PRINTER'S NO. 862
No. 762 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY GEORGE, REBER, PISTELLA, DeWEESE, SCHRODER, WALKO,
BAKER, READSHAW, OLASZ, WAUGH, STERN, TIGUE, TRAVAGLIO,
WOJNAROSKI, FAIRCHILD, COLAIZZO, BATTISTO, STABACK, BELARDI,
VAN HORNE, GRUITZA, EVANS, VITALI, TRICH, STEELMAN, SANTONI,
GORDNER, RAMOS, ROONEY, HALUSKA, SURRA, BOSCOLA, PETRARCA,
EACHUS, TRELLO, McCALL, ITKIN, CLARK, YOUNGBLOOD,
CAPPABIANCA, CAWLEY, MELIO, CURRY, LAUGHLIN, MIHALICH AND
COLAFELLA, MARCH 12, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY,
MARCH 12, 1997
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 1, 1988 (P.L.82, No.16), entitled "An
2 act providing for the establishment, implementation and
3 administration of the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment
4 Authority; imposing powers and duties on a board of trustees;
5 transferring the rights, powers, duties and obligations of
6 the Water Facilities Loan Board to the Pennsylvania
7 Infrastructure Investment Authority; providing for the
8 issuance of notes and bonds; providing for financial
9 assistance and for a comprehensive water facilities plan;
10 authorizing a referendum to incur indebtedness; making an
11 appropriation; and making repeals," providing for financial
12 assistance.
13 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
14 hereby enacts as follows:
15 Section 1. Section 10(d) of the act of March 1, 1988
16 (P.L.82, No.16), known as the Pennsylvania Infrastructure
17 Investment Authority Act, amended December 16, 1992 (P.L.1137,
18 No.149), is amended to read:
19 Section 10. Financial assistance.
1 * * *
2 (d) Small projects.--
3 (1) The board shall establish a program of assistance to
4 water supply and sewage disposal systems serving communities
5 with a population of 12,000 people or less or systems having
6 hookups of 1,000 or less.
7 (2) The board shall establish a program to financially
8 assist storm water projects by municipalities with a
9 population of 12,000 people or less. In addition to other
10 factors which the board in its discretion may consider in
11 assigning priorities under this program, preference shall be
12 given where the municipality undertaking the project:
13 (i) has no natural watercourse within its
14 boundaries;
15 (ii) relies on methods of storm water control which
16 do not comply with Federal or State rules, regulations or
17 standards; or
18 (iii) has been found to be subject to karst sinkhole
19 development or other geologic condition which poses a
20 danger to person or property and which may be aggravated
21 by uncontrolled storm water flows.
22 (3) (i) The board shall establish a small water/sewer
23 project loan fund for municipalities with a population of
24 10,000 people or less. Loans are limited to $100,000 or
25 75% of eligible project costs, whichever is less. The
26 grantee shall provide local share in the form of matching
27 funds or in-kind services at a minimum of 25% of the
28 total project costs. The loan shall be for ten years at
29 an interest rate of 2%.
30 (ii) Loans shall be used for the following purposes:
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1 (A) Drinking water facilities including
2 construction, rehabilitation, alteration, expansion
3 or improvement of water facilities.
4 (B) Pumping stations, distribution and treatment
5 facilities and reservoir rehabilitation projects.
6 (C) Sanitary sewage disposal facilities,
7 including all facilities related to collection lines
8 and sewage treatment facilities and excluding storm
9 sewers.
10 (D) Access roads to serve a public water or
11 sanitary sewer facility.
12 (4) (i) The board shall establish the Community
13 Facilities Grant Program. The program shall provide
14 supplemental financial assistance for needed public
15 facilities to strengthen income-producing capability,
16 improve health and safety and alleviate financial
17 hardship of the community.
18 (ii) Grants may be awarded for up to $50,000.
19 Certain eligible economically distressed communities, as
20 determined under the act of July 10, 1987 (P.L.246,
21 No.47), known as the Municipalities Financial Recovery
22 Act, may receive a maximum of $75,000.
23 (iii) Any borough, township or city with a
24 population of 10,000 or less and municipal and county
25 authorities serving such places is eligible for grants.
26 For projects serving more than one municipality, the
27 population served may not exceed 10,000.
28 (iv) Grants shall be used for the following
29 purposes:
30 (A) Drinking water facilities including
19970H0762B0862 - 3 -
1 construction, rehabilitation, alteration, expansion
2 or improvement of water facilities.
3 (B) Pumping stations, distribution and treatment
4 facilities and reservoir rehabilitation projects.
5 (C) Sanitary sewage disposal facilities,
6 including all facilities related to collection lines
7 and sewage treatment facilities and excluding storm
8 sewers.
9 (D) Access roads to serve a public water or
10 sanitary sewer facility.
11 (v) The board shall promulgate regulations to
12 implement this paragraph.
13 (5) The board shall expend annually $15,000,000 from the
14 Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority funds to
15 implement paragraphs (3) and (4).
16 * * *
17 Section 2. The functions, powers and duties of the
18 Department of Commerce with regard to the community facilities
19 program as provided for in 13 Pa. Code Ch. 11 (relating to
20 community facilities) are transferred to and shall be exercised
21 by the authority, and all records, files and property now being
22 used in connection with such functions, powers and duties and
23 the unexpended balances of appropriations, allocations and other
24 funds available or to be made available for use in connection
25 with such functions, powers and duties are transferred to the
26 authority.
27 Section 3. Each rule and regulation of the Department of
28 Commerce relating to the Community Facilities Grant Program in
29 effect on the effective date of this act shall remain in effect
30 after such date until repealed or amended by the board or until
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1 it terminates in accordance with its own terms.
2 Section 4. All acts and parts of acts are repealed insofar
3 as they are inconsistent with this act.
4 Section 5. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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