|
VERNON – The Florida Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) recently awarded a $4.1 million
low-interest loan to the City of Vernon for upgrades to
the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The loan, part of
DEP’s State Revolving Fund Program, is the latest
installment in a $4.7 million project to renovate the
wastewater facility.
“Florida is committed to protecting state lakes,
rivers, streams and aquifer systems by using highly
developed technology in wastewater facilities,” said DEP
Secretary Colleen M. Castille. “The Department is using
the State Revolving Fund loan program to help build and
upgrade local government systems to ensure the highest
standards are met.”
The first $600,000 installment of the Vernon project
was used for the planning and design stages of the
upgrade. The second $4.1 million installment will go
towards construction of the facility advancements.
The State Revolving Fund Program was established to
provide low-interest financing to plan, design and build
public water, wastewater and stormwater systems. Funds
can be used for drinking water, wastewater, stormwater,
reuse, water quality projects, brownfields, estuary
protection and other water quality improvement projects.
Funded by federal capitalization grants, state matching
funds, loan repayments and interest earnings, State
Revolving Fund Program loans are offered at interest
rates as low as 32 percent below current market rates.
Repayments from earlier loans are used to make new
loans, allowing the program to operate in perpetuity.
Under the leadership of Governor Jeb Bush and the
Florida Legislature, Florida has invested more than $1.9
billion to improve wastewater treatment, clean up
stormwater pollution and upgrade drinking water
facilities, funding more than 950 projects statewide
since 1999. Over the last six years, the State Revolving
Fund Program awarded more than $1.3 billion to plan,
design and build water facilities across the state,
including almost $290 million last year.
For more information on the State Revolving Fund
Program, visit
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/wff/index.htm .
|
