EPA Information Related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act)
Basic Information
Quick Finder
Overview of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act)
The Recovery Act was signed into law by President Obama on February 17th, 2009. It is an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, create or save millions of jobs, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century. The Act is an extraordinary response to a crisis unlike any since the Great Depression, and includes measures to modernize our nation's infrastructure, enhance energy independence, expand educational opportunities, preserve and improve affordable health care, provide tax relief, and protect those in greatest need. Learn more on recovery.gov.
Implementing the Recovery Act
The Recovery Act specifically includes $7.22 billion for projects and programs administered by EPA. These programs will protect and promote both “green” jobs and a healthier environment. These environmental areas include:
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Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund: $4 billion for assistance to help communities with water quality and wastewater infrastructure needs and $2 billion for drinking water infrastructure needs. A portion of the funding will be targeted toward green infrastructure, water and energy efficiency, and environmentally innovative projects. View general information about the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and the Drinking Water State Revolving fund
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Brownfields: $100 million for clean up, revitalization, and sustainable reuse of contaminated properties. View general information about the Brownfields program.
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Diesel Emissions Reduction: $300 million for grants and loans to help regional, state and local governments, tribal agencies, and non-profit organizations with projects that reduce diesel emissions. View general information about diesel emissions reductions achieved through the National Clean Diesel Campaign.
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Superfund Hazardous Waste Cleanup: $600 million for the cleanup of hazardous sites. View general information about the Superfund program.
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Leaking Underground Storage Tanks: $200 million for cleanup of petroleum leaks from underground storage tanks. View general information about the underground storage tank program.
The new law is geared for performance and unprecedented transparency. EPA plans to award both the designated funds to states and the competitive grants as quickly as possible. All funding will be monitored by the agency’s Inspector General, which will receive $20 million for oversight and review. Announcements of grants will be posted on recovery.gov to ensure transparency.
Learn more about EPA programs that implement the Recovery Act, and about the major actions EPA has taken to implement the Act.