American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
Note: page has moved - click here if your browser doesn't redirect.
May 8 Perdue Announces JobsNOW Public Water Supply Projects
April 24 Recovery Funds Awarded for Wastewater and Stormwater Projects
March 10 Public Hearing about Economic Recovery Wastewater Projects Scheduled
TYPES OF FUNDING / IMPORTANT DEADLINES
Wastewater Infrastructure Funds
North Carolina has applied for $70,729,065 capitalization grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program to fund wastewater system improvements. The draft Intended Use Plan distributes funds equally between loans and cost-free subsidies. If sufficient applications are received, at least 20 percent of the monies awarded must be spent on green projects – those that include wastewater reuse, stormwater management, water efficiency and energy generation elements. Priority is given to projects that can proceed quickly, already have any required permits and have additional funding committed, if needed.
First-round project awards -- made on April 24 by the Division of Water Quality -- were awarded to 36 communities in 30 counties, and totaled approximately $45,850,000.
Five of the 38 first-round projects to receive funding are “green” projects that include wastewater reuse or stormwater management components. Round One funding committed for these projects is $5.7 million. Since the ARRA requires that at least 20 percent of all the monies awarded be spent on green projects, the state still has $8 million available for eligible projects in this category.
Project awards are not final until the Local Government Commission approves the recipient’s financial qualifications.
The application deadline for Round Two is June 3. For the second round, the state is seeking quality green project applications, along with other wastewater and stormwater projects that meet ARRA program criteria and are on the state project list.
Important Deadlines
March 17 - public hearing on draft Intended Use Plan/rating system/project list
April 3 - application deadline
June 3 - Second round application deadline
Drinking Water Infrastructure Funds
The Public Water Supply Section in the Division of Environmental Health will be receiving a capitalization grant of $65,625,000 for the Drinking Water State Resolving Fund under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The section will use the funding in support of shovel-ready drinking water infrastructure projects in the state. Project applications have already been received for proposed projects. Project funding should be available from the EPA by May.
Important Deadlines
March 30-April 7 public comment period on draft Intended Use Plan/comprehensive project priority list
April 3 public hearing
May 4 submit revised draft funding list to EPA
Diesel Emission Reduction
On April 17, North Carolina, through the Division of Air Quality, was awarded $1.73 million in grant funding to reduce emissions from diesel engines. DAQ is accepting grant applications for projects from a variety of entities, including governmental (e.g. school bus retrofits) and private businesses (e.g. charter boats.) A portion of the $1.73 million state allocation will also be used to select a contractor to administer a rebate program for auxiliary power units or heavy duty engine replacements for long haul trucks.
Important Deadlines
April 30 - application period
DAQ also plans to apply for at least two competitive grants once the request for application is released. One proposal will be in partnership with the Department of Public Instruction, and if selected would be used to secure funding for school bus retrofits. The second application will be to secure additional funding for the N.C. LEADER Grant, which seeks to reduce emissions from construction and other off-road equipment. For more information on N.C. Leader grants, please visit http://www.daq.state.nc.us/motor/LEADER/ .
Remediation Programs (Administered by the Division of Waste Management)
Underground storage tanks assessment and cleanup
The Division of Waste Management has applied for $7,546,000 in grant funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for leaking underground storage tank cleanups. These funds would be used for the assessment and cleanup of contamination from the state’s high-risk underground storage tank sites. The grant would provide funding for assessment and cleanup at approximately 172 “orphan” sites where the responsible party is unable or unwilling to conduct the cleanup. The state’s Underground Storage Tank program will award contracts for the assessment and cleanup operation to as many as four contractors and two laboratory service providers. Two time-limited hydrogeologist positions are included in the grant application to direct and oversee the cleanup contractors and to report on the expenditure of funds and the progress of the work. The EPA expects to award the grant later this spring and the funds are expected to be spent within two years of the date the grant is awarded. However, eligible assessment and cleanup activities may continue beyond two years if funds remain available.
SuperFund
One Superfund site in Person County will receive approximately $2 million in funding for cleanup of this contaminated site. A second site in Iredell County is under further investigation before a final funding decision is made.
Brownfields
Some local governments in North Carolina may receive funding directly for targeted site assessments through the
EPA Brownfields program.
Water Resource Projects
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers received $4.6 billion nationally. The Wilmington office could possibly receive between $50-70 million in funding for dredging, beach nourishment and waterway improvement projects.
Forestry Projects
The Division of Forest Resources has submitted grant applications to U.S. Department of Agriculture for proposed projects, such as wildfire management and pest control.
Coastal Restoration
The Division of Marine Fisheries has partnered with nonprofit organizations and submitted an application through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for an oyster restoration project.
The Division of Coastal Management has partnered with nonprofit organizations and submitted an application to NOAA for a hydrologic restoration project in Hyde County.
LISTS OF POTENTIAL RECOVERY PROJECTS
Wastewater
Drinking Water:
LINKS