American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act
of 2009 (Stimulus Package)
What is the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)?
The ARRA is the $780 billion stimulus package signed into law by President Obama on February 18, 2009. Its goal is to restore economic growth through enhancements in infrastructure, energy efficiency,
education, and science, among other measures to achieve and maintain fiscal stabilization. Click here to read and comment on the full bill.
How is the ARRA being implemented?
Each federal agency is putting together plans for spending ARRA funds, often relying on input from the states. These agencies will be responsible for meeting specific criteria for ARRA funding and implementation, including fair and reasonable fund distribution, transparency in reporting funds and accountability to the public, prompt implementation, and outcomes with broad and sustainable economic implications. To further promote transparency, each state is creating its own ARRA web site summarizing ARRA fund activities.
What opportunities does the ARRA create for
my organization?
The ARRA will provide funding for a wide variety of organizations, many of which SWCA has provided long-term service. Here are some of SWCA’s clients that will receive significant ARRA funding:
Federal Land Management Agencies
- BLM: $135M for management of land and resources; $180M for construction; $15M for wildfire management
- USFWS: $165M for resource management; $110M for construction
- NPS: $158M for operations; $589M for construction
- BIA and Indian Health Service: $40M for operations; $522M for construction; $415M for Indian Health projects
- USFS: $650M for capital improvement and maintenance; $500M for wildlife management
- USGS: $140M for surveys, investigations, and research
- NOAA: $830M for procurement, acquisition, and construction
- GSA: $5.5B for federal buildings, of which $4.5B is for green buildings
Water Agencies
- USACE: $25M for investigations (studies); $2B for construction projects; $2.0B for operations and maintenance
- BLM: $1B for water and related resources projects, includes $50M for Central Utah Project completion Act and $50M for California Delta projects
- EPA: $6.4B for state and tribal assistance grants (water and wastewater)
- IBWC: $220M for construction projects
Transportation
- DOT: $1.5B for discretionary transportation grants
- FHWA: $27.5B for highway projects allocated to states, of which $550M for federal lands and Indian reservations. States must obligate 50% of funding within 120 days, regional transportation planning agencies within 1 year.
- FRA and Amtrak: $8B for intercity rail and high-speed rail; $1.3B for Amtrak
- FTA: $7.6B for public transit; $850M for discretionary grants
- FAA: $1.1B for airports
State and Local Government
- HUD: $4B for public housing capital fund; $510M for Native American housing block grants; $1 for community development block grants
- USDA: $6.8B for rural broadband system; $1.4B for rural development programs
Generation/Transmission
- WAPA and BPA: $3.2B each in borrowing authority for transmission system
- DOE: $4.5B for transmission system reliability (smart grid); $16.B for energy efficiency grants; $3.4B for fossil fuel R&D; $500M for renewable energy systems and transmission line loan guarantees; extended tax credits for renewable energy projects
DoD
- DoD: $2.3B for construction, repair, maintenance, renovation of facilities and energy efficiency projects
- VA: $1B for construction of VA facilities
Other Federal Agencies
- DOE: $6B for environmental cleanup
- EPA: $1.2B for environmental cleanup, including Superfund
- NIH: $1.5B for facility construction and renovation
- DHS: $420M for ports of entry
How can SWCA help my project become eligible for
ARRA funding?
The intent of the ARRA is to spend money fast to create jobs immediately. Projects that are “shovel ready” will receive priority funding. Agencies will require accelerated and streamlined NEPA and
permitting processes to get projects swiftly underway. SWCA uses the following actions to ensure that our clients meet their NEPA and environmental permitting requirements quickly and efficiently.
- Conduct effective scoping to identify key agency and public issues, and effectively address them in the NEPA document
- Fully define the proposed action and alternatives
- Prepare and implement integrated environmental review/consultation and permitting strategy at start of the NEPA process
- Use Categorical Exclusions and focused Environmental Assessments whenever possible
- Prepare high quality documents that are right the first time, minimizing revisions due to client and public comments
These actions, combined with our large and readily accessible staff and strong relationships with regulatory agency representatives, give us the resources and experience to expedite ARRA projects.
How can SWCA help me complete construction of my ARRA-funded project?
SWCA offers in-construction and post-construction environmental monitoring, training for construction personnel, and open communication with project participants in order to not only meet regulatory agency
requirements, but also to minimize construction down-time and costs. Click here for more information about SWCA’s environmental compliance services.
