USDA Rural Development Lorraine Werner Community Programs Program Director USDA, Rural Development RUS – Rural Utilities Service Water and Environmental Programs Funding and Managing Your Project

What can RD fund Water, Waste water, Solid waste

And where to get the money? USDA Rural Development WWDC SLIB (County consensus, MRG, etc.) Dept. of Commerce EPA Others....

Infrastructure Needs Report: Wyoming is facing $ 400 Million in wastewater and water infrastructure needs. This figure does not include Solid waste.

Infrastructure Needs USDA Allocations – 2016 Loan Grant Wyoming, 2016:$ 8,391,000 $ 2,456,000 Spent to date:$ 2,516,000 $ 1,895,000

Funding (Very) Basics Criteria for Loans with Grants: - ability to pay - poor..... look at MHI - health-related issues - sustainability (has to work)

Funding (Very) Basics Sustainability - PER (think it out first) - tight contracts - environmental concerns

Funding (Very) Basics Improved rules - STREAMLINED PROCESS Best Practices

Eligible Loan and Grant Purposes To construct, enlarge, extend, or otherwise improve rural water, sanitary sewage, solid waste disposal and storm wastewater disposal facility. Refinance other debt (in some cases).

Eligible Loan and Grant Purposes We finance: Legal, engineering, administrative services, fiscal advisory, recording, environmental analyses and surveys, mitigation measures, planning, or acquiring rights

Eligible Loan and Grant Purposes Costs of acquiring interest in land, rights, such as water rights, lease, permits, rights-of-way; and other evidence of land or water control or protection necessary for development of the facility.

Eligible Loan and Grant Purposes Purchasing or renting equipment necessary to install, operate, maintain, extend, or protect facilities. CRADLE TO GRAVE

Limitations of Loan and Grant Funds - Facilities that are not modest in size, design, and cost -Loan or grant finder’s fees -Any portion of the cost of a facility which does not serve a rural area

Grant Funding Applicants are advised that the percentages are maximum amounts and may be limited due to availability of funds or grant determination procedures.

Loan and Grant Applications Applicants are encouraged to contact the Agency processing office early in the planning stages of their project.

Timeframes for processing applications Year round, PER and ER can be submitted before we have an application for review. 45 DAY TURNAROUND

Application Requirements 10 ITEMS TO OBLIGATE including: 1.Two copies of the Preliminary Engineering Report 2.Two copies of the Environmental Report

Engineer Duties (Funding Standpoint) Pre-funding: Engineering Contracts Preliminary Engineering Report Environmental Report Post Obligation: Design Bid Construction management On-site Representation

Engineer Duties (cont.) Pre-funding: Engineering Contracts EJCDC - RD Bulletin Preliminary Engineering Report RD Bulletin Environmental Report RD Instruction 1970-B and C

Engineer Duties (cont.) Pre-funding: EJCDC must be reviewed by RD; if different format is used must be review by OGC. Environmental Report New regulations with less publication, and more categorical exclusions. DON’T FEAR THE NEPA!

Engineer Duties (cont.) Preliminary Engineering Report: Describes Project Describes Community Existing Conditions, History Alternatives Costs Construction costs, Engineering, Legal, O&M, Easements/Land, Permits, Interim financing, etc. Recommendation

Engineer Duties (cont.) PER; NOTED WEAKNESSES Life cycle cost analysis Short lived Assets Technical feasible alternatives format Maps and Pictures of what we are fixing; electronic and 2 hard copies

Engineer Duties (cont.) Post Obligation: Design Biddable Plans and Specifications, ADA Bid Bid meetings, recommend selection Construction management Materials selection, change orders, pay requests On-site Representation Full-time trench-side observation, reports

Water and Environmental Planning Grants Predevelopment Planning Grant (PPG) Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households (SEARCH)

Water and Environmental Planning Grants Purposes Provide financial assistance to eligible communities who lack resources to pay for completing Rural Development applications, feasibility studies, (PER/ER), design assistance and technical assistance.

Water and Environmental Planning Grants Funding Levels PPG: $30,000 or 75% of eligible costs, whichever is less. SEARCH: 100% of eligible costs not exceeding $30,000. One time only disbursement of grant funds after all work is accepted.

Water and Environmental Planning Grants Eligibility Public body, not-for-profit, cooperative, or federally recognized tribe. Project serves communities with MHI below 80% of Statewide MHI. PPG: Project serves an area with a population of 10,000 or fewer. SEARCH: Project serves an area with a population of 2,500 or fewer.

Design -Standard of Care -RD reviews at 50%, 98% completion -Construction contracts follow Bulletin (EJCDC)

Bidding, Contracts - Addenda concurred by USDA - Lowest responsible bidder - Engineer recommends after bid review - Contract administered - Community attorney review - Parties sign contracts, USDA concurs

Bridge and Interim Financing Available funding for final design and specs as well as construction financing through lenders at interest rates less than RD’s for projects over $500,000.

Construction: Sewer and Water Lines

Construction Safety Contractor dictates Protocol Roles of Contractor/Owner/Engineer/Funding Communication With Contractor/Residents

Chad Rupe, State Specialist Deborah Dunn, State Specialist ext. 4 Brenda Allen, State Specialist ext 4. Funding and Managing Your Project

Ryan Urbanec, State Engineer Roy Prior, State Engineer Lorraine Werner, CP Director Funding and Managing Your Project

For more information… Rural Development: USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.