Miccosukee Tribe Benefits from Recovery Act Funds to Enhance Water Services -

(ATLANTA - July 9, 2009) The Miccosukee Tribe will have improved access to vital water services through funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The E.P.A. (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's Indian Health Service (IHS) today announced $90 million nationwide for 'shovel ready' infrastructure plans designed to better protect human and environmental health in Indian Country.

"This significant backing marks an investment of Recovery Act funds for drinking water infrastructure enhancements that will help protect public health and the environment," said Stan Meiburg, E.P.A. Acting Regional Administrator. "The installation of a 250,000-gallon water tank will increase the storage capacity for emergencies and enhance water pressure in in excess of 50 Tribal homes."

The plan will provide a drinking water storage tank to bring water pressure in homes up to standard, and provide backup water flows in case of emergencies, such as fires. Continuing a tradition spanning 20 years, E.P.A. and IHS have combined efforts to enhance water services in Indian Country through identification of 95 wastewater and 64 drinking water priority plans to be completed by IHS's Sanitation Facilities Construction Plan with E.P.A. Recovery Act funds. The plans exceed the Recovery Act requirement that 20 percent of the funds be used for green infrastructure, water and energy efficiency enhancements and other environmentally innovative projects.

President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 on February 17, 2009, and has directed that the recovery act be implemented with unprecedented transparency and accountability. To that end, the American people can see how every dollar is being invested at recovery.gov.

More information about all the E.P.A. Recovery Act water efforts: http://www.epa.gov/water/eparecovery/

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