Schumer Calls for $1 Billion for Water and Sewer Grants

Sen. Charles Schumer announced Wednesday that he’s calling for $1 billion more in water and sewer grants for infrastructure projects in New York.

Schumer said he wants to more than double the federal funding available last year through appropriations for water and sewer projects, to $3.75 billion.

Should the proposal make it into the House and Senate versions of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations bill – and if the bill passes – that money would be distributed through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund; both are under the state Environmental Facilities Corp.

Schumer, D-N.Y., is calling for at least one-third of that money to be available as grants rather than loans, in order to reduce the loan-interest costs municipalities would pass on to taxpayers.

Currently, Schumer said, local governments have applied for $6.2 billion in funding from the EFC for water and sewer projects.