Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the State of Vermont was awarded a total of $18,966,000 in Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF) grants to finance community-based water infrastructure projects, such as upgrades to municipal sewage plants and public drinking water systems.
"Communities across Vermont will enjoy cleaner water and make important infrastructure upgrades thanks to this funding," said EPA New England Regional Administrator Alexandra Dunn. "These low-cost loans further EPA's commitment to ensuring American communities have access to clean water, safe drinking water and the infrastructure necessary to support local needs."
"As we work together to ensure clean water across Vermont, I appreciate that all Vermont's 251 towns and cities will be eligible to apply for these Drinking Water and Clean Water SRF funds," said Governor Phil Scott. "These loans are especially important to our smallest communities, helping pay for crucial infrastructure upgrades, and can be used to enhance drinking and wastewater treatment facilities, keep pollution in check, support green infrastructure projects and more."
The total amount of funding came through separate grants to the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in the amount of $7,859,000 for its Clean Water SRF program and for $11,107,000 for its Drinking Water SRF program. With the funds awarded to the state, DEC will fund a series of long- and short-term community-based projects that address high priority water quality and health based concerns. In partnership with the Vermont Municipal Bond Bank, the DEC administers the State Revolving Fund programs at the state level. DEC will oversee the engineering and construction aspects of the Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF programs, as well as the individual projects funded by it, while the bond bank executes the loan agreements for both programs.
Under the Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF programs, EPA provides grants to all 50 states plus Puerto Rico to capitalize state water loan programs. States contribute an additional 20 percent to match federal grants. EPA also provides direct grant funding for the District of Columbia, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas. Since 1987, the SRFs have provided more than $160 billion in financial assistance to 38,000 water quality infrastructure projects and 14,000 drinking water projects.
Under the Drinking Water SRF, states provide various types of assistance, including financing to improving drinking water treatment, fixing leaky or old pipes, improving source of water supply, and replacing or constructing finished water storage tanks. Clean Water SRF programs provide loans to construct municipal wastewater facilities, control nonpoint sources of pollution, build decentralized wastewater treatment systems, create green infrastructure projects and protect estuaries.
For more information on the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund, visit https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf.
For more information on the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund, visit https://www.epa.gov/drinkingwatersrf.
