The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act Cleaning Up Narragansett Bay

September 2019

Last week, the EPA announced a WIFIA loan to the Narragansett Bay Commission (NBC) to help reduce pollutant discharges into Narragansett Bay. The first of its kind in New England, the loan will help protect public health and ecosystems as a part of the Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Phase IIIA Facilities Project.

On September 20, 2019, the EPA awarded a loan to the NBC titled the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA). The loan will contribute approximately $269 million as a part of a larger project to prevent discharged pollutants from entering communal water sources.

“This WIFIA loan will improve water quality in the Narragansett Bay, protect the health of local residents, and deliver on President Trump's commitment to upgrade our nation's infrastructure, create jobs, and safeguard public health and the environment,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “With this loan closing, EPA has now issued 12 WIFIA loans totaling over $3 billion in credit assistance to help finance over $7 billion for water infrastructure projects and create over 12,000 jobs.”