EPA Advances President Trump's Infrastructure Agenda in Region 8 Through Accelerated Investments America's Water Infrastructure
EPA funding supports projects in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and Utah to address population growth, aging infrastructure and water quality
As highlighted in President Trump's State of the Union address and in support of the President's Infrastructure Initiative [https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/building-stronger-america-president-donald-j-trumps-american-infrastructure-initiative], the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has accelerated investment in the nation's aging water infrastructure.
"EPA is delivering on President Trump's promise to jump-start critical infrastructure projects that will not only enhance environmental protections, but also grow the economy," said EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "Under President Trump, EPA has issued seven WIFIA loans to help finance over $4 billion in water infrastructure projects that will improve water quality and create up to 6,000 jobs. By clearly defining where federal jurisdiction begins and ends, our new proposed Waters of the U.S. definition will provide states and the private sector the regulatory certainty they need to develop and streamline projects that will modernize our nation's aging infrastructure."
"This administration continues to recognize the critical need and importance of securing clean water and drinking water in our communities," said EPA Regional Administrator Doug Benevento. "EPA will use these resources to support projects throughout the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains states that will modernize, enhance and expand water infrastructure and protect human and health and the environment for decades to come."
Over the past year, EPA has moved President Trump's infrastructure agenda forward by working to get the financing, tools and resources EPA's state, local, tribal and other partners need to modernize outdated water infrastructure, while improving local water quality, creating jobs and better protecting public health.
EPA has also taken a leading role in the administration's initiative to promote greater efficiencies in the infrastructure permitting process. These actions include working to provide a clear and predictable approach to identifying waters that are subject to federal authority through the Department of the Army's and EPA's proposed "Waters of the United States" rulemaking, implementation of the administration's One Federal Decision initiative and through other improvements to the Clean Water Act permitting process. EPA will take these actions by cooperatively working with its state and tribal co-regulators with a goal of streamlining environmental permitting and increasing investments in critical water and other infrastructure projects.
The Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs) play an integral role in EPA's efforts to help communities replace or upgrade aging or inadequate drinking water and wastewater infrastructure through low-interest loans. Together, in 2018, the SRFs committed $9.6 billion in drinking water and clean water infrastructure loans and refinancing and disbursed $8.8 billion for drinking water and clean water infrastructure. This level of funding was facilitated through EPA's contribution of $2.2 billion to the state revolving funds in 2018.
Below are regional projects funded in part by EPA's SRF programs.
Grand Forks, N.D. is constructing a new $152.2 million, 20-million-gallons-per-day wastewater treatment plant to comply with current and future regional population growth. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program approved a 30-year $66 million loan to fund the project, which is scheduled to be completed in 2020.
Yankton, S.D. is constructing a 5-million gallon-per-day water treatment facility using reverse osmosis. The existing newer treatment plant will be directly connected as a part of this project to have all treatment in one location. The loan was for $37 million and the anticipated project completion date is August 2019.
Logan City, Utah began construction on a new $135 million wastewater reclamation facility. Utah provided $90 million in SRF funds in support of the project. The facility will support projected Cache Valley growth and will employ advanced treatment technologies to improve water quality in Cutler Reservoir and the Bear River watershed. This important water resource is currently listed as impaired for nutrient-related water quality problems. This major construction project will be completed by April 2022.
Durango, Colo. is upgrading its Santa Rita Water Reclamation Facility using a $58 million Clean Water SRF loan from the state. The facility is upgrading to a Johannesburg treatment process, which was selected based on its ease of operation, sustainability, low construction and maintenance cost, and its ability to be modified to meet future effluent requirements. Facility construction began in May 2017 and is expected to finish in 2019.
Livingston, Mont. recently upgraded its existing wastewater treatment facility to meet more stringent discharge requirements for ammonia, total nitrogen and phosphorous. The Livingston facility discharges to the Yellowstone River. The entire project was $17 million, and the Montana Clean Water SRF program provided $6.3 million in revolving loan funds. The project began on August 8, 2017 and was recently completed.
Cody, Wyo. received a $2.1 million loan from the Wyoming Clean Water SRF to upgrade its wastewater treatment plant to meet future nutrient requirements and reduce power consumption. The project is expected to be completed toward the end of 2019.
For more information on the President's Infrastructure Initiative, visit https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/building-stronger-america-president-donald-j-trumps-american-infrastructure-initiative.
For more information about EPA's WIFIA program, visit https://www.epa.gov/wifia
For more information on the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, visit https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf