Clean Water Current

NACWA joined the American Water Works Association (AMWA), the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and the WateReuse Association in submitting comments last week to EPA on two key implementation rules for the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program: the Interim Final Rule for Credit Assistance for Water Infrastructure Projects and the Proposed Rule on Fees for Water Infrastructure Project Applications. 

While the EPA issued its Notice of Funding Availability for the WIFIA program last month, these two rules seek to finalize the guidelines under which the program will operate.  Congress established WIFIA in the 2014 Water Resources Reform and Development Act and provided a $20 million appropriation in the 2016 Water infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act to begin processing applications for over $2 billion in project financing.  WIFIA is designed to provide direct loans and loan guarantees for large water or wastewater projects that may not be able to receive financing through the State Revolving Fund programs.  For more information about WIFIA, NACWA members are encouraged to visit EPA website, www.epa.gov/wifia.