Draft funding list now available for review and comment
Ecology’s Water Quality Program is pleased to announce the publication of the State Fiscal Year 2022 Draft Water Quality Funding Offer List and Intended Use Plan (Draft List). The Draft List describes how Ecology proposes to use state and federal dollars, as currently proposed in the Governor’s biennial budget and federal appropriation bills, to fund projects to improve and protect water quality for the State Fiscal Year 2022 (SFY22) Funding Cycle.
Funding Proposed
Ecology is proposing more than $282 million in grants and loans for 108 high-priority clean water projects across Washington state. The total includes roughly $21 million in grants from the Centennial Clean Water Program, $1.6 million in grants from the Clean Water Act Section 319 Program, $35 million in grants from the Stormwater Financial Assistance Program, and $224 million in loans and forgivable loans (loans that do not have to be repaid) from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.
Evaluation Process
Ecology evaluated 127 applications from local governments, tribes, conservation districts, other public bodies, and qualified not-for-profit organizations. Funding requests totaled approximately $568 million. To ensure that funds were directed to the highest priority projects, water quality specialists from our regional offices evaluated and scored all eligible project proposals. Scores were compiled, and a statewide priority list was developed. Projects proposed funding are based upon the priority list, the type of project, and the funding source.
Public Comment Period
There is a 30-day public comment period for the Draft List. Comments will be accepted through February 14, 2021. Please submit comments via our online comment system, eComments. If you have questions, please contact Daniel Thompson at Daniel.Thompson@ecy.wa.gov or 360-407-6510. We will be holding a public webinar at 1 p.m. on February 3 via WebEx to explain the evaluation process and answer any questions. Ecology will respond to all comments received during the comment period when we publish the SFY22 Final Water Quality Funding Offer List and Intended Use Plan (Final List). Ecology anticipates publishing the Final List by July 1, 2021.
More Information
For more information about the SFY22 Funding Cycle, including access to an interactive map of funded projects and access to a worksheet describing the projects and funding proposed, please visit the Water Quality Combined Funding Program Funding Cycles webpage.For more information about the Water Quality Combined Funding Program in general please visit the Water Quality Combined Funding Program webpage.