The bill provides about $6 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and more for other agencies, state and tribes.
1
How Much Money will the EPA and the States get for Environmental Projects?
The bill provides about $6 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, which provides grants to states for wastewater treatment and drinking water treatment projects. This provision requires that at least 20% of these funds be used for projects to address green infrastructure, water or energy efficiency improvements or other environmental activities. The EPA also received about $100 million for brownfields restoration projects. EPA plans to use this money in its current brownfields grant programs which are awarded through a competitive application process for assessment and cleanup projects. UST cleanups will get $200 million through the LUST Trust Fund for cleanups and from there to State and Tribal trust funds. Additonally, $600 million will go to Superfund site cleanups.
2
What is New Jersey Doing with the UST Money?
Based on a formula used by the USEPA, New Jersey may receive about $4,900,000. This number may vary based on the number of states requesting funding and amount needed for federal oversight.
The NJDEP plans to use the funding to oversee and conduct site cleanup activities at sites where the responsible parties are unable and unwilling to conduct the required cleanup. The NJDEP plans to hire contractors to implement various aspects of this work including site investigations, remedial investigations, leaking UST closures and other remedial actions. The State believes that hiring contractors will achieve a key ARRA objective by creating jobs. As the NJDEP pursues enforcement actions to gain site access to private properties to conduct this work, the NJDEP expects that some responsible parties will decide to comply . Any Leaking UST Trust Funds spent directly on site cleanup are subject to cost recovery litigation.
3
What Money is Earmarked for the National Park Service?
The measure provides the National Park Service (NPS) about $750 million to complete infrastructure projects - like roads, bridges, and trails - in national parks. ASLA contacted legislators about concern for their eliminating $200 million for the repair and rehabilitation of the National Mall in the House version of the bill. While this funding for the Mall was not re-instated in the final stimulus package, a portion of NPS infrastructure funding could be used to begin the much-need work on the deteriorating National Mall. The Interior Department estimates that its portion of stimulus funds would generate about 100,000 jobs over the next two years.
Funds for wildfire management, including forest health protection on federal and state lands and private forests would be administered through the Department of Agriculture.
4
What Transportation Projects are Eligible?
The bill appropriates $48 billion for the Department of Transportation (DOT) for transportation and infrastructure improvements, including highway projects and mass transit. Funds include $27.5 billion for "ready to go" highway infrastructure projects under the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), including $1.5 billion in discretionary grants for road, bridge, and rail projects. Of the $27.5 billion, $170 million will be used for park roads and parkways and $20 million will be used for highway surface transportation and technology. A total of $8.4 billion will go towards the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for mass transit projects, including $6.9 billion in transit capital assistance grants.
The bill would require three percent of funds appropriated under the Federal Highway Administration's Highway Infrastructure Investment program in the bill be set aside for Surface Transportation Programs (STP), including the Transportation Enhancement Program.
5
What Renewable Energy Projects are Eligible?
The stimulus package includes $20 billion in tax incentives to spur investment in renewable and alternative energy, aimed at "green" jobs to make wind turbines, solar panels and to improve energy efficiency in schools and federal buildings. The measure also appropriates $5.5 billion for federal building construction and repair projects, with an emphasis on projects that achieve high levels of energy efficiency.
Comments - add comment