Federal Economic Stimulus Money to be Distributed by State Water Resources Board
The State Water Resources Control
Board today adopted guidelines for the receipt and disbursement of $280 million
in Federal Economic Recovery money for projects that include building and
upgrading sewer and wastewater treatment infrastructure and cleaning up polluted
underground storage petroleum tank sites, as well as other water quality
improvement projects. Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009,
which provides the Recovery funding, at least 50% of the money must be
distributed as subsidies such as grants.
The State Water Board will allocate up
to 65% (approximately $175 million) in subsidy funds for wastewater
infrastructure projects to be provided directly to disadvantaged communities and
to restart stopped bond projects. The remainder will be used to provide 0 or 1
percent fixed-rate loans to other communities. California’s growing population and
outdated sewer and wastewater infrastructure are causing major water quality
challenges. Each year, a minimum of
20 million gallons of raw sewage spill into California waterways because sewer
pipes are broken or are too narrow, and because wastewater treatment plants shut
down when they cannot handle the load.
In addition, $17 million of the
Federal Economic Stimulus funds will be distributed through the Underground
Storage Tank Petroleum Contamination Orphan Site Cleanup Fund, upon
appropriation by the Legislature, to pay for the cleanup of petroleum
contamination from underground storage tanks. (The properties are abandoned gas
stations and are considered to be “orphan sites” because there is no identified
financially responsible party to pay for the cleanup.)
In anticipation of the receipt of the
funds, the State Water Board has held eight informational workshops statewide
and via webcast to discuss the requirements for funding eligibility for projects
and how the Clean Water State Revolving Fund could process and distribute the
economic stimulus money. It has
also established a web site to provide funding information from the state and
federal governments and includes a list of frequently asked questions: http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/srf/econ_recovery_info.shtml
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The State Water Board is anticipating
that the more than $280 million in stimulus funds will be committed to projects
by the end of this year.
Funding applicants can apply for stimulus money @ http://faast.waterboards.ca.gov.
More information about the state’s
receipt of Federal Economic Stimulus funding can be found at www.recovery.ca.gov, a California website
that outlines how the money will revitalize the economy, create jobs, fund the
modernization of infrastructure projects, enhance energy independence, provide
educational funds, and more economic assistance.
March 18, 2009
Federal Economic Stimulus Money to be Distributed by State Water Resources Board
The State Water Resources Control
Board today adopted guidelines for the receipt and disbursement of $280 million
in Federal Economic Recovery money for projects that include building and
upgrading sewer and wastewater treatment infrastructure and cleaning up polluted
underground storage petroleum tank sites, as well as other water quality
improvement projects. Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009,
which provides the Recovery funding, at least 50% of the money must be
distributed as subsidies such as grants.
The State Water Board will allocate up
to 65% (approximately $175 million) in subsidy funds for wastewater
infrastructure projects to be provided directly to disadvantaged communities and
to restart stopped bond projects. The remainder will be used to provide 0 or 1
percent fixed-rate loans to other communities. California’s growing population and
outdated sewer and wastewater infrastructure are causing major water quality
challenges. Each year, a minimum of
20 million gallons of raw sewage spill into California waterways because sewer
pipes are broken or are too narrow, and because wastewater treatment plants shut
down when they cannot handle the load.
In addition, $17 million of the
Federal Economic Stimulus funds will be distributed through the Underground
Storage Tank Petroleum Contamination Orphan Site Cleanup Fund, upon
appropriation by the Legislature, to pay for the cleanup of petroleum
contamination from underground storage tanks. (The properties are abandoned gas
stations and are considered to be “orphan sites” because there is no identified
financially responsible party to pay for the cleanup.)
In anticipation of the receipt of the
funds, the State Water Board has held eight informational workshops statewide
and via webcast to discuss the requirements for funding eligibility for projects
and how the Clean Water State Revolving Fund could process and distribute the
economic stimulus money. It has
also established a web site to provide funding information from the state and
federal governments and includes a list of frequently asked questions: http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/srf/econ_recovery_info.shtml
The State Water Board is anticipating
that the more than $280 million in stimulus funds will be committed to projects
by the end of this year.
Funding applicants can apply for stimulus money @ http://faast.waterboards.ca.gov.
More information about the state’s
receipt of Federal Economic Stimulus funding can be found at www.recovery.ca.gov, a California website
that outlines how the money will revitalize the economy, create jobs, fund the
modernization of infrastructure projects, enhance energy independence, provide
educational funds, and more economic assistance.