HRS § 340E-33.5 - Use of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and other federal moneys

(a) The director may provide financial assistance to public water systems for the construction of necessary drinking water infrastructure projects, through the drinking water fund, using moneys from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and other applicable federal acts. (b) The director may establish a separate account within the drinking water fund and assign to that account federal moneys appropriated under federal laws that authorize principal forgiveness, zero and negative interest loans, and grants, including the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and other applicable federal acts. The director may use those moneys and in so doing may include additional requirements and subsidization not applicable to the remainder of the drinking water fund, including forgiveness of principal, zero and negative interest loans, and grants to public water systems that meet eligibility requirements for the drinking water fund. (c) The director shall certify that a project is entitled to priority over other eligible projects on the basis of drinking water quality and financial needs, as well as a preference to those projects that can be started and completed expeditiously as stipulated under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and other applicable federal acts. (d) Among eligible projects, the director may also give priority to projects that incorporate renewable energy, energy efficiency, and conservation measures in drinking water infrastructure, to the extent allowed by federal law. (e) Each project receiving financial assistance shall conform with the conditions for drinking water project financial assistance under section 340E-37(a). [L 2009, c 98, §2]