Biden-Harris Administration and EPA Announce Delivery of Historic Water Infrastructure BIL Funding to Delaware
PHILADELPHIA (Sept. 16, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded $63 million Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding to Delaware today for water infrastructure improvements in local communities that protect public health and restore water quality. President Biden’s BIL allocates more than $50 billion to EPA toward repairing the nation’s essential water infrastructure, which helps communities access clean, safe and reliable drinking water, increase resilience, collect and treat wastewater to protect public health, clean up pollution and safeguard vital waterways. These grants will supplement the $12.7 million in FY22 funding to Delaware's Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs) and marks the first significant distribution of water infrastructure funds thanks to the BIL. State allocations were previously announced. “All communities need access to clean, reliable, safe water,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Thanks to President Biden’s leadership and the resources from the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are repairing aging water infrastructure, replacing lead service lines, cleaning up contaminants, and making our communities more resilient in the face of floods and climate impacts.” “President Biden has been clear—we cannot leave any community behind as we rebuild America’s infrastructure with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu. “Because of his Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, nearly half of the additional SRF funding will now be grants or forgivable loans, making accessing these critical water resources easier for small, rural and disadvantaged communities.” “All Delawareans deserve clean water. This investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help us deliver on this promise, especially for our most vulnerable neighbors,” said Governor John Carney. “These resources will allow Delaware to make improvements to drinking water and wastewater systems that we have been talking about for decades. Over the next several years, we will make loans and grants that will make water cleaner for our residents and communities.” EPA’s SRFs are part of President Biden’s Justice40 initiative, which aims to deliver at least 40% of the benefits from certain federal programs flow to underserved communities. Furthermore, nearly half the funding available through the SRFs thanks to the BIL must be grants or principal forgiveness loans that remove barriers to investing in essential water infrastructure in underserved communities across rural America and in urban centers. “Every American deserves access to clean water—no matter their zip code,” said U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. “As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we secured the single largest federal water investment in our nation’s history to help deliver on that promise. Now, at a time when far too many communities still can’t always trust the water coming out of their faucets, it’s great to see EPA deploying this funding without delay. With these historic investments, states are going to be able to revitalize their aging water systems so that we can build a future where clean, safe water is a reality for all.” The BIL presents the largest ever funding opportunity for investing in water infrastructure. Find out more about Bipartisan Infrastructure Law programs and other programs that help communities manage their water at www.epa.gov/infrastructure. For more information on intended projects for this funding in Delaware, please visit: Delaware Clean Water SRF: https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/environmental-finance/ and Drinking Water SRF: https://www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/hsp/dwsrf.html |