Funding Opportunities in the LRGV Curry Jones MPH

Funding Opportunities in the LRGV Curry Jones, MPH U. S. EPA Region 6

Presentation Objectives O Fiscal Challenges Facing the Environment O Overview of EPA Funding O WRDA O WIIN Act O CWA Section 319 O SRF O Importance of leveraging O Points of Contact 2

WATER RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT ACT (WRDA) O Passed the Senate O Did not pass the House of Representatives O DOA Schoolhouse Rock

WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCE and INNOVATION ACT (WIFIA) O Passed the Senate O Pass the House of Representatives O President signed WIFIA into law O WIFIA is AUTHORIZED O Under 2017 Congress APPROPRIATED $1. 5 Billion in Credits Available for Loans

WIFIA O EPA O Provide secured (direct) loans and loan guarantees to eligible water infrastructure projects. O Borrower Must Provide: O A letter of interest that demonstrates their projects eligibility O Financial creditworthiness O Engineering feasibility, and O Project must align with EPA’s policy priorities. 5

WIFIA Eligible Projects O Drinking water treatment and distribution projects O Wastewater conveyance and treatment projects O Enhanced energy efficiency projects at drinking water and wastewater facilities O Desalination, aquifer recharge, alternative water supply, and water recycling projects 6 O Drought prevention, reduction, or mitigation projects

How do I apply and POC? O Phase 1: Project Selection: O January 10, 2017 – Federal Register Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for Applications for WIFIA Opened O Prospective borrowers demonstrate their projects eligibility, financial creditworthiness, engineering feasibility, and alignment with EPA’s policy priorities. O April 10, 2017 – NOFA closed and 43 Letter of Interest Received O Phase 2: Project Approval: O Each invitee submits an application for WIFIA credit assistance. O EPA conducts a detailed financial and engineering review of the project. O EPA negotiates them with the prospective borrower until they develop a mutually agreeable term sheet. O Administrator demonstrates project approval O Phase 3: Negotiation and Closing: O WIFIA finalizes the terms of credit assistance to a prospective borrower. O Administrator executes the credit agreement EPA Region 6 Point of Contact: Tyrone Hoskin (Hoskins. [email protected] gov) 7

WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS for the NATION ACT (WIIN) O Passed the Senate O Pass the House of Representatives O President signed WIIN into law O WIFIA is AUTHORIZED O No funding has been APPROPRIATED by Congress

O National Grant Program WIIN O Small disadvantaged underserved communities O Under served communities O Does not have drinking water or sewer service O PWS that violates primary drinking water regulation O Total of 45% WIIN 55% non-federal, waiver O Authorization $60 M FY 17 -21 O no appropriation at this time O PWS or a States on behalf of a underserved community are eligible EPA Region 6 Point of Contact: Javier Balli (balli. [email protected] gov)

CWA Section 319(h) Grants Nonpoint Point Source

CWA Section 319(h) Funds O Federal leadership to help focus state and local nonpoint source efforts. Money allocated to States and Tribes annually O Supports O Financial Assistance O Education, O Training, O Technology transfer O Implementation of nonpoint source practices O Monitoring to assess the success of specific nonpoint source implementation projects. O Splint into two pots: O Program Funds (Program management / Plan development) 12 O Implementation Funds (Implementation of control with a watershed plan

$300 $200 $150 $100 20% $50 $0 19 92 19 94 19 96 19 98 20 00 20 02 20 04 20 06 20 08 20 10 20 12 20 14 20 16 Millions $250 NPS Financial CWA Picture 319 h Funding Roller Coaster 13

CWA 319 FUNDING FOR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE • The goal of the CWA 319(h) funding is for States to develop and implement watershed based plans to protect and restore water quality. • EPA annually provides ~$7. 0 million dollars to TCEQ and TSSWCB to fund watershed based plans and implementation throughout the State. • 319(h) funds can be used to implement GI best management practices as long as they are not a requirement of an NPDES permit.

SECTION 319 NONPOINT SOURCE GRANTS ADMINISTERED BY TCEQ AND TSSWCB “An integral component and funding source for the Texas NPS management programs which aim to control NPS pollution to achieve and maintain beneficial uses of waters throughout Texas. ” Program Elements: • NPS Assessment Reports – Identify NPS problems & sources • NPS Management Programs – State-adopted management program to control NPS pollution • Watershed Protection Plans (WPPs) – voluntary, stakeholder-driven plans to address all sources/causes of impairments; given priority Project Types: • Demonstration Project • Watershed Project (WPP Development & WPP Implementation) Additional details available at https: //www. tceq. texas. gov/waterquality/ nonpoint-source/

319 Project Types – Information/Education O Tours O Signs O Curriculum O Displays O Storm-Drain stenciling O “Marketing”

319 Project Types – Implementation Funds O To utilize implementation funds, watershed must have a watershed plan

Section 319 – Watershed-based Planning • Step 1: Build Partnerships • Step 2: Characterize Watershed • Step 3: Set Goals, Identify Solutions • Step 4: Develop implementation program • Step 5: Implement Plan • Step 6: Monitor and Evaluate www. epa. gov/owow/nps/watershed_handbook

FUNDABLE 319 NPS PROJECTS Stormwater Projects: Green Roofs Infiltration Basins Water Conservation and Reuse: Source Water Protection: Tree Plantings Efficient Irrigation Equipment Protection Activities in Well Protection Surface Water Drainage Curb Cuts Landscaped Swales Wetland Protection & Restoration Development of Public Education Programs Water Conservation Monitoring: Land for Reservoirs Impoundment or Dams Monitoring Activities during startup (1 st 3 years)

How Does a Project Get Selected for NPS Funding Consideration? * State Requests NPS Proposals (Differs for LA & OK) State Planning: Scopes & Development Projects State Watershed Priority Report EPA Review, Approval & Award State Watershed Prioritization Planning States Develop Full Grant Work Plan & Submit to EPA State Evaluates & Ranks Applications State Consults with EPA to Review & Negotiate Draft SOWs

TWDB STATE REVOLVING FUND • Drinking Water SRF- $250, 000 available for drinking water projects (Very Small Systems ((<1 K)) $2 M, Disadvantaged Communities $7. 8 M, Subsidized Green $960 K, Urgent Need $2 M). • Clean Water SRF- $525, 000 available for wastewater projects (Disadvantaged Communities $4. 2 M, Subsidized Green $961 K).

HOW THE SRF PROGRAMS WORK State Agencies with the Procurement Opportunities

STATE REVOLVING FUND (SRF) PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED BY TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD Clean Water SRF program may fund a wide variety of water quality projects such as: Drinking Water SRF program may fund a variety of drinking water infrastructure projects such as: • stormwater pollution control • nonpoint source pollution control • estuary management projects • eligible green project reserve (GPR) components • wastewater recycling & reuse improvements • wastewater treatment facilities • collection systems • water treatment facilities • distribution systems • upgrade/replace water infrastructure • address SDWA standards • source water protection projects • consolidation of systems • purchasing additional capacity • eligible GPR components www. twdb. texas. gov/financial/

ELIGIBLE SRF PROJECTS CWSRF examples DWSRF examples • Stormwater pipes, storage and treatment • Green infrastructure • Pervious pavement • Planting trees and shrubs • Wetland restoration • Conservation easement • Energy-efficiency POTW upgrades • Water conservation education • Water-efficient fixtures • Water meters • • • • Pervious pavement Bioretention Green roof Rain water harvesting Gray water recycling/distribution Xeriscaping Water efficient irrigation Water efficient plumbing fixtures Water meters Leak detection Water conservation programs Riparian buffers Public education/outreach

GI IN COMMERCIAL AREAS Starbucks – Austin, TX Rainwater Cistern Wal. Mart – Mc. Kinney, TX Porous Pavement & Infiltration Islands Reliant Stadium – Houston, TX Green Parking § Curb cuts into parking islands allow infiltration § Green parking lots § Permeable pavements § Water harvesting

GI FOR PARKING DESIGNS Porous areas such as: § § bioretention islands pervious pavements infiltration trenches zero curbs or curb cuts allow MORE or the same number of parking spaces on smaller land areas Public Park – Cameron County, TX Pervious parking and infiltration trench South Texas College – Mc. Allen, TX Parking lot infiltration island

GI ENHANCES STREET AND ROADWAY DESIGNS § Rain gardens within curb bump-outs, roundabouts § Porous walkways, trails § Swales, tree pits

GREEN PROJECT RESERVE (GPR) PROJECTS Guides TWDB SRF funding toward projects that: • utilize green or soft-path practices to complement and augment hard or gray infrastructure, • adopt practices that reduce the environmental footprint of water and wastewater treatment, collection, and distribution, • help utilities adapt to climate change, • adopt more sustainable solutions to wet weather flows, • provide mechanisms to reinvest savings from reductions in water loss and energy conservation, • promote innovative approaches to water management problems. Can be used for planning, design, and/or construction activities that advance one or more objectives in four categories (Green Infrastructure, Water Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, and Environmentally Innovative).

Why is Leveraging Important Between the 319 h & CWSRF Programs? O Funding Resource – The CWSRF program can fund significant portions of watershed protection efforts O Partnerships – States have the opportunity to target CWSRF funds to their own water quality priorities. O Implementation of Watershed Protection Plans – Brings significant state & local resources for watershed project implementation 29

Federal Funding Options for Drinking Water / Wastewater Projects WIFIA Drinking Water Treatment WIIN CWA SRF X Wastewater Treatment DWSRF CWA 319 X X Enhanced Energy Efficiency X X Desalination, aquifer recharge, alternative water supply, and water recycling projects X X Drought prevention, reduction, or mitigation projects X X 30

Curry Jones. [email protected] gov 31