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The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides $120 billion in investments for infrastructure
and science and $37.5 billion for investments in energy.
The EFC is monitoring the development of the Act as it relates to “green” and “blue” local government projects.
Listed below are tools, resources, and information about those sections of the Act important to those working in the trenches of local government finances, infrastructure, and asset management.
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Implementation
of Stimulus Funding for Drinking Water in North Carolina WEBINAR
Environmental Finance Center Webinar Series
February 20, 2009, 11:00 AM
Sid Harrell and Jessica Miles from
the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources Public Water
Supply Section will present on how to apply for economic stimulus
money and how funds will be allocated for drinking water infrastructure
projects. This free, public webinar will include a brief presentation
and also a question and answer period. |
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Official
Recovery Act website |
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Official
North Carolina Recovery Act website |
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Recovery
Act, Title I (pdf) |
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Recovery
Act, Title VII (pdf) |
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House
Appropriations Press Summary (pdf) |
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Congressional
Budget Office's analysis of the Recovery Act (pdf) |
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Energy
Provisions in the Recovery Act (Congressional Research Service)
(pdf) |
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Recovery
Act overview from a local government perspective (pdf) |
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Green
Infrastructure Municipal Handbook |
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Projects potentially eligible for
stimulus funds: |
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"Green" projects:
There are provisions throughout the
Act for "green" projects. Several national organizations
have published lists of green projects that may be eligible for funding
through the Act. Click for examples
(pdf). |
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Energy efficiency and conservation: The
U.S. Department of Energy's Energy
Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program will receive
3.2 billion additional dollars to distribute to local governments,
Indian tribes, and states for energy efficiency and conservation programs.
In the past, this program has designated eligible cities and counties
as those with populations greater than 35,000 and 200,000, respectively.
Historically, these funds have been distributed directly from the
US Department of Energy; it is not clear if the stimulus funds will
be disseminated in the same manner. The programs can range from a
plan to installing LED traffic signals. Click to view text from
Title V, Subtitle E, Section 544 of Energy Independence and Security
Act of 2007 (pdf),
which lists the types of projects that are eligible under the existing
program. |
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North Carolina water projects: North
Carolina’s Public Water Supply will be accepting project applications
until February 27, 2009 to distribute stimulus funding through the
Drinking
Water State Revolving Fund. (Twenty percent of the grant
money must be for projects that address green infrastructure, water
and/or energy efficiency, innovative water quality improvements,
decentralized wastewater treatment, stormwater runoff mitigation,
and water conservation.)
The stimulus funds through the Clean
Water State Revolving Fund, however, are operating on a different
timeline. These funds will be distributed by the Division
of Water Quality’s Construction Grants and Loans Section.
The deadline to submit project ideas is February 20.
The formal application deadline will be sometime in March.
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Note: new North
Carolina transportation projects likely will not be eligible for funds.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation is choosing projects
for funding that have already been approved as part of NCDOT’s
seven-year Statewide Transportation Improvement Program and have been
delayed due to lack of funding. See
here for more details. |
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Pertinent information of TITLE
I: Watershed and Flood Prevention operations
will receive $290m with $145m for necessary expenses to purchase
and restore floodplain easements. Also, $50m is allocated for projects
that can be fully funded and completed through the Watershed Rehabilitation
Program.
Through the USDA the Rural Water and Waste Disposal
Program will receive $1.38b in direct loans and grants through the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act. Also, under the Rural
Electrification Act of 1936, $2.5b will be available through broadband
loans, loan guarantees and grants, with some provisions.
(Update provided by the Boise
State University Environmental Finance Center) |
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Pertinant information of TITLE
VII: The Superfund program will receive $6
billion, with 3 percent being held for management and oversight.
An additional $2 billion will go to cleanup activities for leaking
underground storage tanks, with none of the money being subject
to cost share requirements and 1.5 percent for management and oversight.
The State and Tribal Assistance
Grant Program is where EPA will receive $6.4b to be allocated as
follows:
• $4 billion for capitalization grants for
the Clean Water State Revolving Funds under Title VI of the Federal
Water Pollution Control Act (1 percent for management and oversight)
• $2 billion for capitalization grants under section 1452
of the Safe Drinking Water Act (1 percent for management and oversight)
• Notwithstanding the requirements of the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act or the Safe Drinking Water Act, each state shall not
use less than 50 percent of the amount of its capitalization grants
to provide additional subsidization to eligible recipients in the
form of forgiveness of principal, negative interest loans, or grants,
or any combination of these.
• $1 million for Brownfield projects authorized by section
104(k) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation,
and Liability Act of 1980
• $3 million for Diesel Emission Reduction Act grants pursuant
to Title VII, Subtitle G of the Energy Policy Act of 2005
The Department of Health and Human Services will
receive $415m for Indian Health Facilities for facilities construction
projects for the backlog of sanitation projects and the purchase
of equipment ($227 million for the completion of two facilities
from the current priority list for which work has already been initiated).
(Update provided by the Boise
State University Environmental Finance Center) |
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