FACTS ON
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION FIVE
1 N. Wacker Dr. Chicago, Illinois 60806 312-353-5800
Construction Grants Branch
The rapid growth of the American population and its continuous trend
toward urban centers has resulted in a tremendous increase and concentration
of domestic and industrial wastes. These wastes, discharged to municipal
sewers, are one of the major causes of water pollution unless properly-
treated.
Therefore, treatment facilities are desperately needed throughout
the country and especially in Region V which has in its area, a large per-
centage of the urbanized concentrated domestic and industrial discharge.
Over 30 million Americans live within close reach of the five Great
Lakesn four of which are located within "Region T, and 80 percent of these
people live in metropolitan areas.
Every municipality is responsible for treating the pollution it
creates. To assist in this effort, a system of Federal financial aid was
established through Section 8 of the Federal Water Pollution Act, enacted
by Congress in 1956 with amendments in 196l, 1965, and 1966. It provides
the statutory authority for the activities undertaken by the Region V
Construction Grants Branch.
The prime mission of the Region V Construction Grants Branch is to
insure that properly designed, cost effective, and environmentally compatible
municipal sewage treatment plants are constructed utilizing the best avail-
able technology to abate and prevent further pollution of fresh water resources
in the Region.
One of four branches in the Air and Water Programs Division, Construc-
tion Grants is organized under a chief into six sections. Four of these
sections concern themselves with the activities undertaken in one or more of
the six states in Region V. The fifth section is assigned to overall pro-
gram support, particularly in matters concerning Industrial Waste Cost Recov-
ery, Environmental Impact, Ifeiform Relocation and Property Acquisitions. The
sixth deals with matters pertaining to technology, operation and maintenance.
The Branch currently administers to the needs of over 800 projects
now underway, and several hundred more in the pre-offer phase of the appli-
^a-Mon TWw»eaa Mav«r T-mm/ire(i mOre applications are anticipated in FY 73, even
EPA 905-F-73-003
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at existing funding levels. Over 2,000 municipalities in the six-state
Region have identifiable needs which require immediate attention.
Since the Water Pollution Control Act of 1956 authorized grants
to municipalities for the construction of water pollution abatement
facilities, 2,281 grant offers had been made in Region V as of April
30, 1972, with estimated total project costs of $2.4 billion and $743.8
million for the total Federal share.
This compares to a nationwide total for the same time period
of 12,566 grant offers with estimated total project costs of $12.6
billion and $3.5 billion for the total Federal share.
The goals of the Construction Grants Branch are to stimulate
municipalities to begin water pollution abatement programs, the means
for financially distressed areas to initiate pollution abatement pro-
grams, financial as well as technical assistance at the State and munici-
pal level to combat water pollution as quickly and efficiently as is now
possible, and the elimination of water pollution.
Any municipality having authority to construct, maintain, and
operate a sewage treatment plant may apply, through its State agency, for
Federal assistance.
The functions of the Construction Grants Branch include helping
municipalities through preapplication and predesign conferences, review
and assessment of applications from municipalities for consistency with
established criteria, analysis and recommendations relative to overall
environmental considerations, final recommendations for Federal funding
of municipal projects, local-EPA contract documents with special per-
formance conditions.
Also, review,, analysis, and approval of construction plans and
specifications; discharge of collateral responsibilities concerning labor
standards, wage rates, anti-kickback provisions, civil rights, and other
regulations pertaining to project contracts; analysis of accomplishments
and process progress payments to augment grant dollar flow; conduct of
on-site inspections for adherence to pertinent agreements and conditions.
And, to bring about project close out and final conclusion of all
matters and conditions pertaining to the Federal grant, as well as post
completion follow-up inspections to insure proper operation and maintenance
of sewage treatment works which the agency has helped to construct.
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