Washtenaw County and Huron River Watershed Council Awarded State Grants for Sewer Planning—Ann Arbor’s $1.95M in Requests Rejected
ON OCT. 14 the Michigan DEQ announced 115 applicants selected to receive grant awards totaling $91 million from the Stormwater, Asset Management, and Wastewater (SAW) program, which protects Michigan’s water quality by helping municipalities plan for sewer system maintenance.
Washtenaw County was awarded $990,000. County officials had requested $1.1 million to use for a stormwater asset management plan.
The Huron River Watershed Council requested $277,489 for a stormwater management plan and received the entire amount.
The Mallet’s Creek Drainage System submitted two requests, both for design projects. The first was for $92,972 and the second grant request was for $46,508. Neither request was granted by the DEQ.
The City of Ann Arbor’s request for $750,000 in funding for a stormwater asset management plan was turned down as was the city’s $1.2 million request for funding for an asset management plan. Likewise, requests for grant money from the city of Ypsilanti, the villages of Dexter, Chelsea, Pittsfield Township, Ann Arbor Township and Saline.
Loch Alpine Sanitary Authority of Webster and Scio Twps. submitted a proposal for $151,000 of grant money for an asset management plan. The DEQ awarded $136,000. Superior Township, where Gov. Snyder lives, submitted a proposal for $505,000 for an asset management plan. That township was awarded $454,509.
Despite the fact that grants were capped at $2 million, the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority submitted a grant proposal for $2,381,276 to fund an asset management plan. The DEQ funded the proposal but at $1,945,281.
Several universities applied for SAW money, including Eastern Michigan University. EMU requested $440,000 for an asset management plan, $570,000 for a stormwater asset management plan and $400,000 for a stormwater management plan. None of the requests were funded.
Ferris State and Western Michigan were each awarded approximately $750,000 in SAW program funds.
As of March 21, 2014, no new SAW grant or loan applications will be accepted as the amount of approved applications exceed the $450 million available in the SAW program. 673 applications totaling $541M were received by the December 2, 2013 deadline.
The first million in state grant money requires a 10 percent local match.
According to state officials, grant recipients are required to proceed with a project for which grant funding is provided within three years of grant award or face repayment of the grant plus interest.
The SAW program provides grant assistance for developing stormwater and wastewater project planning and design, asset management plans for wastewater and stormwater systems, stormwater management planning, and testing and demonstration of innovative technology.
This is the second round of SAW grant awards and is further progress toward funding the complete list of 579 SAW grant applicants. This most recent achievement now brings the total number of SAW grant applicants to be awarded funding to 207 and the total dollar amount of SAW grant funding awarded to approximately $170 million.
In order to fund the SAW grants, the Michigan Department of Treasury will issue general obligatn debt as authorized in the Great Lakes Water Quality Bond. The SAW program was signed into law on Jan. 2, 2013, and operates alongside the established State Revolving Fund and Strategic Water Quality Initiatives Fund loan programs, as well as the winding-down S2 Grant Program, to support water pollution control efforts in Michigan.