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Oct. 11, 2011
For immediate release
For more information, contact:
Bonnie Prigge or Tammy Snodgrass, (573) 265-2993
Ozark Rivers District awards more than $200,000 worth of grants; annual report approved
ST. JAMES—The Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District awarded 14 grants, totaling $204,407.90, during its quarterly meeting Sept. 20. Sixteen grant requests, totaling more than $228,000, were submitted.
The projects that received funding included:
• A request from the Meramec Regional Planning Commission for waste tire collection, $13,611.10;
• A request from the Meramec Regional Planning Commission for the special waste collection of appliances, electronics and tires, $24,012.85;
• A request from the Meramec Regional Planning Commission for HHW collections, $26,958.50;
• A request from the Meramec Regional Planning Commission for compost education programs in schools, $23,220.20;
• A request from the Meramec Regional Planning Commission for illegal dump cleanup, $15,405.70;
• A request from the City of St. James for curbside recycling and cardboard collection, $30,184.20;
• A request from the City of Rolla for traveling billboards, $2,250;
• A request from the Maries County Commission for the Maries County Recycling for Environmental Excellence program, which includes a trash patrol officer, $6,455;
• A request from the Phelps County Commission to continue the program Phelps County Tough on Trash, which includes litter cleanup, recycling and illegal dump investigations, $12,131.20;
• A request from the City of Hermann for recycling equipment, $9,000;
• A request from Meramec Regional Planning Commission for community outreach and assistance funds, $20,000;
• A request from Dixon High School for The Choice is Yours—Waste It or Recycle It program, $4,500; and
• A request from Phyto Forensics LLC for residential recycling for Missouri S&T student housing, $9,550.
“The district had more funding this year, which is the first time more funds were available than we had funding requested, but the board had minimum criteria and not all requests were funded. The remaining funds were rolled to next year’s allocation,” said Tammy Snodgrass, MRPC assistant director and environmental programs manager.
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, 2012.
MRPC submits projects on behalf of the Ozark Rivers District to implement its solid waste management plan. According to DNR grant guidelines, a minimum of 50 percent of the funds must be spent on projects with district-wide benefits.
Ozark Rivers receives funds 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 had $263,874.57 available for grants this year. The district’s grant total last year was $187,723.01. The district solicits grant proposals from July to August.
In other business, the district:
• Approved the annual report, which is required by DNR. The report summarizes last year’s projects and accomplishments and provides information on what the district hopes to accomplish in 2011-12.
• Discussed nominations for the Achievement in Solid Waste Management Awards. Board members noted they would forward all nomination forms to staff and voted to give approval authority to the district chair. Awards will be presented at the district’s annual meeting in November.
The next meeting of the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste District full council will be at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 29 at Meramec Regional Planning Commission, 4 Industrial Drive, St. James. Dinner and an awards program will follow the meeting.
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 Nongluk Tunyavanich at MRPC at (573) 265-2993 or by email at nongluk@meramecregion.org.
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