PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN

BUILDING A
BETTER AMERICA

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FACT SHEET: Rural Infrastructure Tour

President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Empowers the Environmental
Protection Agency to Deliver for Rural America

President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will deliver billions of dollars to rural
communities across the country to create economic opportunity. Supporting
Americans living in rural areas remains a top priority for the Biden Administration,
and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law delivers on the President's promises to
provide high-speed internet, safe roads and bridges, modern wastewater systems,
clean drinking water, reliable and affordable electricity, and good-paying jobs in
small towns and rural communities. As part of this effort, the Biden Administration
is also committed to working with communities to help them access federal
resources while improving transparency and trust in the federal government.

This fact sheet provides information for rural communities on the available
resources under the infrastructure law, including how to apply or find more
information.

For further information, visit EPA's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law website.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is investing over $60 billion in programs
that will protect human health and the environment through President Biden's
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Rural communities will benefit from every one of
these programs, addressing longstanding gaps in water infrastructure, runoff
pollution, replacing existing school buses with electric and lower emission models,
investing in economic development, and creating good paying jobs across America.

Ensuring Clean, Safe, Reliable, and Resilient Water for Rural America

For too long, rural water infrastructure has suffered from underinvestment and
neglect—putting communities at risk. Lead pipes, water main breaks, PFAS "forever
chemical" contamination, and failing wastewater management systems threaten
the safety and security of rural communities across the country. More than
2,000,000 people across the country—including many in rural areas—do not have
the water and sanitation services that most Americans take for granted. The

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Bipartisan Infrastructure Law represents the most significant opportunity to invest
in rural water infrastructure in the nation's history.

•	Drinking Water State Revolving Fund - $11.7 billion. The Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law provides EPA with $11.7 billion in supplemental funding for
states, Tribes, and territories through the Drinking Water State Revolving
Funds. This revolving fund provides low interest loans and grants to water
systems for eligible infrastructure projects including: expanding drinking
water treatment plants and distribution systems; improving drinking water
treatment; fixing leaky or old pipes; improving sources of water supply;
replacing or constructing finished water storage tanks; other infrastructure
projects needed to protect public health. Of these funds, 49% will be made
available as forgivable grants and loans to underserved communities. Eligible
applicants apply through their State Revolving Loan program and learn more
on the EPA Drinking Water State Revolvir id fDWSRF) webpaqe.

•	Clean Water State Revolving Fund - $11.7 billion. The Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law provides EPA with $11.7 billion in supplemental funding for
states, Tribes, and territories through the Clean Water State Revolving Funds.
State Revolving Fund programs provide financial assistance to local
communities and publicly owned treatment systems for construction of
wastewater and stormwater treatment facilities and collection systems;
nonpoint source pollution management; construction, repair, or replacement
of decentralized wastewater treatment systems; construction of nature-
based infrastructure solutions; and other uses associated with the
management of wastewater and stormwater. Of these funds, 49% will be
made available as forgivable grants and loans to underserved communities.
Eligible applicants apply through their State Revolving Loan program and
learn more on the EPA Clean Water State Revolvir ^ 5 k \\ - ' ' webpage.

•	Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Lead Service Line Replacement - $15
billion. EPA will provide $15 billion over five years to states, Tribes, and
territories to identify and replace lead service lines. No state match is required
for these funds, of which 49% will be made available as forgivable grants and
loans to underserved communities. Eligible applicants apply through their
State Revolving Loan program.

•	Small and Underserved Communities Emerging Contaminants - $5 billion.

This investment provides $5 billion in grants over the next five years to public
water systems in small, underserved communities addressing emerging
contaminants, including PFAS. Eligible communities have fewer than 10,000
individuals and are determined to be underserved under the eligibility criteria
established by the state. Applicants will apply through their state.

In addition to nationwide funding that can support rural communities, the
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides place-based investments that recognize the

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importance of clean and safe water to rural America. Together, these efforts will
help ensure that our drinking water is safe and our treasured waters support
dynamic ecosystems; hunting, fishing, and recreation; and economic opportunity.

•	Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan - $60 million. EPA will provide $60 million in
funding over five years to members of the 12 states of the	sxico
Hypoxia Task Force to implement plans to reduce nutrient-loading to the
Gulf of Mexico from the basin by 20% by 2025, and a long-term goal of
limiting the Gulf hypoxic zone to an average annual size of less than 5,000
square kilometers by 2035.

•	Geographic Programs - $1.7 billion. Geographic Program funding helps
communities make on-the-ground improvements for clean and safe water,
protected and restored habitat, thriving species, and a vibrant quality of life
for all, while supporting local jobs. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes
$1,717 billion over five years to twelve geographic programs covering almost
every part of the country. These include:

o	Chesapeake Bay Program

o	Columbia River Basin Restoration Program

o	Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

o	Gulf of Mexico

o	Lake Champlain

o	Lake Pontchartrain Restoration Program

o	Long Island Sound

o	Northwest Forest

o	PugetSound

o	San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund

o	South Florida Geographic Initiatives Program

o	Southeast New England Coastal Watershed Restoration Program

Investing in Rural Economic Development

The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to creating good-paying jobs in rural
communities across the country and ensuring those communities are safe, high-
quality places to live. Legacy pollution from industries that extracted natural
resources from rural areas and left behind huge quantities of environmental
degradation has held back the economic growth and success of rural communities.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is creating good-paying jobs cleaning up these
sites while helping small towns and rural communities throughout the United
States find ways to strengthen their economies, provide better quality of life, and
build on local assets.

•	Brownfields - $1.5 billion. EPA will invest an additional $1.5 billion over five
years to clean up and invest in properties where the expansion,
redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential

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presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Research has
found that cleaning up brownfields properties can increase nearby residential
property values, significantly increase local government tax revenue, and
generate significant local job growth. Additional competitive funding
opportunities will be announced this fall.

o The Brownfields Program commits to promoting the availability of the
Infrastructure Law funds to all communities, including those in rural
and underserved areas. In FY21, approximately 50% of selected
recipients received EPA Brownfields Grant funding for the first time
and more than 85% are in or serving small and underserved
communities. EPA anticipates similar outcomes in FY22and beyond
with both annual appropriations and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
funds.

•	Superfund - $3.5 billion. EPA's Superfund Program cleans up the most
serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination at polluted
sites. EPA will invest $3.5 billion in environmental remediation at Superfund
National Priorities List sites. Superfund cleanups facilitate job creation and
provide economic benefits to communities. In 2021, Superfund sites in reuse
supported 10,230 businesses that provided more than 246,178 jobs and
generated more than $18 billion in employment income. Cleanups have
allowed communities to reuse previously blighted properties for a wide range
of purposes, including retail businesses, office space, public parks, residences,
warehouses and solar power generation.

•	Clean School Bus - $5 billion. The Clean School Bus Program will provide $5
billion over the next five years to replace existing school buses with electric
and lower emissions models. In Spring 2022, EPA plans to announce a new
Clean School Bus rebate program for applicants to replace existing school
buses with low- or zero-emission school buses. This historic investment in
school buses will transform fleets across the United States, especially
communities that have been historically underserved. EPA may prioritize
applications that replace school buses in high need local educational
agencies, low-income and rural areas, Tribal schools, and applications that
provide cost share.

•	Pollution Prevention (P2) - $100 million. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
provides $100 million for P2 grants to provide technical assistance to
businesses to help them develop and adopt source reduction practices to
reduce or eliminate pollution. Applications for the first year of funding close
on April 11th and will be awarded this summer. Additional competitions will
be run annually.

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