HELP
WHERE TO FIND
MORE
For additional information about
EFIN in LEGISNET, call or write any
of the following NCSL staff:
    Larry Morandi
    Steve Graff
         Jo Martinez
         Pam Greenberg
          National Conference
          of State Legislatures   /
         1560 Broadway, Suite 700
         Denver, Colorado 80202
            (303) 830-2200


        You can also contact the
         USEPA EFIN Manager:

       Resource Management Division
            USEPA (H-3304)
            401 M Street, SW
          Washington, DC 20460
            (202) 260-0420
           Printed on Recycled Paper
                                      nvironmental
                                    'inancing
                                     nformation
                                      letwork
                                   A Database and Contact Service
                                           United States
                                           Environmental
                                           Protection Agency
                                           Office of Water
                                                    &EPA
                                           National Conference of
                                           State Legislatures
                                                        linn

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 Environmental Financing Information Network:  Helping
               STATES' NEEDS
               The states' role in maintaining
               environmental quality has grown to
               fund programs for:
                                                      EFIN IS:
    wastewater treatment
    public water supply
    nonpoint source management
    wetlands, estuaries, and groundwater protection
    solid waste management
    air quality management
    state grants and loans                ,.
    local and small community technical assistance
FINANCING OPTIONS
               States are adopting creative alterna-
               tives to general fund appropriations
               to pay for program administration
               and capital expenditures:
    user fees
    service charges
    discharge permit fees
    waste generator taxes
    dedicated taxes
    tax form check offs
    bond proceeds
FILLING THE NEED-
DATABASE
                           -NEW
   EFIN
               The National Conference of State
               Legislatures (NCSL) has expanded its
               national legislative infonnation
               network - LEGISNET - into a new
               source for comprehensive informa-
^^^^^^^^™  tion on environmental financing
issues. The Environmental Financing Infonnation
Network (EFIN) was developed by the U.S. Environmen-
tal Protection Agency (EPA) and made available to
LEGISNET under a cooperative agreement with NCSL.
                                                            A database containing information on
                                                            funding alternatives for state and local
                                                            environmental programs and projects.

                                                            A national network that refers users to:

                                                            • experts in environmental programs and
                                                               public financing

                                                            • additional sources of help and
                                                               information
EFIN IN LEGISNET HELPS YOU:

   •• Establish and support environmental
       programs

   •• Identify sources and methods to raise funds
       and lower funclraising costs

   •• Locate and order documents

   •• Identify upcoming events, conferences, training
       sessions, seminars, and workshops

   •" Discover grants and low-cost loans from
       state and federal governments

   ••• Save money by reducing costs to build and
       maintain environmental infrastructure
                                i
   (• Access models of user charge systems and
       rate structures

   ^ Identify pertinent state or federal legislation,
       studies, reports and environmental needs
       assessments

   ^ Identify successful public-
       private partnership
       funding arrangements

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Environmental Financing Information Network
Kci

iml=2%-l

I7IP
                EFIN DATA
                The following abstract illustrates the
                type of information contained in the
                system.
Record = 296-EFIP

Keywords = Drinking Water; Alternative Financing
Mechanisms; Water Quality; Funding; Fees; '['axes;
Appropriations; Finance; Virginia; State
                                      /
Title = Alternative Methods for Financing The'Adminis-
trative Requirements of The Safe Drinking Water Act in
Virginia

Description = During fiscal years (FY) 1991-1994, the
implementation of the 1986 Safe Drinking Water Act
Amendments in Virginia will require over $18 million in
new state funds, also 93-5 full-time equivalent positions
(FTEs) during FY 1991, and 20 more FTEs in FY 1993.
This report focuses on the additional Virginia resources
needed and presents several funding alternatives:
a waterworks constaiction permit/plan review fee, an
annual waterworks operational permit fee, a water use/
   hdrawal fee, a waterworks inspection/sanitary survey
   , repeal of the drinking water sales tax exemption,
and a water utility tax.

Author = Virginia Department of Health

Publication = 31 Pages

Publisher = Richmond, VA, Department Of Health

Date = 1990
                v,
Ordering Information = National Conference Of State
Legislatures, 1560 Broadway,  Suite 700, Denver,
Colorado 80202, (303) 830-2200
ACCESS EFIN THROUGH
LEGISNET
               You need only a computer equipped
               with a modem and a communications
               software package to access LEGISNET.
               and EFIN. Once you dial into the
               LEGISNET system and EFIN database,
               you can search for information in
               three fields:
ID —   The EFIN document number ("Record" and
       "Title")

KEY — The keywords assigned to each document
       ("Keywords")

TEXT — The text portion of each document
       (complete abstract)

OBTAIN COPIES
               NCSL maintains a hard copy on file of
               each document which lists NCSL as
               the ordering source.  LEGISNET
               subscribers can receive photocopies
               for the cost of reproduction and
               mailing, or be referred to the original
               source for procurement.
Use your computer and printer to download to your
own disk and print out copies of abstracts And contact
profiles.

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States Fund Environmental Needs
     EFIN CONTAINS:
        m
Abstracts of Publications -
Summaries of reports, papers,
articles, state and federal funding
program descrip-tions, and other
issuances, including:
         publication date and publisher
         content description
         ordering infomiation
         available cost data
                     Case Studies - A database of case
                     study examples of successful environ-
                     mental funding methods for state
                     programs or local projects. The
                     summaries highlight:
         type of program or project
         innovative financing or cost saving procedure
         amount raised or saved
         who did it, and where
         publication/contact information
                     Directory of Contacts - A list of
                     representatives from federal, state and
                     local governments that you may
                     contact to answer your specific
                     funding or program related questions.
                     You can search by  name, organiza-
                     tion or other identifier. Each direc-
                     tory profile provides:
          name, address and phone number
          program or affiliation
          area of expertise
**"     V      News and Announcements - The
              most current news and details on
              environmental funding issues,
              including:

  bulletin board items
  federal grant announcements
  keyword in context (KW1C) directory of terms
  related national developments
                                                         Calendar - A comprehensive list of
                                                         national conferences, training semi-
                                                         nars, and workshops.  The calendar
                                                         provides:
                                             event date and time
                                             summary of activities
                                             cost to attend
                                             contact names and phone numbers
                                                          Hotline - A telephone service to
                                                          answer or refer questions and
                                                          provide a link to the EFIN Center
                                                          and other USEPA databases, clearing-
                                                          houses, and hotlines providing
                                                          technical assistance and. information:
                                             National Drinking Water Hotline
                                             Pollution Prevention Infomiation
                                             Clearinghouse

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§
\m.
       *.        UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
         \
                              WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460
                                                         PLMG/PROGRAM

                                                        M3AUG23 PI2-33
                                           9 1993       INTEGRATION
                                                                     ADMINISTRATION
                                                                     AND RESOURCES
                                                                     MANAGEMENT
   MEMORANDUM

   SUBJECT:  Access to Environmental Financing Information Network (EFIN)
   FROM:     George Ames, Chief   ( T^>j.>-r
               Environmental Finance Branch
   TO:        Environmental Finance Coordinators
       ' I am pleased to announce that the Environmental Financing Information Network
    (EFIN) is now available to all EPA Regional Office employees. You can access EFIN
    from your desk by simply logging into the EPA Online Library System (OLS).  I have
    attached information that should be helpful to you in accessing EFIN:

         - EFIN Logon Procedure (orange sheet)

         - EFIN brochure

         - EFIN fact sheet

         As discussed in  the fact sheet, EFIN is an on-line data base that provides you
    with information on financing alternatives for State and  local environmental programs
    and projects.  Through EFIN, you can access abstracts of publications, phone numbers
    and addresses of financial and program experts, and listings of available EPA
    publications.
                                                   ./
         I believe that EFIN will be very helpful to you when handling inquiries within the
    Regional Offices, as well as from State and local governments. In the future, we plan to
    link EFIN with our Environmental Finance Centers.

         EFIN is managed by our Environmental Finance Program.  If you have  any
    questions regarding EFIN, please call Kathryn Pease (EPA Contractor) at (202) 260-
    0420 or Vera Hannigan of my staff at (202) 260-6685.
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                  ENVIRONMENTAL FINANCING INFORMATION NETWORK (EFIN)

                  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opened the Environmental
                  Financing Information Network (EFIN) to the public on October 1, 1991.
Services
     EFIN provides information on financing alternatives for state and  local
     environmental programs and projects primarily in the form of abstracts of
     publications, case studies, and contacts.  EFIN services include an online
     database, hotline,  and distribution  of  EPA  publications  pertaining  to
     financing.

     EFIN case studies and abstracts outline successful financing alternatives, while
     its contact  profiles  refer users  to  financial  and program experts  (e.g.,
     government officials) who have general or particular  experience in public
     financing and environmental programs.  The bulletin board  directs users to
     compatible clearinghouses and hotlines and transmits news, announcements,
     and conferences pertinent to environmental financing.

     Intended users are state and local officials and those assisting them. Potential
     users helped plan EFIN.
Access
o    EFIN services are accessed through electronic information  systems that
     currently meet state and local officials' information needs. These systems are
     the Local Exchange (LEX), operated by Public Technology, Inc. (202/626-
     2400); LEGISNET, operated by the National Conference of State Legislatures
     (303/830-2200); and the Government Finance Information Network (GF-
     NET), operated by the Government Finance Officers Association (312/977-
     9700). EFIN is also directly accessible via modem by dialing 919/549-0720 or
     through  the Internet at EPAIBM.RTPNC.EPA.GOV.
Background o
     EFIN is managed by EPA's Environmental Finance Program  within the
     Resource  Management Division of the  Office  of  Administration  and
     Resources Management (OARM). The EPA Office of Water first established
     EFIN as part of EPA efforts to improve state and local government capability
     to implement environmental programs and projects. Several programs helped
     plan  EFIN—the State  Revolving  Fund,  Small Community Outreach  and
     Education (SCORE), the Environmental Finance Program (e.g., public-private
     partnerships), drinking water, solid waste, air, and Superfund.

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