막대한 양의 기금 및 대출이 워싱턴의 호수, 강, 하천, 바다를 건강하게 보호하기 위한 2017년 최우선순위 프로젝트에 대해 다시 한 번 제안됐다.

생태부(The Department of Ecology)의 수질프로그램은 워싱턴주 전역에 걸쳐 총 103개 프로젝트에 1억3천700만 달러를 수여하겠다고 제안했다. 프로젝트 리스트는 공공리뷰(public review)에서 이용 가능하다.

 

 

 

A significant amount of grant and loan funding is once again proposed for high-priority projects in 2017 to protect the health of Washington’s lakes, rivers, streams and marine waters.

 

The Department of Ecology’s Water Quality Program proposes that $137 million be directed toward 103 projects across the state for clean water infrastructure projects. The list of projects is available for public review and comment online.

 

“Our grant and loan program is a steadfast source of financial assistance to local communities, helping them make investments that last well into the future to protect water quality,” said Heather Bartlett, manager of Ecology’s Water Quality Program. “We financially support communities that might not otherwise be able to afford these projects and create jobs at the same time. We are fixing wastewater systems, preventing nonpoint sources of pollution, and addressing stormwater pollution problems that threaten our waters.”

 

Most of the funding -- $128 million -- is proposed for wastewater and stormwater infrastructure projects. Examples include upgrades to wastewater treatment plants, getting homes off failing septic systems and construction of projects that capture and contain stormwater.

 

Infrastructure spending not only protects the environment, it creates jobs. State financial managers calculate that 11 jobs are created in Washington for every $1 million spent on infrastructure. Using this calculation, the funding will support more than 1,400 jobs, with one-third of them as construction jobs.

 

Twenty-six wastewater treatment plants are tagged to receive approximately $94 million for facility projects. Eight of these projects are in communities that qualify for financial hardship status. They would receive forgivable principal loans (loans that do not need to be paid back), and loans with interest rates as low as 0.1 percent. The hardship communities are:

 

ㆍDryden and Peshastin (a combined project)

ㆍConcrete

ㆍOak Harbor

ㆍSequim - two projects

ㆍToppenish

ㆍKing County - two projects for Valley View Sewer District

 

Ecology determined that these hardship projects were also eligible for more than $10 million in Centennial Program grants, however not enough Centennial Program funding is available. Ecology is committed to providing these projects with Centennial Program grant funding during the next funding cycle, contingent on a legislative appropriation.

 

Fifty-nine projects would split $33 million from the Stormwater Financial Assistance Program to focus on reducing stormwater pollution. Stormwater funding comes from a combination of state bond and hazardous substance tax dollars.

 

[출처 = Water World / 2016년 1월 26일]