Water Quality Management Planning
Active
- Assistance listing
- 66.454
- Grant awards
- 1,377 $462,235,804 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- (205(j)(2)) or 604(b)
- Assistance types
-
- Formula Grant
- Project Grant
- Cooperative Agreement
- Treasury account
-
- 68-0103-0-1-304
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Environmental Protection Agency funds water quality management planning for states, territories, the District of Columbia, regional public comprehensive planning organizations, and interstate organizations through Assistance Listing 66.454, with the most recent grant award disbursed in January 2026.
The program funds concrete planning activities that support Clean Water Act implementation: developing and revising water quality standards, identifying and assessing impaired waterbodies, developing total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) and restoration or protection plans, conducting water quality monitoring and ambient data collection, performing watershed assessments, developing watershed-based plans, coordinating with stakeholders on restoration efforts, and supporting regional planning agency operations. Recent awards show applicants pursuing monitoring for emerging contaminants including PFAS and cyanotoxins, developing nutrient reduction strategies, assessing climate and equity impacts to water quality, and building databases and tools for water quality tracking and assessment.
The program is overwhelmingly Formula Grant–based, with 1,177 awards of 1,377 total (85 percent), complemented by 179 Project Grants (13 percent) and 21 Cooperative Agreements (2 percent). The Environmental Protection Agency dominates funding across all regional offices, awarding 1,060 grants totaling $275.5 million in federal dollars obligated. EPA Region 5, Region 2, and Region 3 follow as secondary funders, collectively accounting for $97.3 million.
The program has distributed $462.2 million in federal dollars across 1,377 awards since 1994. Typical award magnitudes range from approximately $150 thousand to $2 million, though California received $3.08 million (January 2026) and New York received $4.753 million (April 2025). The combined federal and non-federal share across all awards totals $477.3 million, indicating modest recipient cost-share requirements. Award cadence has remained steady at 39–44 awards annually over the past five years, with only 2 awards year-to-date in 2026 as of the portfolio snapshot.
Recent representative awards include Pennsylvania's $1.556 million grant (January 2026) for water quality management planning including algal toxin data collection and advanced restoration plan development; Oklahoma's $347 thousand award (January 2026) supporting well water testing and groundwater modeling; and Illinois's $1.947 million grant (October 2025) for characterization of waterbodies and watershed-based plan development. Grant opportunities are not currently posted in available sources; applicants should contact EPA regional offices for application deadlines, which typically allow approximately 45 days for submission.
Objective and description
- Objective
This program assists States (including territories and the District of Columbia), Regional Public Comprehensive Planning Organizations (RPCPOs), and Interstate Organizations (IOs) in carrying out water quality management (WQM) planning. Funds are all
- Description
To assist States (including territories and the District of Columbia), Regional Public Comprehensive Planning Organizations (RPCPOs), and Interstate Organizations (IOs) in carrying out WQM planning.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
State (includes District of Columbia) and U.S. Territories and Possessions.
- Beneficiary eligibility
State and U.S. Territory Water Quality Management Agencies; Regional Public Comprehensive Planning Organizations and Appropriate Interstate Organizations.
- Uses of assistance
Section 604(b) funds are awarded under Section 205(j)(2) to State water quality management agencies to carry out WQM planning. Funding may not be used to fund implementation of control measures. Pursuant to Section 205(j)(3) of the CWA, as amended, States are required to jointly develop workplans with RPCPOs and IOs and allocate at least 40 percent of funds awarded under 205(j)(2) to eligible RPCPOs and IOs. EPA may approve a State's request to pass through less than 40 percent if, after consultation with its RPCPOs and IOs, the Governor determines that pass through of at least 40 percent will not: (1) result in significant participation by RPCPOs and IOs in WQM planning; and (2) significantly assist in development and implementation of the state's WQM plan. Assistance agreement awards under this program may involve or relate to geospatial information. Further information regarding geospatial information may be obtained by viewing the following website: Geospatial Resources at EPA: https://www.epa.gov/geospatial
- Length and time phasing of assistance
The term of the grant shall be determined at the time of grant award.
How to apply
- Application procedure
Issuing office will provide location of application procedure details as appropriate.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Funds are awarded to state and territorial agencies in accordance with Sections 205(j) and 303(e) of the Clean Water Act, 40 CFR 130.5-6, and EPA program guidance.
- Award procedure
Grant applications are reviewed by the appropriate EPA Regional Office and, if approved, the funds are awarded by the Regional Administrator or re-delegated official.
- Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines.
- Time to approval or disapproval
Approximately 45 days.
- Appeals
Disputes relating to matters other than the competitive selection of recipients will be resolved under 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E, as applicable.
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 1,377 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Department Of Environmental Conservation New York | $42,461,745 | 9% |
| 2 | State Of California Water Resources Control Board | $26,103,135 | 6% |
| 3 | The State Of Ohio Office Of Budget And Management | $21,051,707 | 5% |
| 4 | Texas Commission On Environmental Quality | $17,680,291 | 4% |
| 5 | Michigan Department Of Environment, Great Lakes, And Energy | $17,300,827 | 4% |
| 6 | Pennsylvania Department Of Environmental Protection | $15,593,752 | 3% |
| 7 | New Jersey Department Of Environmental Protection | $15,364,502 | 3% |
| 8 | Illinois Environmental Protection Agency | $14,195,244 | 3% |
| 9 | Florida Department Of Environmental Protection | $13,215,503 | 3% |
| 10 | Massachusetts Department Of Environmental Protection | $13,126,777 | 3% |
10 of 78 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $5,297,128 |
| FY2025 | $42,080,286 |
| FY2024 | $28,248,563 |
| FY2023 | $32,299,476 |
| FY2022 | $26,171,759 |
| FY2021 | $16,606,730 |
| FY2020 | $16,492,158 |
| FY2019 | $16,229,340 |
| FY2018 | $16,454,474 |
| FY2017 | $13,478,337 |
| FY2016 | $14,618,395 |
| FY2015 | $14,927,357 |
| FY2014 | $14,312,962 |
| FY2013 | $13,976,515 |
| FY2012 | $14,943,452 |
| FY2011 | $18,076,390 |
| FY2010 | $18,297,003 |
| FY2009 | $47,617,286 |
| FY2008 | $9,636,757 |
| FY2007 | $10,729,890 |
| FY2006 | $9,885,308 |
| FY2005 | $10,226,155 |
| FY2004 | $14,326,688 |
| FY2003 | $9,744,046 |
| FY2002 | $14,701,316 |
| FY2001 | $12,515,034 |
Show all 26
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 66.454?
Assistance Listing 66.454 is Water Quality Management Planning, a federal grant program run by Environmental Protection Agency.
What is the CFDA number for Water Quality Management Planning?
Its CFDA number is 66.454: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 66.454 awarded?
1,377 grant awards under 66.454 have obligated $462,235,804 in federal funds to 78 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 66.454?
The recipients obligated the most under Water Quality Management Planning are Department Of Environmental Conservation New York ($42,461,745), State Of California Water Resources Control Board ($26,103,135) and The State Of Ohio Office Of Budget And Management ($21,051,707).
How much did 66.454 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 66.454 obligated $42,080,286 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
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