The infrastructure act gives the EPA a once-in-a-generation opportunity to correct decades of underinvestment.
Currently, up to 10M households and 400K schools and child care centers lack safe drinking water.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will invest $55B to expand access to clean drinking water for households, businesses, schools, and child care centers across the country.When water systems that serve low-income communities borrow money from state programs, even at low interest rates, they have to pay the loans off by raising rates on customers who already struggle to pay their bills.
Mississippi appears to have responded by using a new standard for funds coming from the infrastructure law. Beginning this year, communities whose median household income is lower than the state median household income — including Jackson — will be awardedAdditionally, the EPA discourages using population as a factor to define “disadvantaged communities.” Communities with smaller populations struggle to cover water systems’ operating costs, so that challenge is important to consider.
For example, in 2021, when determining principal forgiveness, Wisconsin awarded a higher financial need score to communities with populations below 10,000. This penalized Milwaukee, the state’s largest city, with almost a quarter of its people experiencing poverty., such as county unemployment rate and family poverty percentage. With these changes, Milwaukee now qualifies for the maximum principal forgiveness.
Mississippi and Wisconsin previously relied on factors too narrow to reach many disadvantaged communities. We hope the steps they have taken to update their programs will inspire similar actions from other states.
Norge Siste Nytt, Norge Overskrifter
Similar News:Du kan også lese nyheter som ligner på denne som vi har samlet inn fra andre nyhetskilder.
Walmart Black Friday shopping in 2021 vs. 2022: PhotosWe visited the same Walmart on Black Friday in 2021 and 2022 — and the consistent emptiness shows the waning importance of the shopping holiday
Les mer »
Packers' 2021 NFL Draft Class Not Meeting ExpectationsThe Packers’ 2021 draft class is not meeting expectations. _RyanFowler_ breaks down the class, where the players stand & what we should take away. GoPackGo
Les mer »
Suspect in 2021 murder of Utah radio DJ arrested in MexicoThe suspect in the murder of a local radio DJ, who allegedly fled the country after killing the woman in October 2021, has finally been arrested.
Les mer »
Apple's industry-disrupting 2021 MacBook Pro and 2020 MacBook Air are on saleThe 2021 MacBook Pro and 2020 Apple MacBook Air are powered by Apple-made chips that are the new laptop gold standard.
Les mer »
Wildcats' toughness, togetherness evokes memories of breakthrough 2021-22 seasonThe parallels between the Arizona Wildcats' first few weeks of last season and this one are striking.
Les mer »
Arizona saw an increase in child deaths during 2021A report issued by the state of Arizona says drownings, child neglect and firearms contributed to an increase in child deaths in Arizona during 2021
Les mer »