American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
The economic recovery plan signed by President Obama on February 17 provides tremendous funding opportunities for projects to advance restoration in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. From wastewater treatment plant upgrades to green infrastructure projects, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will offer funding from a variety of federal agencies that have great potential to benefit the Bay and power the economic recovery.
A central website, www.recovery.gov, has been established for information on the Recovery Act, and some agencies have their own specific sites. We will continue to update this page as we get additional information from our federal agency partners.
*Note: Figures listed for EPA funding are specific to the jurisdictions in the Chesapeake Bay watershed (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia). Figures listed for other federal agencies indicate funding that will be distributed to projects nationwide.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The Act includes $7.22 billion nationwide for projects and programs administered by the EPA. The EPA has developed its own website at www.epa.gov/recovery. The programs most likely to benefit restoration projects in the Bay watershed are:
Clean Water State Revolving Fund
This program will have $4 billion from the Act to assist communities with water quality infrastructure needs, including nutrient reduction upgrades of wastewater facilities. Approximately 20 percent of the funding is targeted toward innovative “green infrastructure” projects. In addition, 1 percent from this fund is set aside to be used for water quality management planning (e.g., tributary strategies, TMDLs, two-year restoration milestones, etc.).
The Bay watershed states and the District of Columbia will be allocated $870.9 million to be spent or contracted within one year. The state breakdown is:
- Delaware: $19.4 million
- District of Columbia: $19.4 million
- Maryland: $95.7 million
- New York: $436.9 million
- Pennsylvania: $156.8 million
- Virginia: $81.0 million
- West Virginia: $61.7 million
Related news:
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
The nationwide total for this program is $2 billion, with $258.6 million going to the Bay watershed states:
- Delaware: $19.5 million
- District of Columbia: $19.5 million
- Maryland: $26.8 million
- New York: $86.8 million
- Pennsylvania: $65.7 million
- Virginia: $20.8 million
- West Virginia: $19.5 million
Superfund
Related news:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program
This USDA Rural Development program includes $1.38 billion for loans and grants for wastewater, storm water and solid waste disposal facilities in rural areas and in cities and towns of less than 10,000 people. (Learn more about these loans and grants.)
Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations
This Natural Resources Conservation Service program provides $290 million nationwide for structural and nonstructural watershed improvements, with $145 million set aside for purchasing and restoring floodplain easements.
U.S. Forest Service Capital Improvement and Maintenance
The Forest Service will receive $650 million for priority road, bridge and trail maintenance and decommissioning, including related watershed restoration and ecosystem enhancement projects; facilities improvement, maintenance and renovation; and remediation of abandoned mines.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
DoD Civil
The Act provides a total of $4.6 billion to the Corps of Engineers for various types of projects, including:
- Investigations : $25 million
- Construction: $2.0 billion
- Mississippi River and Tributaries: $375 million
- Operation and Maintenance: $2.075 billion
- Regulatory Programs: $25 million
- Former Utilized Sites (RAP): $100 million
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Operations, Research and Facilities
The Act includes $230 million for NOAA operations, research and facilities to address a backlog of research, restoration, navigation, conservation and management activities.
U.S. Department of the Interior
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar appointed a “Recovery Czar” to oversee stimulus funding for the Department of the Interior.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The Fish and Wildlife Service will receive $165 million nationwide for deferred maintenance, construction, and capital improvement projects on national wildlife refuges and national fish hatcheries and for high priority habitat restoration projects.
The Act includes $115 million for construction, reconstruction, and repair of roads, bridges, property, and facilities, as well as for energy-efficient retrofits of existing facilities.
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U.S. Geological Survey -- Surveys, Investigations and Research
USGS will receive $140 million for repair, construction and restoration of facilities; equipment replacement and upgrades, including stream gages; national mapping; and other critical deferred maintenance and improvement projects.
National Park Service Construction
The Park Service will receive $589 million for repair and restoration of roads; construction of facilities, including energy efficient retrofits of existing facilities; equipment replacement; preservation and repair of historical resources within the National Park system; cleanup of abandoned mines on park lands; and other critical infrastructure projects.
Chesapeake Bay Priority Watershed Maps
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds provide a unique opportunity to further Chesapeake Bay restoration while also helping the economy. The maps listed below can be used by state and local governments and others who are seeking Recovery Act funds to understand where restoration funding would provide the greatest benefits for the Bay watershed.
The following maps show the location of point sources of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution. They also show priority agricultural watersheds, which are small watersheds that rank in the top 25 percent of those that contribute nitrogen and phosphorus pollution from agriculture. Priority agricultural watersheds have been identified by the Chesapeake Bay Program with input from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
The following maps show rankings of the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution each small watershed delivers to the Bay from urban sources. These estimates are based on mean conditions in the late 1990s. These maps should be of special interest to those who want to use Recovery Act funds for green infrastructure projects.
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