Creative Uses of Clean Water State Revolving Funds for Conservation and Restoration

Case Studies

Description:

Clean Water State Revolving Loan Funds (CWSRFs) offer a unique and underutilized source of funding for land conservation and restoration. CWSRFs offer low-interest financing to local communities for projects that improve clean water. The funds are "revolved" through the repayment of previous loans and interest earned. Each state receives funding from the EPA, and individual states determine the eligible uses of these funds.

The below case studies describe how CWSRFs were used to fund land protection and restoration efforts, and the roles of different partners in making these projects happen. The three case studies described how CWSRFs were used:

• To protect a community forest in Huntington, VT
• To provide low-cost loans to farmers in Washington state for agricultural equipment that would improve water quality outcomes
• To remediate and develop an urban park in Camden, NJ on a former brownfield site.
   

These case studies were written by Josie Valette and Dane McKittrick, graduate students at the Yale School of the Environment.