CSU Professor Looks Ahead to Possible Trump Administration Effect on Clean Water Efforts in NEO

Changes could be coming to clean water efforts in Northeast Ohio as the new President takes office on Friday.  President-elect Donald Trump says he wants to see a one trillion dollar investment in infrastructure.  In Greater Cleveland, infrastructure needs include repairs to aging sewer systems, water treatment plants, and replacing lead pipes. 

That’s according to Wendy Kellogg, a professor of Urban Planning and Environmental Studies at Cleveland State University. 

She spoke about concerns with Trump’s proposal on WVIZ/PBS’s “ideas”.

“The president-elect is really not proposing hard dollar money,” said Kellogg.  “He’s really proposing tax incentives for businesses to develop that infrastructure and have public/private partnerships.  And there’s been a kind of a rocky history of how well those have worked.”

Kellogg says Trump’s nominee to head the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt, has been challenged about his water policies in his native Oklahoma.  She says it’s not clear how he will affect clean water policy for Lake Erie.