The FFY2025 Vermont Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Funds (CWSRF and DWSRF) funding cycle has begun. The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is soliciting projects for inclusion on the Priority Project List (PPL). If your community's drinking water or wastewater project, or your MS4 stormwater project, will need construction funding between July 1, 2025, and December 31, 2026, you must submit an application for inclusion on the Project Priority List.
What is the Priority Project List?
Each year, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) write Intended Use Plans (IUPs). These Plans explain how loan fund capitalization grants provided by the Federal government and other sources will be used. Part of each IUP is the Project Priority List (PPL). The PPL is a list of projects that have requested funding that year ranked according to the priority system for the program. To obtain funding for any construction work and for certain CWSRF final design activities, a project must meet readiness criteria, and either be included on the priority list or be accepted as an "emergency" project.
Is a PPL application required to access State Revolving Fund monies?
It depends.
- Drinking water or wastewater projects that intend to request construction funding from DEC must submit a PPL application. The application is one step to make your project eligible for funding.
- Drinking water or wastewater projects that intend to request planning and design funding from DEC may submit a PPL application. An application is not required to access planning and design funds, but it notifies DEC of future demand for construction funding. Planning and design applications are greatly appreciated.
- MS4 stormwater projects that intend to request construction funding from DEC must submit a PPL application.
DEC will administer a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Stormwater Grant program sourced with Lake Champlain Basin Program funds via the forthcoming FFY 2025 Clean Water Intended Use Plan (IUP). A total of up to $4 million will be made available to municipalities regulated under the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) General Permit. The grants are intended to assist with designing and implementing stormwater treatment practices to comply with MS4 General Permit obligations to implement Flow Restoration Plans and Phosphorus Control Plans. Grant funds will be made available to projects securing CWSRF loans. Grant funds will be used to forgive a percentage of loan principal. The draft IUP will provide additional details. Projects seeking construction funds must submit a PPL application. A list of MS4 communities is available on DEC's Permittee Information webpage.
The Priority Lists are updated annually. Projects that do not execute a loan in a given year must reapply to the next year's Priority List to maintain funding eligibility. New or updated applications must be submitted each year until the project receives a Step III drinking water or wastewater construction loan.
Once a project is listed on the PPL, a separate application for funding from state and federal funding programs must be submitted when the project is ready for funding.
How does my community apply for listing on the PPL?
The Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds have different applications. You can use these links to access them:
- FFY2025 (SFY2026) Clean Water SRF PPL Application (wastewater and MS4 stormwater projects)
- FFY2025 Drinking Water SRF PPL Application (drinking water projects)
Applications are due by February 14, 2025.
To help with planning for your project funding needs, DEC has provided its IUPs funding cycle schedule for these programs as described below.
- Draft IUPs release and public hearing notice (public comment begins) - spring 2025
- IUPs public hearing (location TBD) - spring 2025
- IUPs public comment period closes – spring 2025
- Final IUPs release – late spring/early summer 2025
- Funding available - summer 2025, goal of July 1, 2025
How can my community learn more?
Please direct questions to:
CWSRF: Tom Brown at thomas.brown@vermont.gov or (802) 622-4205.
DWSRF: Amy Galford at ANR.DWSRFplist@vermont.gov or at (802) 585-4904.