Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin announced that Wisconsin will be receiving a $142.7 million federal investment to help put people to work rebuilding the state’s water infrastructure. The federal funding will help local communities replace lead service lines, address toxic PFAS chemicals, rebuild wastewater infrastructure, and protect the Great Lakes.
The bipartisan infrastructure legislation that Baldwin voted for and President Biden has signed into law invests in states through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) State Revolving Fund program, which provide below-market rate loans and grants to fund water infrastructure improvements to protect public health and the environment.
“Every Wisconsin community needs access to clean drinking water and an environment free of toxic chemicals. Now we have an investment that will create jobs and help make that a reality,” said Senator Baldwin. “This is a major federal investment to help local communities in Wisconsin replace dangerous lead service lines and address PFAS contaminants so that we provide safe and clean drinking water to people across our state. This investment will also help Wisconsin rebuild wastewater and stormwater management systems so more people will be able to swim, fish, and play in our waters and the environment will be cleaner for this and future generations. We also have federal support from the Biden Administration to better protect our Great Lakes to ensure that they continue to serve as vital economic and recreational assets. I am proud to stand on the side of delivering results for the people of Wisconsin.”
EPA will allocate $7.4 billion to states, tribes and territories for 2022, with nearly half of this funding available as grants or principal forgiveness loans that remove barriers to investing in essential water infrastructure in underserved communities across rural America and in urban centers. For over 30 years, the SRFs have been the foundation of water infrastructure investments, providing low-cost financing for local projects across America. However, many vulnerable communities facing water challenges have not received their fair share of federal water infrastructure funding. Under the bipartisan infrastructure legislation, states have a unique opportunity to correct this disparity.
An online version of this release is available here.
