Small Surface Water and Groundwater Storage Projects (Small Storage Program)

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The U.S. Department of the Interior, through the Bureau of Reclamation, administers the Small Surface and Groundwater Storage Program (Small Storage Program) to promote Federal assistance to enhance water storage opportunities for future generations in support of the Department’s priorities. Reclamation leverages Federal and non-Federal funding to support stakeholder efforts to stretch scarce water supplies and avoid conflicts over water.Congress enacted the BIL on November 15, 2021, with Title IX—Western Water Infrastructure to address water storage infrastructure critical to the Nation’s economic growth, health, and competitiveness. Section 40903 authorizes Reclamation to provide funding for small surface water storage and groundwater storage projects.Water storage projects are an important part of Reclamation and the Department’s priorities. Surface water and groundwater storage are essential tools in stretching the limited water supplies in the Western United States. Water storage projects enhance and increase the reliability of municipal and irrigation water supplies, provide opportunities to enhance groundwater management and provide water quality improvements and ecosystem benefits. These projects will provide Western communities with new sources of water and increase water management flexibility. Water storage projects help water managers increase resilience to climate change and are directly aligned with Executive Order (EO) 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. Further, EO 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, calls on agencies to advance equity through identifying and addressing barriers to equal opportunities across policies and programs, including grant opportunities. The Small Storage Program will advance the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative. Established by EO 14008, the Justice 40 Initiative establishes a goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments, such as climate, clean energy, and other areas, flow to disadvantaged communities.1The objective of this NOFO is to invite sponsors of small surface water and groundwater storage projects to request cost-shared funding for the planning, design, and/or construction of those projects.