Environmental Policy Innovation Center

DESCRIPTION:HE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY INNOVATION CENTER (EPIC) WILL ESTABLISH A NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL FINANCE CENTER (EFC). THE CENTRAL GOAL IS TO PROVIDE DIRECT WATER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TA) TO ENSURE UNDERSERVED AND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES (DACS) - PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT HAVE NOT ACCESSED FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BEFORE AND ARE NOT CURRENTLY RECEIVING A SIMILAR KIND OF TA - ACCESS BIL FUNDS. DIRECT WATER TA SHOULD PUT COMMUNITIES ON THE PATH TO APPLY FOR, ACCESS, AND USE BIL FUNDS TO INVEST IN SUSTAINABLE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.ACTIVITIES:.1. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TA): PROVIDE DIRECT WATER TA TO 45 TA RECIPIENTS (E.G. LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, UTILITIES, AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS) FOR PLANNING, PRE-DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, AND APPLICATIONS FOR STATE REVOLVING FUNDS (SRFS) TO FINANCE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE WITH BIL FUNDING OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS, THEN MORE COMMUNITIES IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS (NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PROJECT WILL BE ASSESSED AFTER COMPLETION OF INITIAL 45 OVER TWO YEARS). EPIC WILL COORDINATE WITH THE EPA AND OTHER EFCS TO PROVIDE TA, WITH A FOCUS ON ASSISTANCE TO MEDIUM-SIZED MUNICIPALITIES (POPULATIONS FROM 10,000 TO 100,000). EPIC AIMS TO HAVE APPROXIMATELY HALF OF THE TA RECIPIENTS ADVANCE LEAD SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT (LSLR). 2. LSLR SUPPORT TO REGIONAL EFCS: PROVIDE SUPPORT TO REGIONAL EFCS TO EMPLOY BEST PRACTICES AND INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO HELP TA RECIPIENTS ACCELERATE LSLR. 3. SPECIAL PROJECTS-PUNCHLIST EXPLAINING STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS TO APPLYING FOR SRF FUNDS IN EACH STATE.-COMMISSIONED SRF ANALYSIS: AT THE REQUEST OF THE EPA, CONDUCT SRF ANALYSIS.-TA TRAINING RESOURCE LIBRARY: COORDINATE WITH EPA TO COMPILE A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF TRAINING TOOLS, RESOURCES, AND GUIDES TO ADD TO EPA'S TA CLEARINGHOUSESUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:.1.1 COMMUNITY IDENTIFICATION AND COORDINATION (BENEFICIARY: EPA/EPIC) LIST OF POTENTIAL TA RECIPIENTS IN UNDERSERVED AND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES BASED ON COMPILED DATA FIRST COHORT OF POTENTIAL TA RECIPIENTS IDENTIFIED BY APRIL '23 SUBSEQUENT COHORTS IDENTIFIED ANNUALLY BASED ON LESSONS LEARNED IN YEARS 1 AND 2 CO-DEVELOPED OUTREACH PLAN TO FACILITATE INTRODUCTIONS TO POTENTIAL TA RECIPIENTS LIST OF FIRST COHORT OF POTENTIAL TA RECIPIENTS TO REACH OUT TO BY MAY '23 LIST OF SUBSEQUENT COHORTS DEVELOPED ANNUALLY BASED ON LESSONS LEARNED IN YEARS 1 AND 2 1.2 INITIAL COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT (BENEFICIARY: TA COMMUNITIES) OUTREACH TO THE FIRST COHORT OF 90 POTENTIAL TA RECIPIENTS. AIM FOR HALF OF THEM TO BE LIKELY TO PURSUE LEAD SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT (LSLR) PROJECTS OUTREACH TO FIRST COHORT COMPLETED JUNE-SEPTEMBER '23 OUTREACH TO SUBSEQUENT COHORTS WILL BE BASED ON LESSONS LEARNED IN YEARS 1 AND 2 QUARTERLY REPORTING EXPECTED TO BEGIN Q3 YEARS 1 AND 2: 45 LETTERS OF INTENT (23 ON LSLR) OR OTHER COMMITMENTS INDICATING TA RECIPIENT WILL ENGAGE WITH EPIC TO RECEIVE DIRECT TA YEARS 3-5: NUMBER OF LOIS WILL DEPEND ON ADAPTATIONS TO THE PROCESS RESULTING FROM LESSONS LEARNED IN YEARS 1 AND 2 1.3 TA: ASSESSMENT, PRE-DEVELOPMENT, AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT (BENEFICIARY: TA COMMUNITIES) YEARS 1 AND 2: 20-25 CBOS RECEIVE FUNDS FOR ENGAGEMENT YEARS 1 AND 2: 45 GAP ANALYSES IN YEARS 1 AND 2 YEARS 1 AND 2: 45 TA WORKPLANS YEARS 3-5: NUMBER OF TA WORKPLANS WILL DEPEND ON ADAPTATIONS TO THE PROCESS BASED ON LESSONS LEARNED IN YEARS 1 AND 2 YEARS 1 AND 2: 6 TA RECIPIENTS RECEIVE SUPPORT TO IMPLEMENT THEIR TA WORKPLANS, INCLUDING PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF PROJECTS YEARS 3-5 NUMBER OF RECIPIENTS RECEIVING SUPPORT TO IMPLEMENT WORKPLANS WILL DEPEND ON ADAPTATIONS TO THE PROCESS BASED ON LESSONS LEARNED IN YEARS 1 AND 2 YEARS 1 AND 2: ON PATH TO PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF PROJECTS INFORMED BY TA WORKPLANS BY JAN '25 THE FISCAL LINE DETAILS FOR THIS ACTION ARE SHOWN IN WHOLE DOLLARS. THE ACTUAL AMOUNTS TO BE INCREASED ARE

PROVIDE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO LOW-COME RURAL COMMUNITIES TO DEVELOP AND MANAGE AFFORDABLE AND SAFE DRINKING WATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT SERVICES - THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY INNOVATION CENTER (EPIC) WILL USE RCD FUNDS TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH ITS FUNDING NAVIGATOR INITIATIVE (FNI) TO RURAL, LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. THE FNI PROGRAM HELPS RURAL COMMUNITIES ACCESS LOW COST CAPITAL TO FINANCE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS THAT SUPPORT SAFE, RELIABLE, AND AFFORDABLE DRINKING WATER, WASTEWATER TREATMENT, AND STORMWATER MANAGEMENT. UNDER THE FNI PROGRAM, FUNDING NAVIGATOR STAFF WILL PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND ESSENTIALLY SERVE AS ANOTHER EMPLOYEE FOR THE RURAL UTILITY OR COMMUNITY, THEREBY INCREASING LOCAL CAPACITY TO FIND AND APPLY FOR RELEVANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES. ONCE FUNDING IS OBTAINED, FUNDING NAVIGATOR STAFF HELP COMMUNITIES PROCURE SERVICES AND MANAGE CONTRACTS TO ENSURE THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT WORK IS COMPLETED. THESE CONTRACTED SERVICES INCLUDE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS INFRASTRUCTURE ASSET INSPECTIONS, PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING REPORTS, ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING, ALTERNATIVE ANALYSES, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORIES AND REPLACEMENT PLANS, AND DATA AND TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION INTO UTILITY OPERATIONS. THROUGH THE RCD PROJECT, EPIC AIMS TO HELP RURAL COMMUNITIES UNLOCK OVER $15 MILLION OF LOW COST CAPITAL TO SUPPORT WATER AND WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT WILL IN TURN IMPROVE PUBLIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, AND WELLBEING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES WITH LOW INCOME THROUGHOUT THE NATION.