The Recovery Act investments are meeting urgent needs for economic growth and protecting human health and the environment,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Communities across the nation can count on green jobs to help pull them out of this downturn and ensure the long-term strength of our economy and our environment.”
The planning is a key step in EPA’s objective for improving water quality in US lakes, rivers and streams. WQMP grants support a broad range of activities, such as setting standards, monitoring the quality of the water, developing plans to restore polluted waters, and recognizing methods to protect healthy waters from becoming polluted.
The US states are also encouraged to use these Recovery Act funds for more improved planning activities like developing plans to implement to climate change, analyzing trends in water availability and use, and creating low-impact development programs. The grants are awarded to state agencies and some of the funds can be awarded to regional and interstate planning organizations.
