Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) Acting Director James Jennings today announced a funding opportunity through the new Overflow and Sewer Grant (OSG) program. The OSG program was created to assist local governments with infrastructure needs to address combined sewer overflows (CSO), sanitary sewer overflows (SSO), and stormwater management to improve water quality and protect local water resources. A Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) has been posted on the Illinois EPA website.
“Many communities are challenged by frequent sanitary or combined sewer overflows, which can cause property damage and negatively impact area water resources,” said Acting Director Jennings. “This new funding opportunity provides a financial resource for communities working to address the root cause of flooding experienced during heavy rainfall events.”
Higher priority will be given to projects that reduce the occurrence and severity of CSO and SSO events within eligible municipalities and increased compliance with NPDES permits and relevant control plans for CSOs and SSOs. The OSG Program may provide up to 80 percent of approved project costs. The remainder is the responsibility of the Grantee and constitutes the match. Per program guidelines, rural communities (population of 10,000 or less) and/or financially distressed communities (population of 30,000 or less and has a median household income (MHI) of 70 percent or less than Illinois’ statewide average) are not required to provide match for the program.
The OSG Program does not have a set maximum or minimum total project cost. Proposals received by the 15th of each month will be reviewed and scored. Applications meeting all eligibility criteria will be reviewed based on the date the application was submitted Grants will be awarded until all funds are expended or until January 1, 2027, whichever comes first.
Applicants may not apply for a grant until they are pre-qualified through the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Grantee Portal.
