The Wyoming Legislature will consider a bill next month that would allocate almost $40 million more to the state’s American Rescue Plan Act water and sewer grant program.
The additional money would cover 22 of the funding applications that the Office of State Lands and Investments was unable to fulfill this year with its initial allocation of $50 million, state staffers said.
The legislature’s Select Water Committee approved the bill during a meeting Dec. 7.
Local government program
Even with the additional $40 million, there are still 17 applicants who would not receive any funding through the ARPA water and sewer program, grants and loans manager Beth Blackwell said.
But she pointed out that Wyoming is also developing an ARPA program for local governments that will provide another $49 million to government entities throughout the state.
“We will allow applicants that are on the water and sewer list to move their applications over to the local government pot to be considered there as well,” she said. “We’re trying to provide every opportunity we can to get these projects funded.”
She noted that it would take almost another $40 million to ensure all of the entities that applied to the water and sewer grant program receive funding.