Holyoke accepts $2 million EPA grant to advance sewer repairs, master plan

The Holyoke City Council Finance Subcommittee on Tuesday voted to accept a $2 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to support wastewater and sewer work in the city.

Victoria Houle, the city staff member handling the grant, told the committee the award was originally tied to River Terrace Phase A but will be repurposed toward broader wastewater needs. "So this money is $2,000,000 from the EPA," Houle said, and the city successfully secured a waiver of the usual 25 percent match.

Houle outlined the initial allocation plan: $750,000 to develop a wastewater facility master plan, about $600,000 to complete Phase B design for the River Terrace sewer separation project (moving the design from roughly 60 percent to 100 percent), and contingencies tied to Phase A construction. She said any unused funds among those categories could be reallocated to other sewer or wastewater projects.

Councilor Sullivan praised the inclusion of the master plan funding, saying the $750,000 "will really truly benefit the city in the long run." After brief questions from councilors about the three funding categories, the body moved and approved acceptance of the grant by voice vote.

The measure was brought under the city’s authority to accept grants under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 44, Section 53A; the subcommittee recorded the acceptance and will incorporate the grant into the fiscal‑year 2026 budget and project planning. Staff indicated further project details, procurement and any related change orders will return to the council or the Board of Public Works as required.

Next steps: staff will finalize how the funds are distributed across the master plan, Phase B design and Phase A contingencies and report back to the finance committee and other relevant boards as projects progress.