WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects Under the WIIN Act for Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024

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The objective of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to invite sponsors of eligible seawater and brackish water desalination projects to request cost-shared funding for planning, design, and/or construction of those projects.This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is issued under the authority of the Water Desalination Act of 1996, Public Law (P.L.) 104-298, as amended by section 4009(a) of Title II, Subtitle J of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, P.L. 114-322.The U.S. Department of the Interior’s (Department) WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) Program provides a framework for Federal leadership and assistance to stretch and secure water supplies for future generations in support of the Department’s priorities. Through WaterSMART, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) leverages Federal and non-Federal funding to support stakeholder efforts to stretch scarce water supplies and avoid conflicts over water.The WIIN Act was enacted in December 2016 to address water resources infrastructure that is critical to the Nation’s economic growth, health, and competitiveness. Section 4009(a) of Subtitle J of WIIN includes amendments to the Water Desalination Act of 1996 that authorize Reclamation to provide funding for construction of desalination projects.Desalination is an essential tool in stretching the limited water supplies in the Western United States. Desalination projects develop and supplement municipal and irrigation water supplies through the treatment of ocean or brackish water, thereby providing a local supply, providing flexibility during water shortages, and diversifying the water supply portfolio. These projects provide growing communities with new sources of clean water and increase water management flexibility, making water supplies more reliable. Desalination Construction Projects also provide support for priorities identified in Presidential Executive Order (E.O.) 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad and aligned with other priorities, such as those identified in E.O. 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. WaterSMART Desalination Construction Projects will advance the Biden- Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative. Established by E.O. 14008, the Justice40 Initiative has made it 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.1 Desalination projects are an important part of the Department’s WaterSMART Program. For further information on the WaterSMART Program, see www.usbr.gov/watersmart/.

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