The city of Springfield will be getting $67,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency. It was named Friday as one of five communities nationwide to receive the technical assistance award from the EPA to help develop components of integrated plans for wastewater and stormwater management.
According to an EPA news release, integrated planning lets communities sequence projects so they can start those with the highest priority first. EPA technical assistance helps recipients meet Clean Water Act requirements for water management in a cost-effective and environmentally beneficial way.
In May of this year, 28 communities responded to EPA’s request for letters of interest in technical assistance. According to the release, "EPA made its decision after evaluating the letters’ consideration of several factors, including human health and water quality challenges, innovative approaches, community and national impacts and commitment to integrated planning."