GPR Report

Protect clean water, preserve natural systems, reduce energy, and conserve valuable water resources. This report comes from the GPR establishing a minimum 20% of ARRA capitalization funding going to these four categories under GPR. It discusses what has resulted since, including eligibilities in CWSRF that have never been utilized, and addressing the innovative state approaches which have successfully implemented the GPR. Millions of kilowatt hours of energy will continue to be saved annually from ARRA-funded energy efficiency improvements at wastewater treatment plants. This is just one example of the improvements which make reduced operating costs and green house gas emissions also contribute to utility sustainability. Further highlighting done by the EPA and states will help attract new applicants and aid states in identifying future green projects. An example of environmentally innovative activities would be a project that adapts clean water facilities to climate change. Some states solicited GPR recipients to ensure education and awareness of the funding eligibility, establishing new partnerships, and coordinating on local and federal agency levels. Other times, states re-arranged the priority of projects, allowing GPR projects to be funded over previous ranking systems which would bypass GPR projects. To breakdown $1.1 billion in GPR funding, $606 million went to energy, $209 million to green stormwater, $153 million to water efficiency, and $160 million for environmental innovations. All states have met the 20% requirement, most exceeding.