News Release 207

DEPARTMENT SEEKS COMMENTS ON
DRAFT 2009 DRINKING WATER STATE REVOLVING FUND PLAN

Volume 36-207

Contact: Renee Bungart

(For immediate release)

573-751-4465

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, APRIL 16, 2008 -- The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is seeking comments on the 2009 Draft Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Intended Use Plan and the Draft Readiness to Proceed Criteria.

The department will hold a public meeting to discuss and take comments on the draft intended use plan and draft criteria.  The meeting is at 1:30 p.m., May 5, in the Nightingale Creek Conference Room, Lewis and Clark State Office Building, 1101 Riverside Dr., Jefferson City.

Each year, the department prepares a plan describing how it intends to use federal and state funds for the drinking water state revolving fund.  The department uses this money to make low-interest loans to drinking water systems.  These loans help systems improve infrastructure, comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act and protect public health.  

The state anticipates there will be approximately $63 million available this year for low-interest loans to drinking water systems and approximately $3.3 million available for other authorized activities. The interest rate on the available loan funds this year will be approximately 30 percent of the interest rate offered on a market rate loan.  The department uses a smaller amount of the available funds for program administration and technical assistance.

The department is also soliciting comments on both the draft Priority Point Criteria and the draft Readiness to Proceed Criteria.  The department will use the criteria to rank new applications received for state fiscal year 2010.  This information is included in the proposed loan application package attached to the draft intended use plan for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Leveraged Loan Program for funds that will be available in state fiscal year 2009.  Except for minor updates that do not affect the basic criteria, the department is proposing no changes to either of the criterion approved last year.  The department's goal is to set an application submittal deadline of Nov. 17.

The department will accept comment on these drafts until May 13.  Comments can be submitted to by mail to the department's Water Protection Program, Attention Mr. Jerry Smith, P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176; by e-mail with the subject line "Intended Use Plan Comments" directed to jerry.smith@dnr.mo.gov or hand delivered to the Lewis and Clark State Office Building, 1101 Riverside Dr., Jefferson City.  Make comments attention to Jerry Smith, Water Protection Program.

A copy of the Draft Drinking Water Intended Use Plan and draft criteria can be found on the department's Web site www.dnr.mo.gov/env/wpp/srf/index.html.  You may also obtain a copy by written request to Department of Natural Resources, Water Protection Program, P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176 or by calling the Water Protection Program's Financial Assistance Center at 573-751-1192.

For news releases on the web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel/index.html.  For a complete listing of the department's upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit the department's online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.

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