BNA

The Environmental Protection Agency has obligated $7.1 billion to states under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, nearly 99 percent of the agency's allotment, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said Feb. 18.

Jackson made the announcement during a news conference in Columbus, Ohio, marking the one-year anniversary of enactment of the $787 billion Recovery Act (Pub. L. No. 111-5). According to EPA, the act has funded a variety of projects that will put people to work improving air quality, protecting drinking water, cleaning up land, and training workers.

EPA said the agency's Recovery Act funding has saved or created 6,750 jobs in communities across the country.

Jackson's assessment follows the release of a report by Vice President Joseph Biden Feb. 16 on the Recovery Act's economic benefits to date (30 DEN A-8, 2/17/10).

The Recovery Act required that by Feb. 17, 2010, all funds must be committed to eligible projects, with states having signed certifications that project applicants have signed contracts or that the projects are under construction. If a state fails to meet this deadline, EPA is required to deobligate the funds.

“The Recovery Act has pulled our nation back from the worst economic crisis in generations and provided real relief for families and small businesses. EPA's investments in green jobs and clean communities are growing our economy and building a new foundation for prosperity,” Jackson said.

While the agency has not yet provided a complete funding breakdown, Pat Sinicropi, legislative director of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies told BNA Feb. 18 that NACWA has just learned that all states have met the Feb. 17 deadline for clean water revolving fund projects.

Sinicropi said 1,869 Recovery Act clean water projects are now under contract in every state, totaling more than $3.8 billion. Of these projects, she said, 1,478 have started construction at a cost of nearly $3.1 billion, or 81.3 percent of available project funds.

“We're very pleased the states were able to meet the deadlines and get the money out to contracts,” she told BNA.
 

Long-Term Funding Needed
But in a written statement, NACWA Executive Director Ken Kirk said, “While it is clear this investment helped communities to address their aging infrastructure needs, meet increasingly stringent federal standards and create needed jobs, it is clear that a long-term, sustainable funding mechanism—such as a Trust Fund—is needed.”

NACWA pointed to a recent survey by the Environmental Council of States showing 33 states have more than $56 million in ready-to-go water and infrastructure projects awaiting financing through state revolving fund programs.

The association also pointed to EPA's estimate of up to a $500 billion funding gap over 20 years between what is needed to upgrade and repair the nation's wastewater infrastructure and how much is available at all levels of government.

Dan Hartnett, legislative director of the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, told BNA Feb. 18 that AMWA did not yet have the latest numbers on the drinking water revolving fund projects. He said AMWA's main concern is that not enough of the funding is reaching urban areas.
 

Contracting Progress in February
It appears a lot of contracting progress occurred this month, as EPA's latest reported figures indicated less than 85 percent of funds were under contract as of Jan. 26.

EPA's last weekly report was posted Feb. 2 for the week ending Jan. 26. According to that report, state recipients reported that 84.6 percent of the Recovery Act clean water state revolving funds and 82.2 percent of the Recovery Act drinking water state revolving funds were under contract.

Other projects under way include clean energy programs, highway improvements, investments in the nation's electricity transmission grid, and in EPA's superfund program.

The White House report cited stimulus funding for 51 superfund sites from EPA's National Priorities List. Of these, 34 already have construction underway on-site.

By Linda Roeder