American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
Check this page for information on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 and how it will affect municipal government in Tennessee. The information on this page is a collaborative effort of MTAS and CTAS (County Technical Assistance Service). For more information, contact Frances Adams-O'Brien.
Additional information: Recovery.gov | State website at TNRecovery.gov
New! Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Funding
The Department of Economic and Community Development has released program guidelines and the application packet for the EECBG funding. The deadline for applying is December 30, 2009.
News release | EECBG on TN.gov | Program guidelines | Application form | State compliance forms
(posted 10/23/09)
New! ARRA Compliance Information for Local Governments
Comptroller. Division of Municipal Audit
Comptroller. Division of County Audit
(updated 10/15/09)
Tennessee Fire Station Construction Grants awards granted as of 9/22/09
Program Awards: Awards were made on a fully competitive basis. The total amount of funds available under the ARRA SCG is $210,000,000. Congress has allowed up to 5 percent of those funds for administrative purposes. However FEMA will only be using 2.29 percent for administrative purposes. FEMA is also retaining some funds (approximately 10 percent, or $21M) to allow for contingencies that typically occur under construction grants. Today, FEMA is announcing approximately $166,000,000 in awards with remaining funds to be obligated by the end of the calendar year. Additional awards will be announced in the first quarter of FY2010. Competition for the grants was carried out in two phases: 1) alignment of applications with announced funding priorities; and 2) peer review of those applications that best met the funding priorities.
- Monroe Tri-Community VFD, Inc. (Madisonville) $111,749
- City of Munford Fire Department (Munford) $1,817,000
- Niota Rural Volunteer Fire Department (Niota) $336,680
- Pigeon Forge Fire Department (Pigeon Forge) $2,045,072
- Limestone Cove Fire Department (Unicoi) $110,872
More Information
The purpose of the FY 2009 ARRA SCG specifically is to focus on the goals of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, i.e., assisting fire departments in improving their basic response capability and capacity, and improving firefighter safety. The total amount of funds available under the ARRA SCG will be $210,000,000. The key milestones associated with FY 2009 ARRA SCG are:
- May 29, 2009: ARRA SCG Grant Guidance released
- June 8, 2009: Application period opens
- July 10, 2009: End of Application period
- July 27 (week of): Peer review
- September to December: Issue awards
Non-federal fire departments and state and local governments that fund/operate fire departments are eligible for SCG. The following project types are eligible uses of FY 09 ARRA SCG funds: construction of new fire stations and renovation of fire stations to enhance response capacity or firefighter safety. Overview | Guidance and application | FAQ (updated 9/25/09; posted 6/1/09)
JAG/Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Stimulus Funding. Deadline has been extended to June 17, 2009
The application deadline for the Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program, administered by the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance, has been extended to June 17, 2009. Visit the TN Department of Finance and Administration website for additional information, including the local jurisdictions eligible to apply as well as a link to the JAG application. JAG funds can be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice.
Department of Justice. | If you have questions regarding this information, please contact Rex Barton, MTAS Police Consultant.
Local Recycling, Landfill Programs Stand To Gain From Grants - Deadline June 25, 2009
Funding totaling more than $28 million is available for some 27 local governments from the federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program for recycling and landfill gas projects. The State of Tennessee will receive an additional $13.8 million. Communities on the funding list are encouraged to use this money to cover the capital expenses of starting or expanding recycling programs. In some cases, for example, funding may help cover the costs of transition to single stream collection or other efficiency upgrades. Investing in processing equipment is also an excellent potential use of the funds. In addition, communities may spend the money on landfill gas projects. Access to the funding requires development of an Energy Efficiency Strategy approved by DOE which must be submitted at the time of application or within 120 days of award. The application deadline is June 25, 2009.
For more information, including a list of direct distributions for Tennessee, go to: http://www.eecbg.energy.gov/grantalloc.html (posted 4/29/09)
17 Cities and 11 Counties in Tennessee to Receive $28.4 million for Local Energy Efficiency Improvements
Some 17 cities and 11 Tennessee counties are in line to receive ARRA formula-based funding under the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant Program. More than $2.7 billion in formula grants are now available to U.S. states, territories, local governments and Indian tribes under the program, administered by the Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy of the U.S. Department of Energy. Tennessee's total receipt from the program is more than $42.2 million. Some $28.4 million of that will go to counties and municipalities in Tennessee. Check the website of the TN Dept. of Economic and Community Development for more information.
To see a list of entities eligible for formula grants and allocation amounts, go to http://www.eecbg.energy.gov/grantalloc.html. (posted 4/21/09)
Leaking Underground Storage Tank Program Implements the Recovery Act
In the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Congress appropriated $200 million from the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Trust Fund to EPA for cleaning up leaks from underground storage tanks. The $200 million LUST Recovery Act money will pay for activities at shovel-ready sites to assess and cleanup underground storage tank petroleum leaks. The money may be used either to: oversee assessing and cleaning up underground tank leaks, or directly pay for assessing and cleaning up leaks from federally regulated tanks where the responsible party is unknown, unwilling, unable, or the cleanup is an emergency response.
Tennessee has been allocated $4,681,000. For more information, please visit the LUST EPA website http://www.epa.gov/swerust1/eparecovery/index.htm or contact Sharon Rollins, MTAS Technical Consulting Program Manager at sharon.rollins@tennessee.edu or 423-282-0416. You can also visit the TDEC website at http://www.state.tn.us/environment/recovery/index.shtml (posted 4/15/09)
Tennessee to Receive $56,930,445 for its Clean Water State Revolving Fund and $20,238,000 for its Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
The Water Environment Federation (http://www.wef.org/GovernmentAffairs/StimulusFunding/index.htm) is encouraging local government officials to contact their state clean water or drinking water program or the state revolving fund program managers to make sure that any projects they would like to have funded are on the state's priority list. In Tennessee, please contact Sam Gaddipati or Jim Poff at the Tennessee Dept. of Environment and Conservation State Revolving Fund Program, 615-532-0445. http://www.state.tn.us/environment/recovery/index.shtml (posted 3/27/09)
New Tennessee Housing Development Authority Stimulus Second Mortgage Program
Earlier this year, Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009 (“2009 Tax Act”). In division B, Title I, Section 1006, there is a provision for a First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit (Form 5405) up to $8,000 or 10% of the purchase price. This act provides for an exception for principal residences purchased between January 1, 2009, and November 30, 2009, which enables a first time homebuyer to receive the tax credit with no repayment required if the homebuyer occupies the property for 3 years. The 2009 Tax Act also provides for use of this credit with loans purchased with proceeds of tax-exempt mortgage revenue bonds. Therefore, this credit can now be used with THDA’s mortgage programs.
THDA is implementing a new second mortgage program, THDA Stimulus Loan Program, for down payment and closing cost assistance. This program will complement THDA’s existing Homeownership Choices incorporating the tax credit. In order to be eligible for the second mortgage program, THDA MUST be providing funding for the first mortgage through the Great Rate or Great Advantage programs for the borrower(s) to purchase the home. Both the first and second mortgage must close on or before November 30, 2009. The November 30, 2009, date also applies to new construction. The new home must be complete and the loan closed on or before November 30, 2009. More information (posted 7/23/09)
Last Updated 10/28/2009