This action approves an award in the amount of $1,700,000 to the southeast rural community assistance project, incorporated (sercap)

This agreement provides funding under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) to support the environmental finance center (EFC) at sercap. The efcs will provide finance-related training, education, and analytical studies to help regulated parties develop solutions related to issues associated with meeting environmental standards.activities:the activities include, outreach and education; pre-award workshops and technical assistance; and post-award technical assistance (TA) to disadvantaged communities and tribes within the environmental protection agency's (EPA) region 4. The project will provide state revolving fund (SRF) clean water and wastewater infrastructure funding through the water education and technical assistance (wetap) project.subrecipient:subawards will provide technical support in all eight southeast states. They will provide multi-state TA, tools, and resources for planning and assessment, sustainability, as well as funding and financing for state revolving funds applications. Subawards will provide community engagement, TA, education, advocacy, financing, governance, stakeholder management and policy. Subawards will conduct training and TA to support financial sustainability, capacity building assistance to small and rural communities and provide research capabilities to identify communities, both small and large which may need water and wastewater assistance. Outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include partnerships developed via coordination and planning by identifying SRF designated disadvantaged communities; hosting pre-award community workshops; and providing pre and post-award technical assistance. The expected outcomes include identification of disadvantaged and tribal communities, outreach to those communities by providing pre-award SRF workshops and post-award technical assistance. Through the water education and technical assistance project (wetap project), the intended beneficiaries will target disadvantaged and tribal communities in the states of alabama, florida, georgia, kentucky, mississippi, north carolina, south carolina, and tennessee.