Project Information and Planning Documentation

Project Information and Planning Documentation Applicants shall submit Project Information (Part 1) and, if invited by the Department to proceed, a Loan Application (Part 2), in accordance with these regulations and the Intended Use Plan. Planning documentation must include sufficient technical, environmental, and financial information, as determined by the Department, to allow evaluation of project eligibility, technical feasibility, environmental impacts, and repayment capability. The Department may require engineering documentation bearing the seal of a registered engineer when necessary to evaluate technical adequacy. The loan applicant shall hold a public hearing on the proposed project prior to submission of the Loan Application (Part 2). A notice for the hearing must be published in an appropriate local newspaper at least 30 days prior to the hearing date, and project information submitted under Part 1 must be available for public review during this period. Topics to be discussed at the hearing include the facilities to be built, why they are needed, where they will be built, how much they will cost, the average monthly user charge, and the environmental impact. If a project change is significant enough to require a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) amendment, a new public hearing may be required.