The South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is accepting applications through October 1, 2013 for projects eligible for federal Clean Water Act, Section 319 nonpoint source control grants. In a news release, DENR officials said there will be approximately $2 million available for South Dakota projects. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) … Read more
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is still accepting applications from qualified non-profit and public organizations, or “intermediaries,” to provide loans to support rural businesses and community development groups. The USDA’s Intermediary Relending Program (IRP) is intended to spark business expansion and create jobs. The loans assist with financing business and economic development activity to … Read more
A federal Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Authority (WIFIA) is one step closer to becoming a reality. It’s part of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2013, which passed through the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works via a bipartisan vote on March 20th. WRDA is expected to reach the Senate floor in … Read more
Stormwater management practices in the United States have a varied past, shifting from considering the water as a “common enemy” and moving it as quickly across property as possible with little thought to the quality of water, to recent practices of managing the quantity, quality, and volume of stormwater runoff. The result of this shift … Read more
It appears the United States is barely earning a passing grade when it comes to replacing or updating its aging infrastructure. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) recently released its 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, giving the U.S. an overall grade of D+. It’s an incremental improvement over the D given in 2009. … Read more
In many parts of the upper Midwest, the transition from winter to spring foreshadows the threat of floodwaters. Flooding and other natural disasters can completely debilitate municipal water and wastewater utilities. That’s why it’s prudent for utilities to participate in an intrastate network called a “WARN” to help each other respond to, or recover from … Read more