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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making $1 million available for grants through the Unsewered Communities Planning Grant Program (UCPGP).
On Dec. 10, Illinois EPA Acting Director James Jennings announced the new funding opportunity to assist communities where there are currently no wastewater collection and/or treatment facilities. The $1 million will assist small and disadvantaged communities in developing a project plan that identifies a solution to wastewater collection and treatment needs.
A Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) has been posted to the Illinois EPA website.
“We know there is a real need for the upfront engineering and planning costs before a community can even consider construction of wastewater infrastructure,” Jennings said. “Funding is a significant hurdle for many communities without access to modern wastewater systems, and this opportunity is an investment in their future and our environment.”
The UCPGP provides grant funding to develop a plan that will address problems associated with the collection and treatment of wastewater in an unsewered community. This information can ultimately be used in an application for a project that would be funded by the Illinois Unsewered Communities Construction Grant Program.
Funding for the UCPGP is made possible by utilizing a portion of Illinois EPA’s Water Pollution Control Loan Program Loan Support funds generated from loan repayments. Applicants that qualify can receive funding up to $30,000, and Illinois EPA expects to fund up to 50 grants.
All required forms and information are available on the Illinois EPA’s UCPGP webpage. The application period will remain open until all funding has been expanded.
Applications will be reviewed for eligibility and completeness and awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis. Additionally, applicants must be pre-qualified through the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Grantee Portal.