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EPA awards NMI $17.5M for projects to protect waters
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is awarding $2.7 billion nationwide in support to water infrastructure via State Revolving Funds, including $17,491,000 million for the CNMI.
SRF funding assists states, tribes and territories with infrastructure projects that help protect surface water and provide safe drinking water to communities across the United States.
“EPA is delivering on its commitment to modernize water infrastructure and improve public health and environmental protections in the Pacific Southwest,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator John Busterud. “EPA’s $346.8 million contribution to the State Revolving Funds in the region will enable more communities to make the investments needed to ensure safe drinking water and sanitation.”
EPA is awarding SRF funds to the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. for fiscal year 2020 as a consolidated grant for clean water and drinking water infrastructure improvements in the CNMI.
In 2020, EPA awarded $1.6 billion nationwide in new federal grant funding for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, including $4,156,000 to assist the CNMI. This funding is available for a wide range of water infrastructure projects, including modernizing aging wastewater infrastructure, implementing water reuse and recycling and addressing stormwater.
EPA also awarded $1.07 billion across the country in new federal grant funding for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, including $13,335,000 to assist the CNMI. This funding can be used to help drinking water systems install treatment for contaminants, improve distribution systems by removing lead service lines and strengthen system resiliency to natural disasters such as floods.
Under the CWSRF and DWSRF programs, EPA provides funding to all 50 states and Puerto Rico to capitalize SRF loan programs. The states and Puerto Rico contribute an additional 20 percent to match the federal funding. U.S. territories receive funding as grants. Funding also includes Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act funds for wastewater treatment works and drinking water facilities impacted by Super Typhoon Yutu in the CNMI.
For more information, visit https://www.epa.gov/dwsrf and https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf. (PR)
