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<br />- 8 - <br /> <br />4) Allow state and local government~l entities to be eligible for grant monies to carry out water <br />conservation planning and implementation. . <br /> <br />Need for & How to Accomplish Proposed Chaoe:es <br /> <br />Following is a brief discussion outlining the need and justification for the proposed changes, and a <br />strategy for accomplishing these changes. <br /> <br />I) 937-60-126 (12) (a) would be amended to add the additional purposes of water <br />conservation and drought mitigation planning and implementation for which the monies <br />from this Fund could be used. This change would provide the OWCDP greater latitude in <br />administering the grant funds for appropriate projects allowing for variability in demand and <br />need throughout time. It would also provide stable and predictable funding for water <br />conservation and drought mitigation plans, which must be meet statutory requirements for <br />such plans prior to implementation money being utilized. There are currently approximately 80 <br />covered entities in the State that are required to complete water conservation plans. <br /> <br />2a) 937-60-126 (12) (a) would be amended to appropriate an additional $500K per year for the <br />fiscal years 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011. $500K is the current funding amount <br />being appropriated for the three fiscal years starting in 2005 and ending in 2008. The last <br />appropriation of$500K would be July 1, 2010. However, the Fund would sunset on June <br />30,2012. This would increase the total amount funding in this newly expanded program to <br />$3 million. Additional monies would be utilized to meet the demand associated with the <br />additional purposes for the Fund as well as the additional demand resulting from the later . <br />sunset date and increased number of eligible applicants. <br /> <br />2b) 937-60-126 (12) (a) would be amended to appropriate an additional $250,000 into the <br />Water Efficiency Grant Program Fund for the purposes of administering the expanded <br />purposes of the Fund, including water conservation planning and drought mitigation <br />planning & implementation, as well as education & public outreach, and the additional <br />need resulting from the extended sunset date. Funds to administer the Program Fund <br />would be appropriated in the amount of $50,000 each fiscal year starting in fiscal year <br />2007-2008 through 2011-2012, when the Fund would sunset. <br /> <br />3) 937-60-126 (12) (a) and (c) would be amended. Since the currently established Water <br />Efficiency Grant Program Fund is limited to purposes associated with implementing <br />statutorily compliant water conservation plans developed by covered entities, and only one <br />covered entity to date has such a plan approved by the cWcB, approximately 1 Y2 years have <br />passed in the life of the 3-year grant program with only one entity having the ability to access <br />the fund for implementation projects. Many entities are in the process of developing or <br />updating their plans to bring them into compliance with the requirements ofHB 04-1365. <br />However, by the time many of them have their plans completed and approved by the CWCB, <br />much of the grant funding timeframe will have passed leaving little time to utilize this valuable <br />financial resource. By extending the sunset date more entities can access the funds and <br />ultimately use them to implement the water conservation plans and meet their targeted <br />goals for reduced consumption. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Flood Protection. Water Project Planning and Financing. Stream and Lake Protection <br />Water Supply Protection. Conservation Planning <br />