§ 1942.507 - Project priority.

The following paragraphs indicate items and conditions which must be considered in selecting applications for further development. When ranking eligible applications for consideration for limited funds, FmHA or its successor agency under Public Law 103-354 officials must consider the priority items met by each application and the degree to which those priorities are met.

(a) Applications. The application and supporting information submitted with it will be used to determine the proposed project's priority for available funds.

(b) State Office review. All applications will be reviewed and scored for funding priority using exhibit A of this subpart (available in any FmHA or its successor agency under Public Law 103-354 office). The State Director will request funds from the National Office, Attention: Director, Water and Waste Disposal Division (WWD), using exhibits A and B of this subpart (available in any FmHA or its successor agency under Public Law 103-354 office). If an application cannot be funded, the State Director will be notified. Eligible applicants that cannot be funded should be advised by the District Director that funds are not available.

(c) National Office review. Each year all funding requests will be reviewed by the National Office starting November 1 and will continue as long as funds are available except for the first year in which funds are made available for this grant program. A review of funding requests the first year will start 30 days after funds are made available. Projects selected for funding will be considered based on the priority criteria and available funds. Projects must compete on a national basis for available funds, and the National Office will allocate funds to FmHA or its successor agency under Public Law 103-354 State offices on a project by project basis.

(d) Selection priorities. The priorities described below will be used by the State Director to rate applications and by the Director of WWD to select projects for funding. Points will be distributed as indicated in paragraphs (d)(1) through (5) of this section and will be considered in selecting projects for funding. A copy of exhibits A and B (available in any FmHA or its successor agency under Public Law 103-354 office) used to rate applications, should be placed in the case file for future reference.

(1) Population. The proposed project will serve an area with a rural population:

(i) Section 306A.

(A) Not in excess of 5,000—30 points.

(B) More than 5,000 and not in excess of 10,000—15 points.

(C) More than 10,000 and not in excess of 15,000—0 points.

(ii) Section 306B.

(A) Not in excess of 1,500—30 points.

(B) More than 1,500 and not in excess of 3,000—20 points.

(C) More than 3,000 and not in excess of 5,000—15 points.

(2) Income: The median household income of population to be served by the proposed project is:

(i) Not in excess of 70% of the statewide nonmetropolitan median household income—30 points.

(ii) More than 70% and not in excess of 80% of the statewide nonmetropolitan median household income—20 points.

(iii) More than 80% and not in excess of 90% of the statewide nonmetropolitan median household income—10 points.

(iv) Over 90% of the statewide nonmetropolitan median household income—0 points.

(3) Significant decline. Points will only be assigned for one of the following paragraphs when the primary purpose of the proposed project is to correct a significant decline in the:

(i) Quantity of water available from private individually owned wells or other individual sources of water—30 points, or

(ii) Quantity of water available from an established system's source of water—20 points, or

(iii) Quality of water available from private individually owned wells or other individual sources of water—30 points. or

(iv) Quality of water available from an established system's source of water—20 points.

(4) Acute shortage. Grants made in accordance with § 1942.511(b) of this subpart to assist an established water system remedy an acute shortage of quality water or correct a significant decline in the quantity or quality of water that is available—10 points.

(5) Discretionary. In certain cases the FmHA or its successor agency under Public Law 103-354 Administrator may assign up to 30 points for items such as geographic distribution of funds, rural residents hauling water, severe contamination levels, etc.