November 3, 2021 - The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) is hosting a webinar series throughout November to provide more details about the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding opportunities available through the Agency. This online series features six different webinars, with each one focused on a specific funding priority area. The webinars are designed for communities, individuals and businesses interested in using ARPA funding to invest in water infrastructure projects. ANR has $100 million in ARPA funding available to Vermonters ready in invest in critical infrastructure projects that support water and sewer systems, housing affordability, and water quality improvements.
“If you’re a municipal manager or Selectboard member interested in pursuing a community-scale sewer system for your Village or downtown, a local business owner ready to meet stormwater management requirements, or a homeowner looking to replace a failed septic system or well, these talks are for you,” said Agency of Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore. “Join us this November to learn more about these grant programs and speak directly with the state officials responsible for managing this funding.”
At each webinar, state officials will focus on one priority funding area. The six priority funding areas are:
- Investing in pretreatment facilities, to help businesses, like food and beverage manufacturers, grow their operations in-place without overwhelming municipal treatment facilities.
- Village water and sewer infrastructure such as drinking water or wastewater systems.
- Managing stormwater runoff from impervious (i.e. paved) surfaces.
- Helping homeowners replace failed drinking water wells and septic systems.
- Eliminating sewer overflows from municipal wastewater systems.
- Installing drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems in manufactured home communities.
“Towns throughout Vermont are working on prioritizing their needs as they relate to their ARPA awards. Projects involving water and sewer are rising to the top of their lists,” said Ted Brady, Executive Director of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns. “VLCT’s members understand that these pieces of infrastructure are critical to achieving their larger goals such as increasing housing affordability and attracting and sustaining businesses from general stores with cafes to breweries and light industrial enterprises. ANR’s webinar series is both timely and valuable. We encourage all our members to attend and spread the word to their community members.”
Each webinar will be one hour long and will focus on a specific priority area. The schedule is below. Webinars are open to anyone who would like to attend. No preregistration is required. All sessions will be recorded and posted to the Agency’s ARPA webpage.
Providing pretreatment for high-strength wastewater
Tuesday, November 9, 2021 | 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Who should attend: Business owners and associations, municipal officials, engineers, economic development organizations, and water infrastructure organizations.
Ed Antczak, DEC Pretreatment Analyst, will provide an overview of the proposed $10 million in ARPA funding available to invest in wastewater pretreatment systems that reduce high strength or incompatible waste at municipal wastewater treatment facilities. Attend this webinar to find out how funding can be used to install pretreatment facilities that remove or reduce harmful pollutants before they reach municipal wastewater treatment facilities. To join, please use this link or dial 802-828-7667; conference ID 695 736 459#
Eliminating sewer overflows
Tuesday, November 9, 2021 | 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Who should attend: Municipalities with existing CSOs, funders, engineers, economic development organizations, water infrastructure organizations and associations.
Amy Polaczyk, DEC Wastewater Program Manager, will provide more details on the proposed $25 million for Vermont municipalities to fast-track planned sewer overflow abatement projects that will reduce pollution in streams and lakes. Join this webinar to learn more about this funding opportunity, ask questions about eligibility and project ranking, and provide feedback on the proposed funding process. To join, please use this link or dial 802-828-7667; conference ID: 792 775 615#
Helping homeowners replace failed drinking water wells and septic systems
Tuesday, November 16, 2021 | 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Who should attend: homeowners, public health officials, engineers, licensed designers, village wastewater committee members, well drillers, onsite wastewater companies, water treatment specialists, and community development organizations.
Bruce Douglas, DEC Wastewater Program Manager, will discuss the proposed $3 million in ARPA funding being proposed to provide safe and reliable drinking water sources and wastewater disposal systems for Vermonters disproportionately affected by COVID-19. During the pandemic, some low-income Vermonters had their well, septic tank, or leach field fail. This funding can help homeowners repair or replace failed systems. Join this webinar to learn more about the funding available to homeowners, how they can apply, and what the eligibility requirements look like. To join, please use this link or dial 802-828-7667; conference ID 195 934 662#
Developing community-scale drinking water and wastewater systems
Tuesday, November 16, 2021 | 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Who should attend: village wastewater committee members, regional planning commissions, community development organizations, engineers, hydrogeologists and funding entities.
Lynnette Claudon, DEC’s Chief Pollution Control Design Engineer, will talk about the $30 million proposed to help municipalities develop or expand public drinking water systems and community wastewater disposal systems. The funding will support up to 10 decentralized community wastewater disposal systems and/or public municipal water systems. Join this webinar to learn about funding opportunities, eligibility requirements, and permitting considerations. To join, please use this link or dial 802-828-7667; conference ID: 968 967 798#
Managing stormwater runoff from 3-acre sites
Tuesday, November 30, 2021 | 11:00 am – 12:00
Who should attend: property owners of 3-acre sites, regional planning commissioners, municipalities, funding entities, community development organizations, and water infrastructure organizations.
Padraic Monks, DEC’s Financial and Loan Programs Manager, will provide an overview of the funding that will become available to help individuals and businesses follow new rules for properties with three or more acres of impervious surfaces such as rooftops, paved lots and roads or gravel areas, that require stormwater treatment to reduce pollution. In total, $9 million is presently appropriated to support this work. Come to this webinar to learn more about DEC’s plans for distributing funding, including several possible funding models from bulk contracting of engineering services to rebates for individual projects, as well as the approximate schedule for the roll-out of funding programs. To join, please use this link or dial 802-828-7667; conference ID: 644 266 118#
Improving drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems in manufactured home communities
Tuesday, November 30, 2021 | 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Who should attend: manufactured home community owners, economic and community development organizations.
Adam Miller, DEC’s Director of Environmental Compliance, will provide more details about the proposed $15 million in grants to improve living conditions for people in manufactured home communities and help residents follow Vermont’s environmental regulations. Grants can be used to complete a needs assessment, receive technical assistance, and cover construction costs necessary to implement water infrastructure solutions. Join this webinar to learn more about total funding available, how the money can be used, and how to apply for grants. To join, please use this link or dial 802-828-7667 and enter the conference ID: 895 599 676#
If you need translation services, hearing or language accommodations, or have questions about the webinars and their content, please email elle.ocasey@vermont.gov or call 802-760-9967. For more information on ANR’s ARPA funding, visit https://anr.vermont.gov/content/arpa-vermont.