96701601

Description:
This agreement will provide water environmental finance expertise and outreach to regulated communities to help them meet environmental requirements and develop solutions to the difficult 'how-to-pay' issues associated with meeting environmental standards. This agreement provides funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to support the Environmental Finance Center (EFC) at EPA Region 7. The Wichita State University Environmental Finance Center will provide technical assistance and training to water, wastewater, and stormwater utility systems, focusing on disadvantaged, underserved, small, rural, municipal, and tribal communities. The goal is to increase wise and equitable infrastructure planning to access state revolving fund programs to meet the environmental challenges that impact their communities in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.

Activities:
The activities include the development and implementation of technical assistance, training, durable resources, and tools to build capacity for utility systems focusing on disadvantaged, underserved, small, rural, municipal, and tribal communities. The aim is to help them access funding through the state revolving fund program to address the environmental challenges in their respective communities. This support will promote safe and reliable drinking water, improve wastewater and stormwater services, increase opportunities to achieve and maintain regulatory compliance, increase climate resiliency, and advance environmental justice equity. These efforts will benefit disadvantaged, underserved, small, rural, municipal, and tribal communities in the states of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.

Subrecipient:
The subrecipients are the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities, Kansas Municipal Utilities, and Missouri Public Utility Alliance. In collaboration with WSU EFC, the subrecipients will provide technical assistance and training, working with small and underserved, disadvantaged, rural, municipal, and tribal communities to access state revolving funds to address the environmental challenges within their respective communities.

Outcomes:
The anticipated deliverables include monthly state meetings, quarterly progress reports, and a final report. The expected outcomes will include improved access to the state revolving funds, improved technical, managerial, and financial capabilities, and better resiliency and sustainability.

Intended beneficiaries:
The intended beneficiaries include the disadvantaged, underserved, small, rural, municipal, and tribal communities in the four-state region: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.

Wichita State University

3 - ENFORCE ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS AND ENSURE COMPLIANCE 3.2 - DETECT VIOLATIONS AND PROMOTE COMPLIANCE 7 - ENSURE SAFETY OF CHEMICALS FOR PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT 7.1 - ENSURE CHEMICAL AND PESTICIDE SAFETY 6 - SAFEGUARD AND REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES 6.1 - CLEAN UP AND RESTORE LAND FOR PRODUCTIVE USES AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES 4 - ENSURE CLEAN AND HEALTHY AIR FOR ALL COMMUNITIES 4.1 - IMPROVE AIR QUALITY AND REDUCE LOCALIZED POLLUTION AND HEALTH IMPACTS 3 - GREATER CERTAINTY, COMPLIANCE, AND EFFECTIVENESS 3.3 - PRIORITIZE ROBUST SCIENCE S - CROSS AGENCY STRATEGY S.1 - ENSURE SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY AND SCIENCE-BASED DECISION MAKING 5 - ENSURE CLEAN AND SAFE WATER FOR ALL COMMUNITIES 5.1 - ENSURE SAFE DRINKING WATER AND RELIABLE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE

66.203 - Environmental Finance Center Grants

EPA Region 7: Kansas City [EPA - RO]

Nebraska United States

State-Wide

ENVIRONMENTAL FINANCE CENTER GRANT PROGRAM (EPA-I-OW-OWM-22-01)

Infrastructure $1,353,214 (40%) percent this Cooperative Agreement was funded by the 2021 Infrastructure Act.
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 152% from $1,353,214 to $3,409,086.