Rochester, NY – The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was signed into law on March 11, 2021 to provide comprehensive relief from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This included authorization of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery program (SLFRF), which provided $350B for state and local governments to support public health, maintain public services, and promote economic recovery. The deadline for SLFRF recipients to obligate their funds is December 31, 2024, meaning all funds must be committed to specific projects or purposes through contracts, orders, or agreements by the end of the year or risk forfeiture.
A “Local Government ARPA Investment Tracker” maintained in partnership by the National League of Cities, Brookings Metro, and the National Association of Counties indicates only 70% of SLFRF dollars have been obligated as of June 11, 2024, meaning that counties need to move forward with their decision to obligate the remaining funds quickly. The U.S. Treasury outlined many eligible use categories to which aerial imagery technology and data used by state and local government customers, often to the benefit of multiple departments, may be applied.
“We’ve supported numerous customers by providing information from the U.S. Treasury about the ARPA SLFRF program, helping them make informed decisions to budget for EagleView solutions,” said EagleView CEO Piers Dormeyer. “As a result, they have effectively utilized ARPA funds for technology solutions that enhance government services, infrastructure projects, and disaster resilience planning.”
EagleView produces high-resolution aerial imagery and derived data solutions. The imagery is captured with patented camera systems attached to fixed-wing aircraft resulting in more detail than satellite imagery and greater coverage than drone imagery. EagleView provides both orthogonal (top-down, 90-degree angle) and oblique (bird’s eye, 40–50-degree angle) imagery, providing multiple views of a location, including the ability to rotate 360 degrees around buildings and structures. The imagery is imbued with data and insights, meaning everything visible in the imagery can be analyzed, measured, and used to inform decisions. When imagery is captured over time with regularly scheduled flights, an imagery library can be developed to help state and local governments compare current and historical imagery to track change throughout their jurisdictions.
These solutions have the potential to help support the provision of several government services, including remote tax assessment, application of GIS data and mapping, supporting public safety and emergency response, and asset management. EagleView solutions can also help support water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure projects as these typically require pre-project planning to determine location, resources, materials, timing, personnel, etc.
Additionally, Treasury expanded the eligible use cases for ARPA funds in late 2023, including a provision for Emergency Relief from Natural Disasters. This includes natural disasters threatened to occur in the future, for which aerial imagery and data can be used to develop resilience plans, map evacuation routes, and identify critical infrastructure, all of which have the potential to lessen or avert the threat of a natural disaster and its potential physical or negative economic impact.
Find your EagleView representative to discuss using ARPA funds for a project in your community.
For information on ARPA SLFRF background, allocations, and eligible uses, click here.
Disclaimer
Descriptions provided in this document summarize certain provisions of the interim and final rules but are non-exhaustive, do not describe all terms and conditions associated with the use of SLFRF, and do not describe all requirements that may apply to this funding. Any SLFRF dollars received are also subject to the terms and conditions of the agreement entered into by Treasury and the respective jurisdiction, which incorporate the provisions of the interim and final rules and the guidance that implements this program.
About EagleView
EagleView is a leader in geospatial technology, providing solutions that transform the way our customers work. EagleView is renowned for its geospatial data and extensive imagery library which encompasses 94 percent of the U.S. population. EagleView’s unique technology portfolio comprises more than 300 patents, enabling it to offer highly differentiated software, imagery, and analytics products for multiple industries.
