Vermont DEC details $hundreds of millions in ARPA-funded water and stormwater projects

Deputy Commissioner Neil Cameron of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation told the House Appropriations Committee on May 20 that the department has structured American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars into six major program areas and several smaller projects to address water and wastewater needs across the state.

Cameron said the department grouped multiple ARPA debt IDs into program areas “to help for monitors,” and described the largest program areas as village drinking water and wastewater; a three-acre stormwater program; combined sewer overflow (CSO) projects; Clean Water Fund awards; wastewater pretreatment grants; and Healthy Homes work that includes on-site septic/well assistance and manufactured housing community projects. “We have 6 major programs that we are implementing,” he said.

The Nut Graf: The presentation laid out how the state is using ARPA to pay for projects that are hard to fund through traditional state revolving loan funds, provide engineering and permit-payment assistance, and accelerate construction-ready projects — while also flagging timing, capacity and flood-related risks that could affect the ability to obligate and spend federal dollars by federal deadlines.

Cameron walked committee members through specific project types and examples. He said village water and wastewater awards have supported planning and construction in communities including Highgate, Grafton, Londonderry, Montgomery, Moretown, Burke and Killington; some earlier planning grants did not advance, and…