[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 101 (Thursday, May 28, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25531-25534]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-12470]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-8907-6]
State Allotment Percentages for the Drinking Water State
Revolving Fund Program
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In this notice, EPA is announcing the revised Drinking Water
State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) allotments that will be provided to the
States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Territories,
American Indian
[[Page 25532]]
Tribes, and Alaska Native Villages if the President's budget request
for Fiscal Year 2010 is enacted. These allotments reflect the results
from EPA's most recent Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and
Assessment, which was released on March 26, 2009. The revised State
allotment percentages will be the basis for distributing the DWSRF
program appropriations to the States for the four years from Fiscal
Years 2010 through 2013.
DATES: This notice is effective May 28, 2009.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For inquiries, contact Travis
Creighton, Drinking Water Protection Division, Office of Ground Water
and Drinking Water (4606M), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202)
564-3858; fax number: (202) 564-3757; e-mail address:
[email protected]. Copies of this document and information on
the Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment and the
DWSRF program can be found on EPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking
Water Web site at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
Amendments established a DWSRF program and Congress has appropriated
$10.3 billion, in total, for the program since its inception through
Fiscal Year (FY) 2009. Congress directed that allotments for FY 1998
and each subsequent year would be distributed among States based on the
results of an assessment by EPA of the relative infrastructure
investment needs of the drinking water systems within each state (SDWA
section 1452(a)(1)(D)(ii)), which must be conducted every four years.
EPA's Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment
EPA's first assessment, which reflected 1995 survey data, was
released in February 1997; the second assessment, which reflected 1999
survey data, was released in February 2001; and the 2003 assessment was
released in 2005. The 2007 Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey
and Assessment (Needs Assessment) was released on March 26, 2009 (EPA
816-R-09-001).
The 2007 Needs Assessment was completed in cooperation with the
States. The States participated in both the design of the survey and in
the collection of data. The survey examined the needs of water systems
and used these data to determine the aggregate infrastructure
investment needs of drinking water systems within each individual
State. The survey included: All of the nation's 584 largest systems,
each serving over 100,000 people; a statistical sample of 2,266
systems, each serving 3,301-100,000 people; and a statistical sample of
600 small water systems, each serving fewer than 3,301 people.
The sample design for the survey and assessment produces a
statistically-valid State-by-State bottom-line estimate of the total
need, which reflects the capital costs for all drinking water
infrastructure projects allowed for inclusion in the survey. The 2007
Needs Assessment also presents capital needs for each State by system
size and by category of need (i.e., treatment, distribution and
transmission, storage, source, and ``other'').
In general, an infrastructure project was included in the Needs
Assessment if project documentation demonstrated that meeting the need
would address the public health objectives of SDWA. The total State
need includes both projects that are currently needed and future
projects that will be needed over the next 20 years. Projects to
correct immediate public health threats (e.g., replacing a deteriorated
filter plant) are given the same weight in the assessment as less
critical needs (e.g., replacing a storage tank that is expected to
reach the end of its useful life in five years). The Needs Assessment
excluded capital projects that are ineligible for DWSRF program
assistance, such as dams, reservoirs and projects needed solely for
growth.
The 2007 Needs Assessment found that the total national need is
$334.8 billion (Table 1). This estimate represents the needs of the
approximately 52,000 community water systems and 21,400 not-for-profit
non-community water systems that are eligible to receive DWSRF program
assistance. These systems are found in all 50 States, the District of
Columbia, Puerto Rico, on American Indian lands and in Alaska Native
Villages, and the Virgin Island and Pacific Island territories.
Table 1--2007 Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment
20-Year Needs
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Need
Type of need (billions)
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States.................................................... $324.0
Territories............................................... 0.9
American Indian and Alaska Native Villages................ 2.9
Costs for Proposed and Recent Regulations................. 7.0
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Total National Need................................... 334.8
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Note: Numbers may not total due to rounding.
The total national need also includes $7.0 billion in capital needs
associated with recently promulgated and proposed regulations, as
identified in EPA Economic Analyses accompanying the rules. Although
these needs are included in the total national need, they were not
apportioned to the States based on the unanimous recommendation of the
State representatives who participated in the survey design. The States
expressed concern that the methods available for allocating the costs
of these more recent or proposed regulations would not yet be
represented in the capital improvement plans of water systems at the
time of the 2007 survey. The total State need, which is the figure that
EPA will use to calculate the State allotments, includes only the needs
of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The 2007
Needs Assessment estimates that the total State need is $324.0 billion.
Allocation Method
On October 31, 1996, EPA solicited public comment on six options
for using the results of the first Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs
Survey and Assessment to allocate DWSRF program funds to the States (61
FR 56231). On March 18, 1997, EPA announced its decision to allocate
DWSRF program funds for FYs 1998 through 2001 appropriations based on
each State's proportional share of the total eligible needs for the
States as derived from the 1995 Needs Assessment (62 FR 12900). EPA
used this same method when allocating DWSRF program funds for FYs 2002
through 2005, utilizing the results of the 1999 Needs Assessment, and
for FYs 2006 through 2009, utilizing the results of the 2003 Needs
Assessment. EPA has made the determination that it will continue to use
this method for allocating DWSRF program funds for FYs 2010 through
2013 appropriations, utilizing the results of the 2007 Needs
Assessment.
The funds available to the States will be the level of funds
appropriated by
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Congress, less the national set-asides, which includes an allocation
for American Indian and Alaska Native Village water systems. Of the
funds available to States, the SDWA includes specific allocations for
the Pacific Islands, the Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.
Each State will receive an allotment of DWSRF program funds based on
its proportional share of the total State need ($324.0 billion),
provided that each State receives a minimum allocation of one percent
of the funds available to States, as required by the SDWA. The 2007
Needs Assessment found that 20 States, Puerto Rico, and the District of
Columbia each had less than one percent of the total national need; for
2010 to 2013, each of these DWSRF grantees will be eligible for one
percent of the annual DWSRF funds made available to States (or, in
aggregate, 22 percent of the total DWSRF funds made available to
States).
President's Request for Allotments for American Indian and Alaska
Native Water Systems and for United States Territories
The President's budget request for FY 2010 includes an increase in
the minimum funding to be made available to American Indian and Alaska
Native water systems from 1.5% to 2.0% of the total funding
appropriated for the DWSRF. The President also requested an increase in
the minimum funding to be made available to United States Territories
from 0.33% to 1.5% of the total available to the States, the District
of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Allocation of Funds
Table 2 contains each State's expected DWSRF program allotment
based on an appropriation of $1,500,000,000 and national set-aside
assumptions. The appropriation amount is based on the President's
budget request of $1,500,000,000 for FY 2010. The national set-asides
for Fiscal Year 2010 include funds for American Indian and Alaska
Native Village water systems at the level of 2.0% percent of the total
appropriation or $30,000,000 for FY 2010 under the President's budget
request. An additional national set-aside for FY 2010 includes
$2,000,000 for monitoring for unregulated contaminants. If funds are
appropriated for the DWSRF program at the level of $1,500,000,000, the
total funds available to the States, the District of Columbia, and
Territories would equal $1,468,000,000. Because the percentages are
based on allotting all available funds annually to the States
regardless of the year in the four-year cycle, they can be used for
general planning purposes for the entire four-year cycle. Once the
appropriated amount and national set-asides are known, a State's
allotment can be estimated by subtracting the national set-asides from
the total funds available for allotment and then applying the
appropriate percentage shown below. For succeeding years, EPA will
annually notify each State of their allotment from a specific fiscal
year's appropriation after the final budget has been passed.
Table 2--DWSRF State Percentages and Dollar Allotments Based on the
President's Budget Request for FY 2010 and the 2007 Needs Assessment
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FY 2010 2010 allotment
State allotment ($) (%)
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Alabama............................. 18,196,000 1.24
Alaska.............................. 14,680,000 1.00
Arizona............................. 29,483,000 2.01
Arkansas............................ 22,215,000 1.51
California.......................... 137,318,000 9.35
Colorado............................ 26,038,000 1.77
Connecticut......................... 14,680,000 1.00
Delaware............................ 14,680,000 1.00
Florida............................. 47,932,000 3.27
Georgia............................. 34,688,000 2.36
Hawaii.............................. 14,680,000 1.00
Idaho............................... 14,680,000 1.00
Illinois............................ 55,411,000 3.77
Indiana............................. 24,485,000 1.67
Iowa................................ 25,060,000 1.71
Kansas.............................. 17,960,000 1.22
Kentucky............................ 21,191,000 1.44
Louisiana........................... 27,742,000 1.89
Maine............................... 14,680,000 1.00
Maryland............................ 22,777,000 1.55
Massachusetts....................... 27,367,000 1.86
Michigan............................ 44,591,000 3.04
Minnesota........................... 24,635,000 1.68
Mississippi......................... 15,278,000 1.04
Missouri............................ 28,375,000 1.93
Montana............................. 14,680,000 1.00
Nebraska............................ 14,680,000 1.00
Nevada.............................. 14,680,000 1.00
New Hampshire....................... 14,680,000 1.00
New Jersey.......................... 31,361,000 2.14
New Mexico.......................... 14,680,000 1.00
New York............................ 96,724,000 6.59
North Carolina...................... 38,497,000 2.62
North Dakota........................ 14,680,000 1.00
Ohio................................ 47,168,000 3.21
Oklahoma............................ 18,239,000 1.24
Oregon.............................. 14,680,000 1.00
Pennsylvania........................ 43,011,000 2.93
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Puerto Rico......................... 14,680,000 1.00
Rhode Island........................ 14,680,000 1.00
South Carolina...................... 14,680,000 1.00
South Dakota........................ 14,680,000 1.00
Tennessee........................... 16,315,000 1.11
Texas............................... 93,293,000 6.36
Utah................................ 14,680,000 1.00
Vermont............................. 14,680,000 1.00
Virginia............................ 24,885,000 1.70
Washington.......................... 37,477,000 2.55
West Virginia....................... 14,680,000 1.00
Wisconsin........................... 25,308,000 1.72
Wyoming............................. 14,680,000 1.00
District of Columbia................ 14,680,000 1.00
U.S. Territories*................... 22,020,000 1.50
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Total Funds Available to the 1,468,000,000 ................
States, the District of
Columbia, Puerto Rico, and U.S.
Territories....................
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American Indian & Alaska Native 30,000,000 ................
Water Systems......................
Monitoring for Unregulated 2,000,000 ................
Contaminants.......................
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Total SRF Appropriation......... 1,500,000,000 ................
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* Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands.
Dated: May 14, 2009.
Paul F. Simon,
Acting Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. E9-12470 Filed 5-27-09; 8:45 am]
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