NEW YORK, NY, Aug. 26, 2009 -- In a move that stands to create jobs, boost local economies, improve aging water and wastewater infrastructure and protect human health and the environment for the people in the State of New Jersey, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $203,300,900 to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The money will help the state and local governments finance many of the overdue improvements to water projects that are essential to protecting public health and the environment across the state.
"EPA is committed to helping restore America's economy through projects that not only create jobs, but also make a demonstrable difference for the environment and public health," said EPA Acting Regional Administrator George Pavlou. "This funding will help municipalities across New Jersey upgrade their drinking water and wastewater treatment systems, both of which are imperative for healthy communities."
The Recovery Act funds will go to the state's Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds programs.
The Clean Water State Revolving Fund program will receive $160,146,900. It provides low-interest loans for water quality protection projects for wastewater treatment, non-point source pollution control, and watershed and estuary management. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program will receive $43,154,000. It provides low-interest loans for drinking water systems to finance infrastructure improvements. The program also emphasizes providing funds to small and disadvantaged communities and to programs that encourage pollution prevention as a tool for ensuring safe drinking water.
An unprecedented $6 billion will be awarded to fund water and wastewater infrastructure projects across the country under the Recovery Act in the form of low-interest loans, principal forgiveness and grants. At least 20 percent of the funds provided under the Recovery Act are to be used for green infrastructure, water and energy efficiency improvements and other environmentally innovative projects.
President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 on February 17, 2009, and has directed that 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 Recovery.gov.
For more information on EPA's implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 in New Jersey, visit http://www.epa.gov/region02/eparecovery/.
For more information on the Clean Water State Revolving Fund program, visit http://www.epa.gov/owm/cwfinance/cwsrf/.
For information on the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program visit http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwsrf/.
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