After more than two years in limbo, a federal credit-assistance program for water projects is opening its loan window. The Environmental Protection Agency on Jan. 10 announced that it has begun accepting applications for the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program. It could help to fund up to $2 billion in infrastructure projects.

国会在2014年《水资源改革与发展法案》中授权Wifia，但没有拨出资金来发行贷款。国会在密歇根州弗林特（Flint）的一部分是由密歇根州弗林特（Flint）的水危机拨款1700万美元，用于在12月10日制定的Stopgap支出法案中为Wifia贷款拨款。

环保局表示,将把1700万美元1 billion in loans and other credit assistance. Because WIFIA aid can account for only up to 49% of a project’s cost, the other 51% from non-WIFIA funding should bring projects’ overall total to $2 billion. EPA said the first round of submissions will close on April 10.

Under WIFIA’s original authorization, utilities were barred from combining tax-exempt bonds and WIFIA loans to finance projects. That restriction made WIFIA unworkable for most local water agencies, but it was removed in the 2015 FAST Act transportation measure.

美国水工厂协会立法主任汤米·霍尔姆斯（Tommy Holmes）表示，他对贷款计划持谨慎乐观，但指出：“我们并不是说Wifia将成为满足水基础设施需求的最终目标”，Awwa说，这是1万亿美元。

全国清洁水机构立法事务高级主任Pat Sinicropi称Wifia为“工具箱中的另一个工具”，这将适合某些项目（可能是大型和长期的项目）。新利18备用网址

Under WIFIA, which is modeled after the Transportation Dept.’s 19-year-old Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA), loans can be used by states, local governments and private entities to complement or substitute for aid from a state revolving fund for projects that cost $20 million or more. Communities with populations of 25,000 or less can seek loans for projects costing $5 million or more. Wastewater, drinking-water, energy efficiency, desalination and drought-related projects are eligible in both size categories.

WIFIA will provide credit assistance, such as loans or loan guarantees, at the Treasury bond rate to credit-worthy projects for up to 30 years. EPA believes that each EPA WIFIA dollar can support $50 to $60 in loans, or up to $1 billion.

If EPA accepts a project for WIFIA, the utility or agency would have to pay a credit subsidy, which Holmes says will be similar to the cost of tax-exempt bonds. That fee can be rolled into the loan.

公用事业基础设施总监斯科特·贝里（Scott Berry）说，美国相关的总承包商很高兴看到Wifia终于下台了。他说，但是AGC仍然会推动更高的国家循环基金拨款，因为它认为国家而非EPA应该选择这些项目。新利18备用网址

这项新计划可以适合特朗普政府扩大公私合作伙伴关系以投资基础设施的计划。美国工程公司委员会政府事务副总裁史蒂夫·霍尔（Steve Hall）说：“ Wifia是天然的车辆。”