CWSRF Recovery Act Funding Webcast

SAVE THE DATE -- MAY 14, 2009, 2-4 PM EST for a webcast on State Revolving Fund Recovery Act funding for green and innovative projects

Did you know that stimulus money is available in your state for green projects that will help protect water resources? Approximately $800 million is available right now through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund’s Recovery Act appropriation to provide low-cost loans or grants for a variety of green projects, including green stormwater infrastructure and nonpoint source solutions, decentralized approaches to wastewater treatment, water and energy efficiency, and wetland restoration.

Join EPA on Thursday, May 14, 2009 from 2-4 PM EST to learn more about how you can benefit from this funding opportunity. EPA will introduce the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) programs, describe what types of projects may be eligible under the Recovery Act’s Green Project Reserve, and how you can apply for funding for your projects.

This webcast is for anyone in the water quality community that would like to learn more about CWSRF Green Project Reserve funding. Please feel free to forward this notice to potentially interested individuals or organizations.

To learn more about this webcast, or to register and attend, please visit the following website:

https://www.eventbuilder.com/event_desc.asp?p_event=e7f4g7n2

Connections are limited, so if multiple individuals at your organization are interested in participating, please consider accessing the webcast from the same computer.

About the CWSRF: The Clean Water State Revolving Fund programs have been active in every state and Puerto Rico for over twenty years. In 2008, the CWSRF programs made over $5.8 billion in loans for wastewater, nonpoint source, and estuary projects. SRF borrowers have saved an average of 20% compared to conventional financing.

The Clean Water State Revolving Fund programs received $4 billion dollars in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, and will help create jobs by funding projects to improve and maintain water quality in communities across the country. 20% of ARRA money has been placed in a Green Project Reserve, and is specifically targeted towards green and alternative projects.

EPA Administrator testifies before T&I Committee

Yesterday Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee about her agency's implementation of ARRA.

Click here to read her full testimony.

EPA Office of Water issues guidance on ARRA Buy American provisions

The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Water issued an updated guidance memorandum to regional water management division directors to implement ARRA requirements for clean water and drinking water state revolving funds (SRF) loan programs. The guidance includes definitions to better determine the interpretation and implementation of the Buy American provisions of ARRA, particularly as they related to use of American made iron, steel and manufactured goods in the construction of a project.

Implementation requirements for Buy American waivers include step-by-step process requirements for SRF applicants along with worksheets for such waivers, and foreign and domestic construction materials price comparisons. The guidance also includes an explanation of how EPA will issue national waivers in certain situations and sample Buy American contract language and certification. EPA plans to announce the availability of the guidance in an upcoming Federal Register.

Click here for details.

$600M in Recovery Act funding to clean up hazardous waste sites, create jobs

The Environmental Protection Agency recently issued the following press release:

Recovery act funds to accelerate cleanup, boost economy, create jobs and protect human health at 50 federal Superfund sites

Contact: Enesta Jones, 202-564-7873 /4355/ jones.enesta@epa.gov

(Washington, DC – April 15, 2009) EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson today announced $600 million in new funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for the cleanup of hazardous waste (Superfund) sites across the nation. In most cases, this recovery act funding will accelerate the hazardous waste cleanup already underway at the sites and fund new clean-up projects. It will also jumpstart the local economy by creating jobs in the site areas.

“EPA has an answer to these challenging economic times,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Under the Recovery Act, we're getting harmful pollutants and dangerous chemicals out of these communities and putting jobs and investment back in.”

The federal Superfund program was created in 1980 to clean up uncontrolled hazardous waste sites that pose unacceptable risks to human health and the environment. Superfund sites are often found in industrial areas hardest hit by the recession. Superfund cleanups are major construction projects that employ thousands of workers nationwide. Since it began, the program has completed construction of remedies at more than 1,060 of the 1,596 sites on its National Priorities List. The Superfund program is implementing new or expanded cleanup actions at 50 sites around the country with recovery act funds.

By starting or accelerating cleanup at Superfund sites, recovery act funding is also increasing the speed with which these sites are returned to productive use. When a Superfund site is redeveloped, it can offer significant economic benefits to local communities including future job creation.

President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on February 17, 2009 and has directed the recovery act be implemented with unprecedented transparency and accountability. To that end, the American people can see how every dollar is being invested at http://www.epa.gov/recovery.

More information on the Superfund program: http://www.epa.gov/superfund.

EPA issues guidance for award of Water Planning Quality Management Grants through ARRA

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued a memo containing information, guidelines and answers to frequently asked questions on how the agency will award and administer Water Quality Management Planning Grants appropriated to the State and Tribal Assistance Grants through ARRA.

Click here to view the memo.

Clean Energy Recovery Funding Updates

The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) State and Local Climate and Energy Program has launched a Web site compiling EPA analysis of clean energy opportunities within the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The site provides information on clean energy opportunities from EPA as well as other federal agencies, descriptions of EPA programs that can help state and local governments maximize the clean energy benefits of Recovery Act funds, webcasts and training opportunities, and links to federal and NGO resources related to the Recovery Act.

To see these resources click on the following link: http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-programs/state-and-local/recovery.html.