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July 16, 2010 For more information, contact: Solid Waste Board Accepting Grant Applications ST. JAMES—The Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District is now accepting applications for its 2011 grant program. The district has an estimated $150,000 available for district grants this year. The solid waste district will host a pre-application workshop from 10 a.m. to noon on Aug. 17, 2010, at Meramec Regional Planning Commission, 4 Industrial Drive, St. James. “If your group or business is considering applying for funds, I would encourage you to attend the pre-application workshop to learn more about eligible projects and how to make a project competitive,” said Tammy Snodgrass, Ozark Rivers administrator. The grant funds are made available for district distribution and use through a tipping fee on trash. The Department of Natural Resources collects the tonnage fee at landfills across the state, and reallocates a portion of that money to solid waste districts in Missouri. The Ozark Rivers District includes Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties. The seven-county area is implementing its solid waste management plan for reducing the amount of waste generated in the district. Scott Murrell of Fort Leonard Wood is chairman of the Ozark Rivers District. Local governments, schools, organizations, businesses and individuals in the seven-county area are eligible to apply for grants that help the district implement its plan and reduce the amount of waste going to landfills. The Ozark Rivers District also identifies projects it wishes to carry out with the grant funds. At least 50 percent of the funds must be allocated to city and county-type projects, and up to 50 percent of the funds may be allocated to district-wide projects. Deadline for applications is noon on Sept. 3, 2010. The district will announce funded projects and present that list to the Department of Natural Resources for final approval in November. A mandatory grant workshop will be scheduled in December for grantees. Tentative start-up date for funded projects is scheduled for Jan. 1, 2011. Projects must be completed by Dec. 31, 2011. Application packets are available by contacting Nongluk Tunyavanich by phone at (573) 265-2993 or by email at nongluk@meramecregion.org. Grant packets are also available online at www.meramecregion.org. |