Committee approves updates to planning-grant rules for drinking water and wastewater projects

The committee approved updates to IDAPA rules that govern administration of planning grants for public drinking water and wastewater systems, including clarified priority scoring, removal of obsolete language and alignment with federal State Revolving Fund (SRF) eligibility criteria.

Jerry Henry, Division Administrator for Drinking Water Protection and Finance at DEQ, told the committee the rulemaking was performed under the governor’s 0-based regulation review to reduce regulatory burden and improve clarity. Henry said the chapter provides an administrative framework for planning grants that support engineering facility plans used for design, construction and operation of public systems.

Key changes included removal of duplicative and outdated language, updated web links, reorganized sections for readability, and additions to the priority rating system to address affordability issues when user charges exceed 2% of median household income. Henry said DEQ removed planning-grant points for public-health emergencies because the grant process is not used to manage emergencies; emergency needs are handled through DEQ’s grants-and-loans programs and intended-use plans.

Public comment and negotiated rulemaking sessions informed clarifications and edits. DEQ noted substantive comments about professional liability insurance thresholds and differences in eligibility between drinking water and wastewater systems; DEQ said eligibility mirrors federal SRF requirements and that consistency is required across funding opportunities.

A motion to approve docket 58-01-22-2401 was offered and the committee approved the docket by voice vote.