PHILADELPHIA (August 25, 2015) -- The E.P.A. has selected the University of Maryland as one of the 9 winners of a six-year grant to support a regional Environmental Finance Center. Through the Environmental Finance Center, local communities will be able to access technical expertise to identify solutions for financing environmental activities.
"EPA is committed to working closely with communities to meet environmental goals that benefit public health and support local economies," said E.P.A. Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. "The Environmental Finance Center at the University of Maryland serves as an important regional hub to support states and tribes in finding creative solutions for financing environmental activities, such as upgrading water infrastructure, establishing public-private partnerships and increasing energy efficiency and sustainability."
Environmental Finance Centers are institutions that work directly with state and local governments, tribes, utilities, and communities and offer a variety of assistance including creating or improving:
· infrastructure financing plans;
· capacity building for public-purpose water and other environmental infrastructure systems;
· green jobs and green business products and services;
· resilient, secure, and sustainable environmental infrastructure;
· computer-based and other financial and outreach tools for watershed and water system management;
· public-private partnership models for environmental services, infrastructure, and projects;
· training on environmental equity and justice;
· drinking water and wastewater utility water conservation, energy efficiency, management, and capital planning;
· and innovative financing for interstate, state, regional, and local air pollution reduction efforts.
Today's announcement means winners will operate grants during the years 2016 to 2021. The 1st EFC grants covered the years 2009 to 2015.
These grantees will provide environmental finance technical assistance in 44 states and six U.S. territories. Work is underway to identify an additional grantee to support communities in the remaining states of Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Colorado.
While the exact amount of the awards depends on final congressional budget action, the President's budget for FY 2016 requests a total of $2 million for this award.
The awardees E.P.A. selected through a competitive grant process are:
University of Southern Maine - Portland, Maine
Syracuse University - Syracuse, N.Y.
University of Maryland - College Park, Md.
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, N.C.
Michigan Technical University - Houghton, Mich.
University of New Mexico - Albuquerque, N.M.
Wichita State University - Wichita, Kan.
Rural Community Assistance Corporation - Spokane, Wash.
California State University, Sacramento - Sacramento, California
More information is accessible at
http://www2.epa.gov/envirofinance.
