Send Letters of Interest for WIFIA Loans by April 10

On Jan. 10, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Notice of Funding Availability in the Federal Register for the new Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program. Organizations interested in applying for low-interest loans and loan guarantees must submit a letter of interest to EPA by April 10.

The WIFIA program received a $20 million appropriation in the recently completed continuing resolution passed by Congress. EPA estimates that current budget authority may provide more than $1 billion in credit assistance to borrowers, which has the potential to finance more than $2 billion in new water infrastructure investments. Projects must cost $5 million or more for communities with less than 25,000 people, or at least $20 million for larger communities.

The Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) worked with other organizations to encourage Congress to approve WIFIA and continues to provide details about the program. For more information, contact Claudio H. Ternieden, WEF senior director of Government Affairs and Strategic Partnerships, at cternieden@wef.org or 703-684-2416.