being of lower-income residents, small business owners, and municipal entities. Projections from the Department of Environmental Protection estimate that in the coming years and decades, this problem will only intensify and cause more destruction and destabilization as the frequency and intensity of storms increases in our region. The scope of The Kirkwood Stormwater Retention Project is to install a new stormwater detention facility with an anticipated storage capacity of approximately 10 acre-feet. This will hold stormwater during heavy rain events, keeping it out of the stormwater system in O’Hara Township and combined sewer system in Sharpsburg Borough. This will keep it out of the homes, businesses, and municipal buildings in some of the areas of O’Hara and Sharpsburg most burdened simultaneously by disproportionately high rates of flood damage, runoff pollution, interior molding due to water damage, and lower incomes. This project will significantly alleviate economic hardship, environmental degradation, and health issues in O’Hara and Sharpsburg for decades to come, and this funding would be a transformative investment in the future of these communities and their people. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely,

Senator Lindsey M. Williams

Pennsylvania 38th Senatorial District