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' r' �,� S���L �O���V�IIIL� <br /> it <br /> ii <br /> Funding Wastewater Systems for Small <br /> Communities <br /> Benjamin Shuman and Ken Heigel <br /> Wby does the federal govern- panded further to include wastewater Development Block Grants program <br /> ment provide financial assis- projects and to allow grants. work through state governments <br /> tance to rural communities Today,other federal programs and may supplement other state <br /> for the development of wastewater in- also provide financial assistance programs,whereas the Economic <br /> frastructure?There are two reasons:to to small communities for develop- Development Administration funds <br /> help meet development and economic ment of wastewater infrastructure. projects directly from the federal <br /> needs, and to protect the environ- This list includes the Clean Water government to the community.The <br /> ment,In both cases,these overlapping State Revolving Loan Program(U.S. regional commissions,such as the <br /> goals are intended to serve a variety Environmental Protection Agency), Appalachian Regional Commission <br /> of needs that center on community the Community Development Block and the Delta Regional Authority, <br /> improvement,public health,and envi- Grant Program(U.S,Department of typically work through other agen- <br /> ronmental protection. Housing and Urban Development), cies rather than providing funds <br /> The U.S.Department of Agriculture and the Economic Development directly to communities.The Water <br /> (USDA)has been assisting farmers and Administration(U.S.Department of and Waste Program(wwwusda,gov/ <br /> rural communities since the 1800s.In Commerce),as well as various re- rus/water)managed by USDA Rural <br /> 1937,the U.S.Congress passed the glonal development authorities and Development Utilities Programs is <br /> Water Facilities Act,creating pro- commissions.Each of these programs unique in that it works only with rural <br /> grams to provide farmers and asso- was created toy a different purpose, communities. <br /> ciations loans to assist with drought and each comes with its own set of re, The USDA program offers loans, <br /> conditions,but coverage was lim- quirements established by Congress, grants,and loan guarantees,often in <br /> ited to 17 western states.In 1961,the the state legislatures,and the various combination,to develop water and <br /> Consolidated Rural Development and agencies that administer the pro- wastewater systems.The fiscal year <br /> Farm Act was passed,expanding this grams, 2008 program level is more than$1.5 <br /> program to rural communities in all The Clean Water State Revolving billion,including more than$500 mil- <br /> states.In 1965,the program was ex- Fund program and the Community lion in grant funding.These funds not <br /> only support the general loan <br /> and grant program but also <br /> are used to support several <br /> smaller targeted programs, <br /> including Alaskan native vil- <br /> lages,colonias(border set- <br /> tlements)in the Southwest, <br /> and emergency water grants. <br /> Grant funds also are made <br /> available foi the Circuit <br /> Rider Technical Assistance <br /> program,which is managed <br /> by the National Rural Water <br /> Association(NRWA;Duncan, <br /> Okla.). <br /> A giant or loan application <br /> consists of various financial <br /> and technical documents, <br /> including a preliminary engi- <br /> neering report that provides <br /> analysis of alternatives and <br /> cost estimates,and an envi- <br /> WE&7 WWW.WLP.0RG/MAGAZ1NE <br />