Water Well Journal
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/1330849
Gicon adds to Headwater's commitment to the critical groundwater markets, pro- vides geographic expansion in the Texas market, and further fulfills our objective of being the leading source for water systems solutions distribution in the United States." Headwater Companies LLC is a collection of groundwater distributors. Headwater is a focused groundwater distribution organization that delivers quality products and leading brands to the industry, providing contractors with the availability and service they demand to meet their application challenges. Congress Agrees to a New $900 Billion COVID-19 Relief Bill L awmakers in Congress came to a bipartisan agreement on a new $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill in late December 2020. The bill provides more funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), increases unemploy- ment benefits, and offers a second round of direct stimulus payments to more than 150 million Americans. Here are some important details of the new legislation: • $284 billion for loans through PPP—and as part of the new leg- islation, businesses will be able to apply for a second PPP loan, even if they have already received a previous loan through the pro- gram; in addition, the application process for loans under $150,000 will be simplified to a one-page application and 501(c)(6) organi- zations will now be fully eligible for PPP funding • IRS language fix—the new bill clarifies language ensuring busi- ness expenditures made with PPP loans will be tax deductible • $300 per week in enhanced unem- ployment insurance benefits for 11 weeks after passage • $600 direct stimulus payment (and an additional $600 per child) to individuals making less than $75,000 a year • Tax credit for employers offering paid sick leave and extending the Employee Retention Tax Credit • Increase in funding for vaccine purchasing and distribution. The eligibility of 501(c)(6) organiza- tions for PPP funding and a legislative fix to clarify PPP business expenditures were both legislative priorities for NGWA, and the Association is encour- aged to see their inclusion in this bill. To read more on what this PPP fund- ing means, visit Water Well Journal's COVID-19 News and Resources web- page at waterwelljournal.com/covid-19- news-and-resources. EPA Receives 14 New Requests for WIFIA 2020 Financing of Groundwater Projects T he U.S. Environmental Protection Agency received 67 letters of in- terest as of November 19, 2020 in response to the agency's 2020 Water In- frastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) Notice of Funding Availability. A total of $9.2 billion was requested in 2020—the largest amount ever re- quested through the WIFIA program. Fourteen of the 67 proposed projects were for groundwater supply or ground- NEWS from page 12 waterwelljournal.com 14 n February 2021 WWJ Educate your community about the importance of annual water testing and well maintenance. You will be helping your customers, yourself, your business, your industry, and the resource. NATIONAL GROUNDWATER March 7-14, 2021 AWARENESS WEEK