Courtney: Tolland School Illustrates Available Foundation Funds

TOLLAND, CT — U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-02), a senior member of the House Education & Labor Committee, joined Superintendent of Schools Walter Willett and other school officials on Tuesday to survey Birch Grove Primary School following the announcement last week that construction to repair the building’s crumbling foundation will likely begin in early 2020.

The foundation has cracking and contains the mineral pyrrhotite, which is responsible for the crumbling foundations crisis across north central and part of eastern Connecticut.

The tour was planned to illustrate last week’s Education & Labor Committee markup of the Rebuild America’s Schools Act (H.R. 865), which includes provisions authored by Courtney to provide relief for schools facing structural damage amid the crumbling foundations crisis.

Courtney’s provisions, which were approved by the committee, will create a new federal grant program to provide schools with up to 50 percent of the funding needed to repair or replace their foundation or any affected structure deteriorating due tothe presence of pyrrhotite. The bill’s passage out of committee is a significant step forward as it progresses towards consideration by the full House of Representatives.

"Birch Grove Primary School has all the tell-tale signs of the crumbling foundations crisis that we’ve seen in so many homes across eastern Connecticut," Courtney said. "I’m glad to see that local and state officials, including Superintendent Willett, Representative Pat Wilson Pheanious, Town Manager Steve Werbner, and the State government are moving so quickly to implement and execute a plan of action. In Washington, I have worked to find new ways to leverage federal assistance to address the crumbling foundations crisis, and last week was a big step forward on that front as the Education & Labor Committee voted to approve the Rebuild America’s Schools Act , which included my provision to provide federal relief to schools facing damage repairs due to crumbling foundations. The Committee’s vote to approve this bill demonstrates Congress’s recognition that federal assistance is needed to address the issue of crumbling foundations in a variety of structures – now including public buildings in addition to personal residences – and that’s a step forward for communities facing this crisis."

Courtney’s amendment is included in Title V of the Rebuild America’s Schools Act. It was written in response to notification that crumbling foundations have affected schools and municipal buildings, in addition to residential homes and condominiums.

On Feb, 25, U.S. Rep. John Larson (CT-01) wrote to House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott to express support for the provisions Rep. Courtney authored in this bill. Click here to read more.

On Feb. 14, Courtney issued a statement highlighting the passage of two additional amendments he introduced aimed at providing relief to homeowners harmed amid the crumbling foundations crisis.

Click here to access a section by section overview of the Rebuilding America’s Schools Act.

To view the full text of the bill, click here.

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