$23 million grant to prevent sewage backup in DePue in jeopardy

The village of DePue is uncertain about the status of a $23 million grant previously approved by the federal government to build a new wastewater treatment plant that would halt raw sewage from backing up into the basements of homes during floods.

Recent action by President Donald Trump has put the funding in jeopardy. U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville, said she is going to fight to keep those funds in the community, calling Trump’s actions illegal.

The action sparked fast litigation as a federal judge put a temporary hold on the order late Tuesday afternoon in response to state attorney generals filing a lawsuit contending it was unconstitutional.

DePue Village President Dan Hoffert said the village worked with North Central Illinois Council of Governments to receive the grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Through that process, DePue was one of the first participants in the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program in 2020, according to FEMA.

Upon taking office, Trump signed an executive order that rescinds environmental justice initiatives put forth by former President Joe Biden’s administration, including the Justice40 Initiative. Biden pledged during his first days in office that 40% of federal funds for climate and clean energy initiatives would be prioritized for underserved communities.

Trump has called for the end of “radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferencing.”

U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan blocked the action Tuesday afternoon, minutes before it was set to go into effect. The administrative stay pauses the freeze until Monday, according to the Associated Press.

Underwood said Trump is stealing funds from the community for essential projects.

“It is unacceptable and illegal,” Underwood said. “He is stealing from our communities to give his billionaire friends tax cuts. ... No one should have to experience raw sewage flowing into their streets or into the river. It’s outrageous, and we’re going to do what we can to make sure this doesn’t happen.”

Hoffert said he was uncertain of the grant status as of Tuesday, and he said he is working with NCICG to get an answer. The agency in Ottawa that assists local governments with federal grant funding said it is busy trying to find out what is next. In a Jan. 26 article, CNN highlighted DePue’s project as being in jeopardy with Trump’s recent executive order.

“We’re looking into it, waiting to hear back from agencies,” said Kevin Lindeman, executive director at NCICG. “We’re not only helping DePue, but looking for more information on federal grant funding for communities throughout our region.”

Hoffert said DePue, a village of 1,633 people, was aided in receiving approval of its grant by qualifying as an underprivileged community.

“Being a small village, we would not have been able to afford $23 million,” Hoffert said.

After heavy rain in 2008, several neighborhood roads in the village of DePue were flooded, according to FEMA. The increased flow at the wastewater treatment plant caused raw sewage to back up into the basements of homes. As an economically disadvantaged rural community, the project approved for DePue will build a new wastewater treatment plant on village property outside of the floodway and floodplain, FEMA said.

The BRIC awards, which includes DePue’s grant, are among those designed to assist the most disadvantaged communities in building resilience to climate change and extreme weather events, aligning with the Justice40 Initiative, according to FEMA.

“This is absolutely critical,” Hoffert said of the grant funds. “I hope it gets done. We are hopeful since the money was already approved in a bill that we’re able to use it for the project.”

Hoffert said the village has a history of working with state and federal politicians on both sides of the aisle, with its village limits often being split between two districts, and he’s optimistic local politicians again will be helpful in navigating the issue.

Underwood said her office is going to work “to get our money back.”

“People are disappointed,” Underwood said. “It hurts everybody. It hurts the people who voted for Donald Trump. He hasn’t even been in office for a week and he’s already doing this.”

Bureau County Board Member Thomas Dolbrich, D-DePue, said he is paying attention to the grant status and said it is a critical project for DePue, but noted the county government wasn’t involved in acquiring it.

“What I know is the need for it,” Dolbrich said.

According to the plan, the old plant built in the 1960s will be demolished and left as open space. The two north-south levee sections will be leveled, and the site will become a riparian habitat. The project also includes building two lift stations to get the influent into the new wastewater treatment plant. All building finished floors and doorways will be built above the 500-year flood level, according to FEMA.