33 Miss. Code. R. 17-I
The Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 (SDWA) established the national Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) Program. That program allows the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make capitalization (Cap) grants to states to, in turn, provide low-cost loans to public water systems to help achieve or maintain compliance with SDWA requirements. Accordingly, the State Legislature (through Section 41-3-16, MS Code of 1972 Annotated) created what is now called the Drinking Water Systems Improvements Revolving Loan Fund (DWSIRLF) Program, to receive the federal DWSRF capitalization grants from EPA, and to provide low-cost loans to the state's public water systems to finance needed infrastructure improvements. This legislation also allows the DWSIRLF, subject to the authority of State Law, to make loans that may utilize additional subsidization beyond standard DWSIRLF loans as well as setting appropriate criteria to determine eligible recipients.
That same legislation created the "Local Governments and Rural Water Systems Improvements Board" (Board), to oversee the administration of the DWSIRLF Program. The Mississippi State Department of Health (Department), as the state's drinking water primacy agency, supplies the staff and facilities necessary to administer the program. The Board is composed of the following nine (9) members: the State Health Officer, who shall serve as chairman of the Board; the Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority; the Executive Director of the Department of Environmental Quality; the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration; the Executive Director of the Mississippi Association of Supervisors; the Executive Director of the Mississippi Municipal League; the Executive Director of the American Council of Engineering Companies; the State Director of the United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development; and a manager of a rural water system. Each agency director may appoint a designee to serve in his or her place on the Board. The Governor appoints the rural water system manager. In the creation of the Program, it was the intent of the Legislature that the Board endeavor to ensure that the costs of administering the DWSIRLF Program are as low as possible in order to provide the water consumers of Mississippi with safe drinking water at affordable prices.
As a condition of receiving the DWSRF Cap grants, the SDWA requires that each state annually prepare an Intended Use Plan (IUP) designed to outline how a state will utilize DWSRF's funds to assist in protecting public health. The DWSIRLF consists of both state and federal funds. Federal funds are provided to the states in the form of awarded Cap grants. Each state's allotment of those grants is based on EPA's Needs Survey that is performed every four years. State matching funds totaling 20% of the federal grant amount to that state are required to be deposited into the Fund and have historically been provided through the issuance of bonds; however, the State legislature has provided the required State match funds as a direct agency appropriation. The purpose of this IUP is to convey the State of Mississippi's (State) DWSRF plan for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2024 to EPA, other state agencies, the State's public water supplies, and the public.
The basic framework under which the DWSIRLF Program operates is established by two documents. The first document is the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Loan Program Operating Agreement (Operating Agreement) between the Mississippi State Department of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency, Region IV. The current Operating Agreement was agreed to by both parties and approved on March 21, 2021. The Operating Agreement establishes the basic framework of the DWSIRLF that is not expected to change from year to year. The second document is the IUP which describes how the State of Mississippi will use the funding received from the EPA Cap grant which is received each year.
The authorized allotment of the FFY-2024 Cap Grant from EPA for Mississippi is $5,837,000. The Program intent to apply for the full amount of this cap grant and the BIL Supplemental cap grant. These funds must be used in the period of July 2024 through June 2028. As a condition of the FFY-2024 Cap Grant the program agrees to comply with DWSRF regulations, the general grant regulations at 40 CFR part 200, and specific conditions of the capitalization grant and to enter data into SRF Data System no less than quarterly. The FFY-2024 IUP will show in detail the goals (basic, long-term, and short-term), the structure, and the financial status of the Program; the role of the set-aside activities within the state; and most importantly, the distribution of funds towards public water system improvements projects and the criteria used to determine their ranking within the priority system. Those desiring to receive a copy of this document may contact Brittney Carmichael, Program Support Specialist, at (601) 576-7649.
The United States Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (AKA the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law or BIL) which was signed by the President on November 15, 2021. The bill appropriates an additional $2.202 billion to DWSRF for any eligible projects. Of the $2.4 billion additional allotment, the State's 2024 allotment (1.25%) for eligible projects was $28,785,000(2024 TBD) with a required state contribution (20%) of $5,757,000. The maximum principal forgiveness (49%) allowable to Eligible Borrowers will be $14,104,650. The Program will take action to follow its priority and planning list to apply the funding as applicable. See Appendix K for additional details.
To ensure that the public has an ample opportunity to review and comment upon the IUP, the Department and the Board follows the requirements of the "Mississippi Administrative Procedures Law" prior to final submission of the IUP to EPA. A public notice period of at least twenty-five (25) days allows for review and comment before an oral proceeding. After adoption by the Board, a second filing with the Secretary of State's Office occurs; if no additional comments are received the IUP becomes law 30 days after the second filing.
Public notice will be given in The Clarion Ledger, a newspaper of statewide circulation, for written and oral comments on this IUP. An oral proceeding will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Sept. 26, 2024. Minutes of the oral proceeding, recording any comments and recommended solutions, will be submitted to the EPA along with the Final IUP. Those desiring to receive a copy of the oral proceeding transcript should contact Brittney Carmichael, Program Support Specialist, at (601) 576-7649. A copy of the "Mississippi Administrative Procedures Law" may be obtained from the Mississippi Secretary of State's Office and can also be found on the Mississippi State Department of Health's website at www.healthyms.com/dwsrf.
33 Miss. Code. R. 17-I