In response to the recent economic recession, Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act or ARRA) of 2009, and President Obama signed it into law on February 17, 2009. ARRA was intended to preserve and create jobs, promote economic growth, and invest in environmental protection and infrastructure for long-term economic productivity. To help achieve these goals, the legislation appropriated $7.2 billion to programs administered by EPA to protect and promote green jobs and a healthier environment, $6 billion of which was funding for states to finance high-priority infrastructure projects needed to improve the provision of safe drinking water and protect and restore our surface waters for public health, recreation, and wildlife.