PHILADELPHIA, PA, Apr. 3, 2009 -- In a move that stands to create jobs, boost local economies, improve aging water infrastructure and protect human health and the environment for the people of West Virginia, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded over $48.8 million to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. This new infusion of money will help the state and local governments finance many of the overdue improvements to wastewater projects that are essential to protecting public health and the environment across the state.
"West Virginia now has the 'green light' to fund projects that will upgrade water infrastructure and invigorate local economies across the state," said William T. Wisniewski, acting administrator of EPA's mid-Atlantic region. "This financing is crucial when you consider that some small, rural areas will get wastewater treatment systems for the first time."
The funds provided by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 will go to the state's Clean Water State Revolving Fund program. The program provides low interest loans for water quality protection projects for wastewater treatment, non-point source pollution control, and watershed and estuary management. An unprecedented $4 billion will be awarded to fund 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.
This grant is a partial award of the $61,092,100 available through the Recovery Act to West Virginia's Clean Water State Revolving Fund program. The remaining 20 percent for Green Reserve Projects - - $12,218,428 - - will be awarded to the Department of Environmental Protection later in the year for projects which incorporate green infrastructure, water and energy efficiency, and environmentally innovative solutions.
Since the program began in 1987, EPA has awarded more than $26 billion in grants, which states have turned into $69 billion of financial assistance for water quality projects. The revolving nature of the program ensures water quality projects will be funded for generations to come.
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 on the web at http://www.Recovery.gov. For information on EPA's implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 visit http://www.epa.gov/recovery.
>>More information on EPA's implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
>> Information on the Clean Water State Revolving Fund program
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