This action approves an award in the amount of $3,102,000.00 to the south carolina department of environmental services (scdes)

Environmental Protection Agency Region 4 awarded the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services $3,102,000 on April 1, 2026, under the Clean Water State Revolving Fund program (CFDA 66.458) to capitalize the state's Clean Water SRF for emerging contaminants projects funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

SCDES will provide financing to subrecipients for costs eligible under Section 603(c) of the Clean Water Act, with projects required to reduce wastewater treatment works' flood or fire damage risk and vulnerability and/or enhance resiliency to rapid hydrologic change or natural disasters. The source notes no subawards are included in this assistance agreement; the funds will be loaned out within South Carolina entirely as additional subsidy to protect water quality and public health and create jobs. The award description indicates the funds will be reprogrammed and awarded to South Carolina in a subsequent Drinking Water Emerging Contaminants Grant, consistent with Section 302 of the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 and Public Law 109-54, allowing transfer from the Clean Water SRF to the Drinking Water SRF at the state's request.

Performance period extends from April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2033, with all work performed in South Carolina. The grant will assist in rebuilding more resilient wastewater treatment works following damage from Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton, or the 2023 Hawai'i wildfires.

The primary purpose/objective of this program is to capitalize state of south carolina's clean water state revolving fund (CW SRF) program for funding emerging contaminants projects consistent with the infrastructure investment and jobs act clean water emerging contaminants appropriation. Section 302 of the safe drinking water act amendments of 1996, 42 U.S.C. 300J-12, and subsequent PUB. L. 109-54, title II, AUG 2, 2005, 119 stat. 530 allows for the transfer of these funds to the dwsrf at south carolina's request. The south carolina department of environmental services has provided such a request and has provided the necessary documentation. The clean water funds will be awarded as EPA in-kind and after grant acceptance the funds will be reprogrammed and awarded to south carolina in the drinking water emerging contaminants grant. The south carolina department of environmental services will loan the funds out in south carolina entirely as additional subsidy, consistent with the law, to protect water quality and public health in south carolina and to vitalize the economy through the creation of jobs. This process satisfies the statutory requirement that the CW SRF award be made prior to the funds transfer.activities:the activities are to provide financing to numerous subrecipients for costs eligible under section 603(c) of the clean water act. Projects must help to reduce a wastewater treatment work's flood or fire damage risk and vulnerability and/or to enhance resiliency to rapid hydrologic change or natural disasters.subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the benefits of this grant will be to capitalize the recipient's cwsrf. The funds will assist in rebuilding more resilient wastewater treatment works following the damage from hurricane helene, hurricane milton, or the 2023 hawai'i wildfires. These public health benefits will be statewide.