EPA opened applications for up to $5.5 billion in water infrastructure loans for the U.S. Virgin Islands and other jurisdictions

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced on April 6, 2018, that it had opened a funding round under the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act that could provide as much as $5.5 billion in loans for water infrastructure projects, including projects in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

EPA said prospective borrowers had until July 6, 2018, to submit letters of interest.

The agency said the WIFIA program received $63 million in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018, which President Donald Trump signed into law on March 23, 2018. EPA said that level of funding could support more than $11 billion in water infrastructure investment.

According to EPA, eligible projects included drinking water treatment and distribution, wastewater conveyance and treatment, energy-efficiency improvements at drinking water and wastewater facilities, desalination, aquifer recharge, alternative water supply and water recycling, and drought prevention or mitigation.

EPA said it would evaluate proposed projects through a competitive process and invite selected applicants to continue to the application stage.

The agency said that in the program's inaugural 2017 round, it invited 12 projects in nine states to apply for more than $2 billion in WIFIA loans.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/epa-announces-new-funding-for-water-infrastructure-projects-in-the-u-s-virgin-islands/