HOW MUCH WILL ILLINOIS GET?: Illinois will receive $180 billion of $4 billion set aside for sewage and water-quality projects in the federal stimulus bill. Nationally, the U.S. EPA oversees the money.
WHO APPROVES PROJECTS?: Ultimately, the Illinois EPA does. It also sets many of the spending rules.
WHAT'S THE NEED IN ILLINOIS?: It's huge. A preliminary Illinois EPA list of projects that could potentially qualify for money included around 750 projects worth more than $3 billion.
WHO DECIDES WHO GETS WHAT?: There's no one official or committee making the call. Generally, the money will be disbursed on a first-come, first-serve basis to projects that meet the EPA criteria.
ARE THERE RULES?: One is that projects have to be ready to start almost immediately.
ARE THERE CAPS ON HOW MUCH COMMUNITIES GET?: Yes. The state EPA has decided no single village, town or city in Illinois can get more than $10 million.
IS THE MONEY A GRANT OR LOAN?: Both. Many projects will get about half the money for a project as a grant that wouldn't have to be paid back; they could get the rest as a loan (with) interest.
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Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
WHO APPROVES PROJECTS?: Ultimately, the Illinois EPA does. It also sets many of the spending rules.
WHAT'S THE NEED IN ILLINOIS?: It's huge. A preliminary Illinois EPA list of projects that could potentially qualify for money included around 750 projects worth more than $3 billion.
WHO DECIDES WHO GETS WHAT?: There's no one official or committee making the call. Generally, the money will be disbursed on a first-come, first-serve basis to projects that meet the EPA criteria.
ARE THERE RULES?: One is that projects have to be ready to start almost immediately.
ARE THERE CAPS ON HOW MUCH COMMUNITIES GET?: Yes. The state EPA has decided no single village, town or city in Illinois can get more than $10 million.
IS THE MONEY A GRANT OR LOAN?: Both. Many projects will get about half the money for a project as a grant that wouldn't have to be paid back; they could get the rest as a loan (with) interest.
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Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
