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HOW THE PROGRAM OPERATES
Funding/Grants
3 Rivers Wet Weather receives its primary program funding from federal
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grants, Allegheny County Sanitary
Authority (ALCOSAN) and the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD).
The EPA grants originate from the State and Tribal Assistance Grant
category of the Clean Water Act, and require 45% matching funds
from non-federal sources. In other words, for every dollar EPA awards
to 3 Rivers Wet Weather, we must generate 80 cents in additional
funds from state or local sources, such as the municipalities, ALCOSAN,
ACHD, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and private foundations.
In 2002, we were awarded $2.9 million, which represents one of
the 10 ten largest grants provided under the EPA budget to projects
across the United States. Since the program originated in 1998,
we have received $16.6 million in federal support. Current grants
fund the program through 2008.
Through 2002, ALCOSAN committed $2,000,000 in support; the ACHD
has committed over $1 million through 2003; and Pennsylvania has
committed $2.1 million. Allegheny County Economic Development has
committed $5 million in Community Development Block Grants to help
eligible communities begin the evaluation and assessment of their
sewage collection system. Private foundations have committed more
than $1 million through 2005.
Of the total budget, some of the funds are dedicated to operating
expenses; public outreach and community education; and technical
support, such as Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping and
a calibrated radar rainfall network. However, the largest portion
of dollars is devoted to supporting municipal demonstrations of
sewer rehabilitation. 3 Rivers Wet Weather awards grants to municipalities
or groups of municipalities working to fix their sewers using a
variety of approaches and technologies that other communities can
use as a model. Under the EPA grant conditions, 3RWWDP funds 55
percent of a municipal sewer project with federal dollars while
communities contribute a 45 percent local match.
Currently, 3 Rivers Wet Weather has funded a total of 33 municipal
sewer projects in the ALCOSAN service area for a total of $6.8 million.
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