Sector To Receive Big Boost For Water Projects

摘要

Industry sources describe the funds provided in the final stimulus package for the environmental sector as a good start that could help the Obama administration meet its goal of jump-starting the economy by creating and saving more jobs. But they acknowledge that the $20.6 billion allocated for environmental projects ranging from water and wastewater infrastructure to levees, Superfund and Dept. of Energy nuclear cleanup falls far short of what is needed to address current and long-term needs. More flexibility has been provided to states in some cases to get projects off the ground quickly. But some of the funding comes with strings attached, and projects that do not break ground within a specific time frame may see their dollars disappear as funds are reallocated to other projects on their states's priority list. Funding for drinking-water and waste-water infrastructure both received big boosts, with $2 billion allocated for the drinking-water state revolving fund and $4 billion for the clean-water SRF.