MRPC Press Release - October 2008 - Ozark Rivers District Awards $163,000 Worth of Grants

For more information, contact:
Tammy Snodgrass or Bonnie J. Prigge, (573) 265-2993

ST. JAMES— The Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District awarded 14 grants, totaling $164,884, during its quarterly meeting Sept. 16, Chairman Scott Murrell announced. Seventeen grant requests, totaling nearly $234,000, were submitted.

A request from the Gasconade County R-II Schools, Owensville, for a Recycling Works program, $9,761;
A request from Maries County to continue its Clean Roads and Waterways program and expand it to include glass, $6,105;
A request from Missouri University of Science and Technology to expand its recycling and solid waste reduction programs, $7,500;
A request from Meramec Regional Planning Commission to continue funding for the satellite household hazardous waste collection centers, located in Rolla and St. Robert and initiated by the solid waste district, $21,994;
A request from MRPC to continue the illegal dump cleanup program started by ORSWMD, $21,776, and
A request from Waynesville R-VI School District to start a Going Green program, $9,206.

A request from the Phelps County Commission to continue the Phelps County Tough on Trash program, $12,654;
A request fro the City of St. James for recycling trailer, $10,000;
A request from the Phelps County Community Partnership and the Rolla Area Sheltered Workshop for a baler, $7,000;
A request from the city of Salem to start a city recycling program, $10,000;
A request from MRPC to continue the solid waste district’s program to provide environmental education to area schools, $4,534;
A request from Scenic Rivers Industries, Salem, for a document shredder for the Sheltered Workshop, $10,567;
A request from MRPC to continue the solid waste district’s electronics, tires and appliances’ collections, $20,230, and
A request from MRPC to continue the solid waste district’s high school chemistry lab cleanup program, $11,645;

Because of limited funds, three projects were not funded. The City of St. James has since declined its partially funded grant.

“Last year, we had two years worth of funding to allocate. This year, we had only one and that meant we had $140,000 less in grant dollars this year. By downsizing projects, we were still able to help with 14 projects,” said Murrell. “Our board spent over four hours reviewing and rating grant applications and making hard decisions on how to fund projects.”

This year, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources changed grant procedures and the solid waste district itself was not eligible to apply for funding for the programs it offers. To continue the district’s projects, MRPC applied for the funding.

“The programs will be staffed as they have been and operated in the same fashion,” Murrell explained, “However to maintain the programs, MRPC had to be the applicant.”

The Ozark Rivers District is presenting the recommended projects to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for review. Once the DNR approves the projects and financial assistance agreements are in place, projects can begin and grant funds released. The tentative date for projects to begin is Jan. 1, 2009.

Ozark Rivers receives a base of $95,000 per year from the Missouri DNR to award as grants for local solid waste management projects. The funds are generated from tipping fees collected at landfills and transfer stations across the state. The district also receives a percentage of the tipping fees, based on population and the amount of trash actually landfilled in the region. The two operational landfills in the region are Prairie Valley near Cuba in Crawford County and Timber Ridge Landfill near Richwoods in Washington County. The district solicits grant proposals annually.

In other business, the district discussed the closing of Resource Recovery, the Cuba recycling center operated by the Sheltered Workshop. The recycling center has closed and had received grant funding from the district. The city of Cuba had also received a grant to make improvements to the Resource Recovery building. The grant agreements stipulate that the grant recipient will use the funds for their intended purpose for at least four years after receipt or the funds will be returned on a pro-rata basis. The district will request $12,608.75 from Resource Recovery for two grants and $6,907.50 from the city of Cuba for one grant that was in partnership with Resource Recovery.

“We regret that Resource Recovery has closed in Cuba because they provided a tremendous service,” Murrell said. “We are hopeful that someone will pick up the recycling effort in the Crawford County area. The money recovered will be rolled back into the grant program and will benefit our district in the future.”

The Ozark Rivers District includes Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities with populations of 500 or more. The district is charged with reducing by 40 percent the amount of waste generated for disposal. MRPC, a voluntary council of governments, provides staffing and administrative services for Ozark Rivers. Persons needing more information on solid waste issues may contact Tammy Snodgrass, district administrator, at (573) 265-2993 or by email at tsnodgrass@meramecregion.org.

MRPC News Release