The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Aug. 10 made nearly $50 million in funding available through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program to help communities address stormwater and sewer-infrastructure needs.
States now may apply for grant assistance to fund projects that will help municipalities strengthen their stormwater-collection systems against increasingly intense rain events and prevent contaminants from polluting waterways. Recent changes to the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program also will ensure that small and financially distressed communities can receive grant assistance at no cost.
The funding has emerged to combat the impact of severe storms, which have worsened due to the climate crisis and rising baseline temperatures. (Warmer air holds more moisture, enabling stronger thunderstorm events, according to the EPA.) During the past 50 years, the United States has experienced increases in prolong
