Stimulus Allocates $7.22 Billion Toward EPA Projects
After months of promising to focus on green jobs, President Obama took the first step in creating a viable green industry when he signed a stimulus package last Tuesday that will allocate $7.22 billion for projects and programs administered by the EPA.
“Through the President’s stimulus package, green initiatives will play a significant role in powering economic recovery,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “EPA’s portion of the plan will create good, sustainable jobs that help produce cleaner drinking water, purer air, environmentally friendly urban and rural re-development, and reduced greenhouse gases. This is a perfect example of economic growth and environmental protection working hand in hand to the benefit of all Americans.”
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 specifically includes $7.22 billion for projects and programs administered by EPA. These environmental areas include:
- Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund: $4 billion for assistance to help communities with water quality and wastewater infrastructure needs and $2 billion for drinking water infrastructure needs. A portion of the funding will be targeted toward green infrastructure, water and energy efficiency, and environmentally innovative projects.
- Brownfields: $100 million for competitive grants to evaluate and clean up former industrial and commercial sites.
- Diesel Emissions Reduction: $300 million for grants and loans to help regional, state and local governments, tribal agencies, and non-profit organizations with projects that reduce diesel emissions.
- Superfund Hazardous Waste Cleanup: $600 million for the cleanup of hazardous sites.
- Leaking Underground Storage Tanks: $200 million for cleanup of petroleum leaks from underground storage tanks.
The new law is geared for performance and transparency: Preference will be given to projects that can be started and completed expeditiously, and EPA intends to move designated funds to states as quickly as possible. All funding will be monitored by EPA’s Inspector General, which will receive $20 million for oversight and review. Announcements of grants will be posted on the Web to ensure transparency. The state-by-state distributions for clean water and drinking water state revolving funds are also available on the Web.
For new information on the state-by-state distributions for clean water and drinking water state revolving funds: http://www.epa.gov/recovery