By Dec. 31, 2024, any Pennsylvania borough, municipality, or local governmental unit that received funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) will need to have these funds obligated and these obligations must include plans to spend these
McNees Public Sector
McNees Public Sector, published by McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC, focuses on legal issues affecting public sector entities including municipalities, boroughs, and local governmental units. The blog covers topics such as compliance with federal funding requirements like the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), public finance regulations, broadband infrastructure grants, and public records requests under Pennsylvania's Right to Know Law. It also addresses tax credits related to clean energy projects and provides guidance on managing public funds, infrastructure development, and regulatory compliance relevant to government agencies and public institutions in Pennsylvania.
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U.S. Treasury Proposes New Regulations on Eligibility Requirements for Clean Energy Tax Credits under the Inflation Reduction Act
By Tim Horstmann & Susan Bruce
The United States Department of the Treasury (Treasury) on June 3, 2024 published proposed regulations on Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Sections 45Y and 48E, which provide for clean energy production and investment tax credits for projects placed in service after…
FOIA Buddy and RTKL Requests: What Municipalities Need to Know
By Tim Horstmann & Ryan Gonder
The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records issued an alert concerning anonymous Right to Know Law requests generated by an online service called FOIA Buddy after receiving reports from “numerous” agencies.
On its website, FOIA Buddy describes itself as a…
Broadband Infrastructure Grants Announced, Kicking off $400M of Projects throughout Pennsylvania
By Tim Horstmann & Ken Stark
The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (Authority) recently announced the award of $204 million for 52 broadband development projects throughout Pennsylvania. The grants are funded through the United States Treasury (Treasury) under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), which…
PA. Distributing $45M in Grants to Municipalities, Community Anchor Institutions to Expand Internet Access
By Frannie Reilly & Ken Stark
The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority is currently accepting applications for the multipurpose community facilities program. Funded through the federal capital projects fund established under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the facilities program will distribute up to $45 million in…
Pennsylvania Accepting Applications from Non-Profits for $3.2 Million in Physical and Cybersecurity Grants
On April 24, 2024 the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) announced it is accepting applications from eligible non-profits for funding to enhance physical and cybersecurity at organizations that may be at risk for terrorist or extremist attacks. Organizations may apply…
Grant Funding Announced for Rural Transit, Other Projects through U.S. Department of Transportation
By Tim Horstmann & Ken Stark
The U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced the availability of billions of dollars in grant funds for infrastructure and transportation projects, including over $700 million allocated to the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program. This program offers funding for highway, bridge…
The Impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on ESG: Preparing for Opportunity
What Is ESG?
The term “ESG” stands for environmental, social, and governance principles. While individuals may understand what these letters represent, many people are looking to understand why ESG is relevant, what ESG means in practice, and how it can be incorporated…
Inflation Reduction Act: A Game Changer for Pennsylvania Clean Energy Projects
By Tim Horstmann & Ryan Gonder
The Inflation Reduction Act, Public Law 117-168 (the “Act”), was signed into law by President Joe Biden on August 16, 2022, but the impact of some of its provisions is just beginning to be felt. Among those are the substantial…
Bond Issue Fundamentals: A Guide to the Participants and the Process
A bond issue (a debt obligation of a local government) is often perceived as a mystery for many Pennsylvania local government officials and solicitors. The securities and tax regulations governing municipal bonds have grown increasingly complex in recent years further…