Green Mountain Times

Montpelier, Vt. - Governor Phil Scott and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on May 18, 2023 announced the availability of $3.6 million in grants to municipalities to upgrade their wastewater pretreatment facilities and capacity management. These improvements protect the health and safety of workers at these wastewater treatment facilities while also improving clean water and environmental outcomes and ensuring capacity for future growth.

“Investing in municipal wastewater infrastructure opens up opportunities for future community development and encourages industry innovation,” said Governor Phil Scott. “ARPA funding continues to have significant impacts throughout Vermont, for residents, municipalities, and businesses.”

“Local industrial businesses also have a chance to have a positive impact on the environment,” said DEC Commissioner John Beling. “By leveraging ARPA dollars and partnering with their municipality, a private business can develop a pretreatment system to remove or reduce the amount of industrial waste that enters a wastewater treatment facility and, ultimately, that enters the environment."

Any municipality in Vermont is welcome to apply by July 21, 2023, to:

• Create and conduct a survey of industrial users,
• Develop local pollution limits for industries and businesses,
• Improve a sewer use ordinance, and/or
• Partner with a private entity in Vermont to improve wastewater pretreatment facilities.

A private entity, to qualify, must partner with their local municipality. A private entity can be a business, non-profit organization, or other industrial wastewater producer.

“We received applications for a wide variety of projects in the first round of ARPA funding,” said DEC Environmental Analyst Ashley Hellman. “This funding provides an exciting opportunity for many different types of private entities, including breweries, metal finishers, and dairies.”

The Department has already allocated $2.8 million to five businesses and two municipalities throughout the state. DEC expects to contact selected applicants for this second round of funding by September 29, 2023.

Learn more and apply for this wastewater pretreatment funding online or by contacting Ashley Hellman at 802-522-9721 or Ashley.Hellman@vermont.gov. If Ashley Hellman is not available, contact Nick Giannetti at 802-490-6186 or Nick.Giannetti@vermont.gov.

Original source can be found here.