Public Facilities Authority seeks state match, proposes grants for emerging contaminants and infrastructure needs

Karen Burkholtz, deputy director of the Minnesota Public Facilities Authority, told the Capital Investment Committee on Feb. 20 that the PFA's capital request tracks the governor's budget and seeks state match and grant funding to leverage federal capital grants and to fund several targeted programs for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.

"The Minnesota Public Facilities Authority is a multi‑agency authority providing municipal financing expertise and infrastructure financing programs to enhance public health and the state's environmental quality and economic vitality," Burkholtz said in her opening remarks.

What the PFA asked for and why Burkholtz told the committee the governor's capital budget request for the PFA totals a little over $99,000,000, including state match for federal capitalization grants and funding for three other programs. She said $39,000,000 in state match would unlock roughly $215,000,000 in federal funds and that, after the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Department of Health complete project priority lists (PPLs), the PFA will build intended use plans (IUPs) to present fundable projects.

Programs and figures explained at the…