Overview of the Division of Water Restoration Assistance Presented by Trina Vielhauer Director, Division of Water Restoration Assistance Water Restoration Assistance Trina Vielhauer Director State Revolving Fund Deepwater Horizon 319/TMDL Funding Beaches & Mine Funding 2 Division Priorities Timeliness Water related legislative appropriations Springs appropriations Leveraging resources Measuring and reporting environmental results Coordination with stakeholders 3 1
EPA 319(h) Grant Clean Water Act Federally Funded Grant $160 million total $5 6 million Florida (4%) Nonpoint source pollution abatement 40% match requirement 4 319(h) Cycle PLAN AHEAD: Can take up to two years from application to ability to expend funds Have land acquisition and liability issues resolved When possible, finalize design and permitting prior to receiving 319 grant Be prepared to document project construction and results 5 319(h) Eligible Projects 6 2
319(h) Eligible Applicants State Agencies Local Governments Colleges & Universities Non profit Organizations Public Utilities State Water Management Districts 7 319(h) Evaluation Criteria Emphasis is placed upon: Project effectiveness monitoring Implementing watershed plans Addressing pollutants in impaired water bodies Cost effectiveness Cooperative projects Use of innovative BMPs Project related public education 8 TMDL Implementation Basin Management Action Plans 9 3
319(h) Funding Eligibility Eligible for funds: Construction of Best Management Practices (BMP) Monitoring Public education Not eligible for funds: Design, engineering Land acquisition Activity required by a federal permit 10 TMDL Water Quality Restoration Grant State grant for projects that reduce pollutant loadings from urban areas (~$3 million annually) Schedule: Projects are evaluated three times per year: March, July and November Eligible Applicants: Local governments and state water management districts Eligible Projects: Urban stormwater BMPs 11 TMDL Grant Evaluation Criteria Emphasis is placed upon: Project effectiveness monitoring Watershed plan implementation Addressing pollutants in impaired water bodies Cost effectiveness Use of innovative BMPs Project related public education 12 4
TMDL Funding Eligibility Eligible for funds: Construction Project related monitoring Project related public education Not Eligible for funds: Design, engineering Land acquisition 13 TMDL Match Eligibility Match Expenditure Funds Match amount must be equal to or greater than grant amount At least 25% of the match must be provided by local government Eligible Match Activities BMP construction In kind services Design Engineering Monitoring Public education Land acquisition 14 For More Information FDEP 319 Grant: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/nonpoint/319h.htm FDEP TMDL Grant: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/watersheds/tmdl_grant.htm Kate Brackett: (850) 245-2952, Kathryn.Brackett@dep.state.fl.us Katie Britt: (850) 245-2938, Katherine.Britt@dep.state.fl.us 15 5
State Revolving Fund Overview 16 State Revolving Fund Basics Provides low interest loans for planning, designing and constructing water facilities Is a revolving fund because loan repayments are used to make additional loans 17 State Revolving Fund Basics SRF Revolving Fund 18 6
Types of Opportunities Drinking water: Preconstruction loans Construction loans principal forgiveness available Clean water: Planning loans Design loans Construction loans Principal forgiveness available Small community grant program: Grant combined with a loan Rules under revision 19 Steps to Obtain a State Revolving Fund Loan Complete a Request for Inclusion Project placed on fundable list at next hearing Submit a Loan Application Execute Loan Agreement Request monies as invoiced 20 Request for Inclusion Form The Request for Inclusion form is generally the first document submitted and provides: A basic description of the project Estimated project costs Census tract information Projected schedule Population of the area to be served by the project and the system s population 21 7
Planning Documentation Executive Summary Cost Comparison and Selected Alternative Environmental Effects Financial Feasibility Schedule Public Participation Process Environmental Review 22 Readiness to Proceed for Construction Loans Planning process completed, biddable plans and specs, all permits, and a certification that all necessary sites have been secured 23 State Revolving Fund Loan Interest Rates Loan interest rate is a percentage of the basic financing rate DWSRF interest rate is fixed at 60% of the index CWSRF interest rate varies between 80% to 0% of the index 24 8
State Revolving Fund Program Status Demand for new projects is decreasing Have millions in unallocated funds this fiscal year 25 Clean Water State Revolving Fund Project Funding Agricultural Animals 0.01% Agricultural Cropland 0.01% Storm Sewers 4.27% New Interceptors 7.86% Ground Water Protection 0.01% Reuse 5.64% Brownfields 0.11% Hydromodification 0.09% Secondary Treatment 11.92% New Collector Sewers 20.35% Advanced Treatment 37.19% Sewer System Rehabilitation 8.80% Infiltration/Inflow 3.74% 27 9
State Revolving Fund Eligible Projects 28 Innovative State Revolving Fund Projects Green Energy Power Consumption Green Energy Power Production 29 State Revolving Fund Project Examples Alternate Water Supply Development 30 10
Typical State Revolving Fund Projects Stormwater Management: All stormwater projects must have a water quality benefit 31 Innovative State Revolving Fund Projects Atmospheric Deposition Landfills 32 Innovative State Revolving Fund Projects Brownfield Remediation Depot Park, Gainesville 33 11
Deepwater Horizon Overview April 20, 2010 explosion and oil spill July 15, 2010 well capped April 20, 2011 BP agrees to $1 billion in Natural resource damages early restoration funds July 6, 2012 RESTORE Act signed into law Early 2013 criminal plea agreements direct $2.5 billion to National Fish and Wildlife Federation 34 Settlement Overview July 2, 2015 BP Agreement in Principle with Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees, States, and Local governments Clean Water Act penalties, $5.5 BB Natural Resource Damage Assessment damages, $8.1 BB State economic claims, $4.9 BB Local government economic claims, up to $1 BB $18.732 Billion 35 Florida s Anticipated Funding Source $$$ RESTORE Bucket 1 RESTORE Bucket 2 RESTORE Bucket 3 NFWF NRDA Total $364 MM $320 MM $286 MM $356 MM $680 MM $2 BB 36 12
Florida s Funding Opportunities (NRDA) Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NFWF) National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund (RESTORE) Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast Act of 2012 37 Projects or activities eligible for Funding NRDA NFWF RESTORE Provides off set to injuries from spill Species injured include birds, turtles, fishes, mammals Habitats injured include seagrass, oysters, marsh, dunes Off sets can include lost recreational or human use Benefits natural resources of the Gulf Coast that were impacted by the spill. Remedy harm and to eliminate or reduce the risk of future harm to Gulf Coast natural resources Restore and maintain the ecological functions of landscape scale coastal habitats Replenish and protect living resources Can fund WQ projects that have direct link to habitats and species Overall restoration of Gulf of Mexico not limited to spill impacts Pot 1 Ecological and economic restoration Pot 2 Science based to restore and protect natural resources Pot 3 Ecological and economic restoration 38 Florida s Restoration Priorities Stormwater / Wastewater infrastructure projects Community resilience / Living shorelines Water quality projects including those which achieve water quality benefits provided by the preservation of buffer lands around military bases Implementation of agriculture best management practices (BMPs) Fish and wildlife habitat and management 39 13
Submitted Projects 40 More Info on Deepwater Horizon For more information or to submit or update a project please visit: www.deepwaterhorizonflorida.com Contact: Phil.Coram@dep.state.fl.us 41 14