Jonathan L. Ramseur (Coordinator), Lisa S. Benson, Nicole T. Carter, Elena H. Humphreys, Joseph V. Jaroscak, Julie M. Lawhorn, Anna E. Normand, Charles V. Stern, and Megan Stubbs authored this CRS report (updated 2 August 2022):
'Federally Supported Projects and Programs for Wastewater, Drinking Water, and Water Supply Infrastructure'.
Download CRS_Repot_Fed_Support_DW_WW_Infra_2Aug2022
I am publishing just the Summary and the mammoth Table 1. If this table is hard to read - click on it to enlarge (it is seven different panels. You can also see the tables in the report.
Summary
For decades, Congress has authorized and modified federal programs to help communities address water supply and water infrastructure needs, including both wastewater and drinking water. Departments and agencies that administer this assistance include the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA).These agencies administer these programs in multiple ways. In terms of funding mechanisms, some projects developed or assisted by Reclamation and USACE are funded through direct, individual project authorizations from Congress. Other agencies administer programs with standing authorizations that establish eligibility criteria rather than identify specific projects. (Reclamation and USACE also administer some programs.) A key practical difference is that with individual project authorizations, there is no predictable assistance or even guarantee of funding after a project is authorized, because funding must be secured each year in the congressional appropriations process. The programs, on the other hand, have generally received some level of annual appropriations and have set program criteria and processes by which eligible parties can seek funding.
In terms of scope and mission, the primary responsibilities of the federal agencies discussed in this report cover a wide range. Forexample, EPA’s authorities relate to protecting public health and the environment. The EDA and HUD focus on community and economic development. Likewise, the specific programs differ in several respects. Some are national in scope (e.g., USDA and EPA), while others are regionally focused (e.g., Reclamation’s programs and projects, which are limited to the 17 arid and semiarid “reclamation states” in the West). Some focus primarily on urban areas (HUD), whereas others concentrate mainly on rural areas (USDA).
Federal funding for these programs and projects varies greatly. Congressional funding for the water supply and wastewater and drinking water programs continues to compete with many other programs that are supported by discretionary spending. Some of these programs have received supplemental appropriations, such as provided in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA; P.L. 117-58). Stakeholders and others continue to call for increased appropriations for these programs. FY2022 appropriations highlights include the following:
$728.3 million for capitalization grants to states under EPA’s State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan program for drinking water systems and $1.195 billion for EPA’s SRF program for wastewater projects; IIJA provided an additional $1.902 billion and $1.902 billion for each program, respectively; $397.8 million for drinking water infrastructure and $443.6 million for wastewater infrastructure provided by “community project funding/congressionally directed spending,” which some refer to as “earmarks”;
$3 billion (provided by IIJA) for EPA’s drinking water SRF program for lead service line replacement and related activities;
$63.5 million for subsidy costs for the EPA-administered Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program, allowing the agency to provide credit assistance for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects, not to exceed $12.5 billion;
$490 million for grants, $1.4 billion in direct loan authority, and $50 million for guaranteed loan authority for USDA’s rural water and waste disposal program;
$3.3 billion for HUD’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program (water and wastewater projects are among many eligible uses);
$158 million for EDA’s Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance programs (water and wastewater projects are among many eligible uses);
$292 million for USACE environmental infrastructure projects, of which $200 million was from the IIJA and $92 million was from community project funding or congressionally directed spending requests;
$327 million for Reclamation water storage projects, of which $210 million was from the IIJA and $117 million was from annual appropriations;
$420 million for Reclamation rural water construction projects from the IIJA and $15 million from annual appropriations; and
$298 million for Reclamation’s Title XVI reclamation/recycling projects, of which $245 million was from the IIJA and $53 million was annual appropriations.
More to read!
Enjoy!
"We are so excited about our new journalism dean. He has a wealth of real world experience in the news business. The decline of local newspapers, the cutting of content and staff? That was him!" - @ass_deans
Comments