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California's Green Projects During the First 200 Days of the Recovery Act

Release Date: 09/03/2009
Contact Information: Nahal Mogharabi (415) 415-947-4307 [email protected], or Mary Simms, (415) 947-4270, [email protected]

SAN FRANCISCO – On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). The U.S. EPA manages more than $7 billion in projects and programs that will invest in environmental protection and provide long-term economic benefits to aide recovery efforts across the nation. More than $517 million in Recovery Act Funds have already been obligated to California, including:

· The California State Water Resources Control Board will receive $2.8 Million for water quality management planning. In addition, the Board’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund program will receive $280 million for water quality protection projects.

· The California Department of Public Health’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program will receive $159 million to provide low-interest loans for drinking water systems to finance infrastructure improvements and ensuring safe drinking water.

· Seven Tribes in California will have improved access to vital water services through $8.5 million in Recovery funding. Projects to be undertaken include upgrades to wastewater treatment, upgrades to sewer connections, and expansion of sewer lines.

· The California Air Resources Board has been awarded $1.73 million in Recovery Act Funds for clean diesel projects. Eligible projects include engine idling reduction and retrofit technologies, engine replacement, vehicle replacement, and clean diesel emerging technologies.

· A cooperative agreement with the California State Water Resources Control Board will be used to distribute $15,577,000 for assessment and cleanup of underground storage tank petroleum leaks.

· Over $25,403,971 in Clean Diesel Recovery funds will be used to replace, repower and retrofit engines in buses, heavy-duty trucks, locomotives, agricultural vehicles, construction vehicles, and cargo handling equipment in metropolitan Los Angeles, the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, San Diego, San Joaquin Valley, and the Bay Area.

· To help clean up sites known as “brownfields” which may be contaminated by hazardous chemicals or pollutants, EPA has awarded $3.3 million from the Recovery Act and $6.8 million from the EPA brownfields general program funding, to help communities in California revitalize former industrial and commercial sites, turning them from problem properties to productive community use.

· EPA has awarded $700,000 funded in part through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, to the Los Angeles Conservation Corps. The LA Conservation Corp will provide job training for 160 students to learn the latest environmental technologies and prepare them for “green” jobs.

· Over $10 million in new funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will be used to accelerate the clean-up at the Iron Mountain Mine Superfund site near Redding, California. By speeding up cleanup at Superfund sites, Recovery Act funding is also increasing the speed with which these sites are returned to productive use.

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