State Environment Grants

When oil spills impact our natural, cultural and historic, and publicly owned resources, we work with other federal, state, and local agencies and tribes to restore those resources to pre-spill conditions. The Coastal Protection Fund (CPF) was created as a way to fund restoration and enhancement projects and studies with money collected through oil spill penalties and natural resource damage assessments. Since 1993, over 125 restoration projects have been funded by the Coastal Protection Fund Spills Program sub-accounts. Amount of funding available: Variable. Funding awards depend on revenue from damage assessment claims and oil spill penalties. Maximum available funding is usually between $100,000 and $400,000. Grant award limit: To maximize available funding, the typical grant award ranges from $10,000 to $50,000. Amount of matching funds required: There are no recipient match or cost-share requirements, since Spills CPF grants provide 100 percent of project Total Eligible Cost. Spills CPF grants also can help meet match requirements for other state grants.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund provides funding to preserve and develop outdoor recreation resources, including parks, trails, and wildlife lands. There are two separate LWCF programs: State Program: Congress created the fund in 1965 with the passage of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act, which authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide financial assistance to states for the acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas. All communities may compete for funding in this program. Legacy Program: In 2014, Congress established the Land and Water Conservation Fund Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program, which provides grants to help urban communities with 30,000 or more people buy or develop land to create or reinvigorate public parks and other outdoor recreation spaces. Priority is given to projects in economically disadvantaged areas that lack outdoor recreation opportunities.

Forestland preservation grants provide funding to lease or buy voluntary land preservation agreements (also called conservation easements) for forests to ensure they remain available for timber production in the future. Grant recipients also may use some of the funding to restore habitats in forests. The program is part of the larger Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, which was created in 1990 to conserve land for outdoor recreation and wildlife, to keep pace with a growing population. In 2016, the Legislature expanded the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program to include preservation of forestland with the goal of supporting working forests that also provide habitat for wildlife, environmental benefits, and public access.

The farmland preservation grant program provides funding to buy development rights on farmlands to ensure they remain available for farming in the future. Grant recipients also may use some of the funding to restore natural functions to improve the land's viability for farming. The program is part of the larger Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, which was created in 1990 to buy land for outdoor recreation and wildlife conservation, to keep pace with a growing population. In 2005, the state Legislature expanded the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program to include preservation of significant farmland.

The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) makes funds available to drinking water systems to pay for infrastructure improvements. This program is funded through federal and state money and subject to state laws and additional federal regulations. The program provides: Low-interest construction loans to publicly (municipal) and privately owned drinking water systems. These loans cover capital improvements that increase public health and compliance with drinking water regulations. Construction loan repayments can range from 20 to 30 years. In some cases, partial loan forgiveness is offered. Planning and engineering loans to cover preconstruction work and activities such as water system plans, engineering designs, and cultural reviews. Consolidation Feasibility Study grants allow larger Group A community water systems such as cities, town, counties, public utility districts, and water districts to determine feasibility and capital improvements needed to consolidate smaller or struggling water systems into their service area.

This grant provides Virginia landowners who harvest timber with a tax credit for preserving streamside forest buffers, promoting water quality protection while incentivizing sustainable forestry practices.

TEAP provides state matching funds to directly support tire recycling, tire derived product use, tire reuse research and development, or processing facility improvements. In 2015, the Tennessee Automotive Association partnered with TDEC and the General Assembly to enact Public Chapter 525 that established the Tire Environmental Fund. Upon the first retail sale of a new motor vehicle that is to be titled and registered in Tennessee, a flat fee based on the number of the vehicle’s wheels is assessed. The fee goes into the Tire Environmental Fund which is used to fund projects creating or supporting beneficial end uses for waste tires.

The TRIP provides assists cities and counties establish their first Parks and Recreation Department with a parks and recreation professional as the Director. The Tennessee Recreation Initiative Program (TRIP) provides grants to those cities and counties currently without a comprehensive parks and recreation delivery system in operation due to lack of staffing and organization. City or county governments. Development of a formal Parks and Recreation Department.

This program provides financial support to public, nonprofit, and private fleets in Tennessee to replace or upgrade their transit and shuttle buses with new alternative fuel or all-electric models.

EELP launched in the fall of 2010 with the purpose of establishing a low interest revolving loan fund to assist commercial and industrial businesses in implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements, which, in turn, reduce operating costs, improve productivity, and make Tennessee businesses more competitive. In January 2016, EELP was expanded to offer financing to local government entities, including municipalities, counties, school districts, and other public agencies.

LPRF provides matching grants to local governments for purchase of land for parks, natural areas, greenways and recreational facilities and capital projects for recreation in those areas. The Local Parks and Recreation Fund (LPRF) provides grants to eligible local government entities for the purchase of lands for parks, natural areas, greenways, and recreation facilities. The funds may also be used for trail development and capital projects in parks, natural areas, and greenways. At least 60 percent of the funds allocated will go to municipal governments as authorized by TCA 67-4-409. All grant projects must be on publicly owned land.

LWCF is a federal matching grant supporting acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas and facilities. The LWCF program provides matching grants to states to administer to state and local governments for the acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas and facilities. Recreation Educational Services administers the LWCF grants in Tennessee. These grants require a 50% match.

DWSRF funds drinking water and water supply projects, including "green" projects. Principal forgiveness available for qualifying small/disadvantaged/ rural communities for planning, design, and construction. Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loans are available for the planning, design, and construction phases of public water systems. DWSRF provides low-interest loans to cities, counties, utility districts, and water authorities for drinking water infrastructure. Small, economically disadvantaged communities are eligible for principal forgiveness, which can cover a portion of the SRF loan, and will significantly reduce the amount owed. Eligibility for principal forgiveness is restricted to communities with a population of 10,000 or less combined with an ATPI of 50 or less.

CWSRF funds water quality and wastewater treatment projects as well as storm water projects, including "green" projects. Principal forgiveness for qualifying small/disadvantaged/rural communities. The CWSRF program is a federal-state partnership that provides low-cost financing to communities for a wide range of water quality infrastructure projects, including municipal wastewater facilities, nonpoint source pollution control, decentralized wastewater treatment systems, stormwater runoff mitigation, green infrastructure, estuary protection, and water reuse. CWSRF provides low-interest, infrastructure loans to cities, counties, utility districts, and stormwater authorities.