Green Project Reserve

The Green Project Reserve, or GPR, requires all Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) programs to direct a portion of their capitalization grant toward projects that address green infrastructure, water efficiency, energy efficiency, or other environmentally innovative activities. Innovative environmental activities are those that demonstrate new and/or innovative approaches to managing water resources to prevent or remove water pollution in an economically and environmentally sustainable way, such as: decentralized wastewater treatment solutions, projects that facilitate adaptation of clean water facilities to climate change, and projects that identify and quantify the benefits of using integrated water resources management approaches, to name a few.

While these types of projects have always been eligible for CWSRF financing, the GPR originated with the American Recovery Act of 2009 (ARRA), when it was signed into law on February 17, 2009. ARRA appropriated $4 billion to the CWSRF and included several new features for CWSRF programs, including the GPR, which specified that each state allocate 20% of its ARRA funding to these types of projects.

With the success of the GPR implemented under ARRA—approximately 30% of total ARRA funding for CWSRF projects went to GPR projects—the Green Project Reserve has been included in the FY 2010, FY 2011, and FY 2012 CWSRF appropriations. For FY 2010 and FY 2011, each state was directed to allocate 20% of its CWSRF capitalization grant to eligible GPR projects. For FY 2012, the GPR amount was reduced to 10% of each state's capitalization grant. The CWSRF program, through GPR, is helping achieve innovative solutions to wastewater infrastructure needs, achieving economic and environmental benefits that will continue to accrue for years in the future.

EPA Funding Helps a California Wastewater Utility Conserve Water and Reduce Energy Usage: This video highlights how the Inland Empire Utilities Agency, a regional wastewater service provider and distributor of wholesale water and recycled water in San Bernardino County, California, utilized CWSRF ARRA funds to invest in water recycling and reuse that will conserve water and reduce energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions by the utility.

EPA Supports Green Stormwater Management in Lenexa, Kansas: This video highlights how the City of Lenexa, Kansas utilized CWSRF ARRA funds to construct the Central Green Streamway, an innovative stormwater management solution that protects water quality while providing recreational and educational opportunities for residents.

Clean Water State Revolving Fund GPR Reports:

• ARRA Clean Water State Revolving Fund Green Project Reserve Report (PDF) (42 pp, 3.8MB, About PDF)
• Sustainability and the Clean Water State Revolving Fund: A Best Practices Guide (PDF) (23 pp, 752K, About PDF)

Clean Water State Revolving Fund GPR Project Case Studies:

The case studies listed below highlight specific projects funded by the Clean Water SRF green project reserve.

• Video for Inland Empire Utility Agency Case Study: EPA Funding Helps a California Wastewater Utility Conserve Water and Reduce Energy Usage 
• Video for Lenexa, Kansas Case Study: EPA Supports Green Stormwater Management in Lenexa, Kansas
• Inland Empire Utility Agency: Creating a Sustainable Wastewater Utility in California (PDF) (2 pp, 337K, About PDF)
• Struthers Water Pollution Control Facility: Powers Up with Methane Gas (PDF) (2 pp, 377K, About PDF)
• El Cerrito Green Streets Project: Integrating Green Infrastructure with Community Needs (PDF) (3 pp, 480K, About PDF)
• The Ecocenter at Heron's Head Park in San Francisco: Demonstrating Community Sustainability and Revitalization (PDF) (3 pp, 482K, About PDF)
• Decentralized Wastewater Treatment: Ohio's ARRA-funded Home Sewage Treatment System Program (PDF) (3 pp, 499K, About PDF)
• Albany-Millersburg Talking Water Gardens: A Value-Focused Approach to Improving Water Quality (PDF) (3 pp, 446K, About PDF)
• Spokane Urban Runoff Greenways Ecosystem: A Case Study in Innovative Stormwater Management (PDF) (3 pp, 646K, About PDF)
• Maine CWSRF Awards ARRA Funds to Implement a Collaborative Watershed Restoration Plan to Improve Casco Bay (PDF) (3 pp, 429K, About PDF)

Clean Water State Revolving Fund GPR Fact Sheets:

The fact sheets listed below relate the Clean Water SRF to various key topics and project types that are eligible for funding under the green project reserve. 

• The Clean Water State Revolving Fund: Green Infrastructure – Innovative Projects and State Activities Fact Sheet (PDF) (7 pp, 488K, About PDF)
• The Clean Water State Revolving Fund: Decentralized Systems – Developing Partnerships to Broaden Opportunities Fact Sheet (PDF) (4 pp, 369K, About PDF)

Green Project Reserve Guidance for CWSRF Programs

• FY 2012 SRF Procedures (PDF) (59 pp, 2.2MB, About PDF): This document is for use by state SRF programs and provides procedures for implementation of certain provisions of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for FY 2012, including the green project reserve. Attachment 2 provides guidance on determining GPR project eligibility.
• GPR Crosswalk Table (PDF) (4 pp, 1.0MB, About PDF): Reference table developed by EPA for determining which project types are eligibile for green project reserve funding.

Other Green Project Reserve-Related Resources

• Putting Green to Work (PDF) (24 pp, 2.3MB, About PDF) : A report by American Rivers that examines the implementation of the ARRA green project reserve.
• Banking on Green (PDF) (44 pp, 990K, About PDF) : A report by American Rivers, the Water Environment Federation, the American Society of Landscape Architects, and ECONorthwest that examines the cost-effectiveness of green infrastructure.
• Green Values Stormwater Toolbox : Developed by the Center for Neighborhood Technology, the toobox is designed to help city planners and residents understand the costs and benefits of using green infrastructure to manage stormwater.