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PennVEST Sets May 18 Deadline For Green Infrastructure Projects Funded By Stimulus
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The PA Infrastructure Investment Authority this week told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Economic Impact and Infrastructure it has set a May 18 deadline for applications for water infrastructure and green infrastructure projects funded using federal stimulus dollars.
Paul Marchetti, PennVEST, said Pennsylvania will receive about $220 million for water infrastructure project, $65 million for drinking water and $155 million for wastewater. Half of the funds must be allocated in grants and at least 20 percent must be for "green infrastructure."
The formal language included in the stimulus package under the Clean Water Revolving Fund section says: "not less than 20 percent of the funds appropriated herein for the Revolving Funds shall be for projects to address green infrastructure, water or energy efficiency improvements or other environmentally innovative activities."
EPA Region III in Philadelphia has circulated guidance on what it considers green infrastructure, which includes a wide array of practices to manage wet weather to maintain and restore natural hydrology by infiltrating, evapotranspiring and capturing and using stormwater.
These practices, EPA guidance says, includes restoration of natural landscape features, such as forests, floodplains and wetlands, bioretention, green roofs, porous pavements and cisterns.
In addition, EPA says, green infrastructure technologies can simultaneously provide other benefits like helping to filter air pollutants, reducing energy demands, mitigating urban heat island and sequestering carbon.
Marchetti said he expects the Authority Board to award about $150 million in federal stimulus funding at its April 20 meeting on top of the $300-350 million the Board usually approves.
Marchetti said the Authority would be publishing a formal solicitation for green infrastructure projects shortly.
John Brosious, PA Municipal Authority Association, outlined the need for water infrastructure funding in the Commonwealth saying the Governor's Sustainable Water Infrastructure Task Force last year said drinking water and wastewater needs totaled more than $113 billion.
For more information, visit the PennVEST website.
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3/27/2009 |
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