Washington State Department of Ecology

Department of Ecology News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Nov. 24, 1998

98-201

CONTACT: Mary Getchell, Public Information Manager, (360) 407-6157; pager, (360) 534-8590
Brian Howard, Loan Coordinator, (360) 407-6510

Rule adopted to streamline water-quality loan process

OLYMPIA - The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) adopted a rule today that will make it more efficient to issue water quality loans for local and tribal governments.

The federal government sponsors the State Revolving Fund low-interest loans. The program funds, a combination of federal and state money, are administered by Ecology to help local governments and Indian tribes upgrade or expand wastewater treatment plants. The loans are also used to prevent water pollution problems such as elevated temperature and fecal coliform bacteria, which come from practices such as agriculture, logging and urban development. To date, Ecology has provided approximately $370 million through the loan program.

"We’ve been looking for more and better ways to provide assistance through the loan program to the local governments and tribes who need to undertake construction projects to prevent water pollution," said Steve Carley, a water-quality manager for Ecology. "This rule takes a step toward streamlining the process to get the money out the door and into communities where it is needed."

The rule change will improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the low-interest loan program by:

Making the program more consistent with the uses of the state-funded Centennial Clean Water Fund, which provides grant and loan money for water quality projects;
Ensuring the continued existence of the loan program;
Streamlining procedures to help speed the funding to local communities; and
Clarifying the eligibility requirements.

Very few people commented on the rule. In general, the comments agreed with the proposed changes and encouraged Ecology to move forward with the rule. The final rule, entitled Uses and Limitations of the Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund, is posted on the Internet at: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/wac17398.html (Link updated 01/08/02). It is scheduled to take effect Dec. 24.