New England Receives Water Quality Management Planning Grants

A total of $39 million will be awarded nationally to states for Water Quality Management Planning grants, which are expected to keep and create jobs to help prevent water pollution and protect human health and the environment. The first grants were awarded Friday to states in Region 1, New England.

"The Recovery Act investments are meeting urgent needs for economic growth and protecting human health and the environment," said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. "Communities across the nation can count on green jobs to help pull them out of this downturn and ensure the long-term strength of our economy and our environment."

Planners consider how to achieve cleaner water in Massachusetts. (Photo courtesy CMRPC)

The EPA considers planning as an important step towards the agency's stated goal of improving water quality in the nation's lakes, rivers and streams. Water Quality Management Planning grants support activities such as setting standards, monitoring the quality of the water, developing plans to restore polluted waters, and identifying ways to protect healthy waters from becoming polluted.

"Including Recovery funding for water quality management planning was a smart way to ensure that as we upgrade our water treatment plants, we are also keeping a focus on the bigger environmental picture," said Ira Leighton, acting regional administrator for EPA’s New England office.

"These efforts can result in improvements such as better strategies for reducing nonpoint source pollution, employing green infrastructure, improving water or energy efficiencies, and other environmental innovations," he said.

States are encouraged to use these funds for more innovative planning activities like developing plans to adapt to climate change, analyzing trends in water availability and use, and creating low-impact development programs. Grants are awarded to state agencies and some of the funds can be awarded to regional and interstate planning organizations.

Across New England, the EPA has awarded $395,600 to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services for Water Quality Management Planning grants; $306,400 to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection; $265,800 to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and $194,300 to the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation.

Administrator Jackson testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Wednesday, saying that the Recovery Act provides a total of $7.22 billion for specific programs administered by EPA: the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, Superfund, Brownfields, Underground Storage Tanks, and Clean Diesel programs.

The majority of these funds ($4.7 billion) are specified for programs under the jurisdiction of the committee: the Clean Water State Revolving Fund ($4 billion), Superfund ($600 million), and Brownfields ($100 million).

"The programs targeted by EPA’s portion of Recovery Act funding address location-specific, community-based public health and environmental needs," Jackson told the committee. "Investing in these areas ensures that job creation, economic growth, and beneficial environmental results occur at the local level."

Of the $7.22 billion dollars made available to EPA, Jackson said the agency has already distributed 1.5 billion to 49 states, plus the District of Columbia and American Samoa.

Of this figure, over $1.4 billion has been obligated through the State Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, over $20 million through the Superfund program, and, over $86 million for the Clean Diesel Program.

"For the Leaking Underground Storage Tank funds, we are in the process of working with our state partners to meet requirements of the Act for the obligation of funds," Jackson said. "In addition, Brownfields funding decisions will be made shortly."

President Barack 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.

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