STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD

RESOLUTION NO. 97-046

ADOPTION OF THE SMALL COMMUNITY GRANT PROGRAM PROJECT PRIORITY LIST AND BLANKET AUTHORIZATION TO ISSUE PLANNING AND DESIGN GRANTS

WHEREAS:

1. The Division of Clean Water Programs (DCWP) has prepared a draft Small Community Grant (SCG) Program Project Priority List in conformance with the SCG Program Policy adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) on January 23, 1997, which was discussed at Workshops on April 2, and April 30, 1997;

2. Because of the large number of applicants, a funding line needs to be drawn;

3. Some communities with Median Household Incomes (MHI) above $31,999, believe their MHIs to be in error, and that an income survey would result in a MHI below $32,000 making additional communities eligible to be added to the fundable portion of the Priority List;

4. A time limit to complete these income surveys needs to be set to finalize the Priority List within a reasonable time period;

5. Because of the large number of applicants, there is no need to develop additional projects for addition to the Priority List through pollution study grants;

6. Due to the large number of eligible communities, the necessity to take each planning and design grant to the SWRCB for approval is unnecessarily time consuming for both the SWRCB and the local communities;

7. Some regional wastewater treatment districts have applied for SCG funding on behalf of participating agencies where the participating agencies meet the definition of a small community; and

8. Decisions made in providing grant funds to eligible small communities may conflict with the desires of the SWRCB to promote regionalization.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

The State Water Resources Control Board:

1. Adopts the SCG Program Project Priority List, with a funding line drawn at the bottom of Priority Class B;

2. Allows communities with MHIs above $31,999 in Priority Classes A and B, which are not a Census Designated Place, a city, or a town, to conduct an income survey;

3. Directs the DCWP to bring back to the SWRCB for consideration in September 1997, any Priority Class A and B projects that might be eligible for addition to the SCG Project Priority List as a result of an income survey;

4. Directs the Division to defer funding of pollution study grants;

5. Approves a blanket authorization allowing the DCWP to write and issue planning and design grants for eligible SCG projects;

6. Sets the maximum grant amount per eligible small community at $3.0 million;

7. Approves the issuance of separate grants to qualifying small communities with 5,000 people or less discharging to regional systems, with populations greater than 5,000 people, subject to the following limitations:

A. Individual community collection system costs

(1) Individual grants shall be issued to each eligible small community not to exceed $3.0 million in total for the regional facility.

(2) The grant assistance is only for costs the small community has direct financial responsibility (i.e. collection systems). Treatment costs that are the responsibility of the regional agency are not eligible.

B. Individual Community Treatment Costs

(1) Individual grants shall be issued for each eligible small community not to exceed $1.5 million in total for the regional facility.

(2) The eligible regional treatment costs shall be allocated to each eligible small community based on its proportionate share of the total population of regional facility.

(3) The amount of the grant shall be determined by multiplying the eligible cost for each small community by the straight-line scale percentage based on the community's MHI.

(4) The regional agency must comply with all provisions of the SCG Policy.

8. Directs the DCWP to provide grant assistance to regional systems with total populations less than 5,000 people subject to the following:

A. Separate grants shall be issued to each community such that the total grant amount for the regional facility shall not exceed $3.0 million.

B. The eligible project costs shall be distributed to each community based on its proportionate share of the total population served by the regional facility.

C. The grant amount shall be determined by multiplying the eligible project costs for the community times the straight-line scale factor based on the community's MHI.

D. The agency constructing the regional facility must comply with all the provisions of the SCG policy.

9. Based on authority of Section IV.F.2. of the adopted SCG Policy, and due to the special circumstances requiring construction of secondary treatment at the Watsonville treatment facility, the Community of Parajo is placed in Priority Class B and eligible to receive a grant not to exceed $2.1 million for its share of the Watsonville treatment plant upgrade costs.

10. Based on the authority of Section IV.F.2. of the adopted SCG Policy, places the Cutler-Orosi regional treatment facility in Priority Class B with funding subject to the limitations under Resolve 7.B. above.

CERTIFICATION

The undersigned, Administrative Assistant to the Board, does hereby certify that the foregoing is a full, true, and correct copy of a resolution duly and regularly adopted at a meeting of the State Water Resources Control Board held on May 14, 1997.

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Maureen Marché
Administrative Assistant to the Board