(New York, N.Y.) The E.P.A. has awarded $340 million to the State of New York for enhancements to wastewater and drinking water treatment facilities impacted by Hurricane Sandy. The funds will be used on plans that reduce the risks of flood damage and that increase the resiliency of wastewater and drinking water facilities to withstand the effects of severe storms.
"This E.P.A. backing will help make New York wastewater and drinking water plants more resilient," said E.P.A. Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. "With climate change, the frequency of severe storms is likely to increase, and wastewater treatment and drinking water plant failures become a serious threat to people's health and the environment. These funds will help ensure that the basic infrastructure needed to protect people's health are operating even during severe storms."
These funds, which were authorized by Congress in the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013, were granted to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the New York State Department of Health (DOH). The DEC and DOH will provide the funds to local communities as low or no interest loans that will be paid back to New York. Up to 30 percent of the federal money being provided can be awarded as grants to communities rather than as loans.
The New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) and DOH have identified plans that are eligible for backing by using plan priority ranking systems that are based on requirements in the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act and state regulations. The highest rankings were given to plans that have the greatest impact on protecting water quality and protecting drinking water for the most people. The EFC and DOH selected the suggested plans and submitted Intended Use Projects that included their recommended plans to the E.P.A. for review. The state also accepted public comments on its Intended Use Plans. The E.P.A. has approved those Projects and awarded the $340 million to the DEC and DOH. New York's Intended Use Projects list plans that may be funded following the submission of complete applications that are due December 1. These plans include such plans as the construction of a new ocean outfall at the Bergen Point Wastewater Treatment Plant in Suffolk County, sewer rehabilitation the City of Newburgh, and measures to fortify and flood proof critical equipment at the Jamaica Bay Sewage Treatment Plant in New York City.
For a list of New York plans that are eligible to gain this funding, see:
http://efc.ny.gov/SMLP
For more information on the Clean Water State Revolving Fund program, visit
http://water.epa.gov/grants_funding/cwsrf/cwsrf_index.cfm
For information on the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund plan visit
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwsrf/
Follow E.P.A. Region two on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and Facebook at
http://facebook.com/eparegion2
14-116
