Iowa Administrative Code › Agency 567 - Environmental Protection Commission › Title VII - Water Pollution Control State Revolving Fund › Chapter 91 - Criteria for Rating and Ranking Projects for the Water Pollution Control State Revolving Fund › Rule 567-91.8 - Project Priority Rating System

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 3, July 24, 2024
(1)
Rating criteria.
The rating criteria consider the use
				classification of the receiving waters, water quality of the receiving waters,
				groundwater protection, project type, project purpose, and a tiebreaker.
				Priority ranking for the projects shall be based on the total points awarded
				for all the categories; the greater the total number of points, the higher the
				ranking. For POTW projects, the ranking will be done at the time the IUP is
				prepared. For nonpoint source projects, if 90 percent of the set-aside is
				allocated, the ranking will be done at the time the project application is
				received. The tiebreaker category will be used when necessary.
a.
Use classification of receiving
				waters.
This category addresses the receiving water that is impacted
				or potentially impacted by the existing situation and that would be improved or
				protected by the proposed project. Points shall be awarded and shall be
				cumulative for all designated use classifications of the receiving stream.
				Points for sludge stabilization, sewers and lift station projects normally will
				be based on the assigned use of the waters that receive or could receive the
				effluent discharge.
Use and Classification
Points
Outstanding Iowa waters
45
High quality waters
40
High quality resource waters
20
Class Al waters
50
Class A2 waters
45
Class A3 waters
45
Class C waters
40
Class B (CW1) waters
50
Class B (CW2) waters
30
Class B (WW1) & HH waters
30
Class B (WW2) waters
25
Class B (WW3) waters
20
Class B (LW) waters
35
b.
Water quality of receiving waters.
This category addresses
				the quality of water in the receiving stream and whether or not the water has
				been designated as impaired for some uses. Bodies of water that are impaired by
				pollutants are identified as the Section 303(d) list of waters in the
				integrated report of impaired waters status. The Section 303(d) list of waters
				also identifies probable pollutant source categories for these impairments.
				Projects that primarily impact these waters are awarded points if the water
				body that receives or could receive the wastewater discharge is included on the
				Section 303(d) list and the probable pollutant source is a point source. Waters
				are also identified in the Section 305(b) report on their use attainment
				status. Projects that primarily impact these waters are awarded points
				depending on the use impairment identified for the water body that receives or
				could receive the wastewater discharge. If no use impairment is identified
				indicating the water was not assessed, the partially supporting status points
				will be awarded. Points will be awarded for both A and B of the table below and
				then totaled for this category.
Indication of water quality
Points
A
Integrated Report of impaired waters status
4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, or 5a
15
5b
10
5p
5
B
Section 305(b) status
Aquatics or fish consumption or drinking water
Fully supporting
5
Partially supporting
10
Not supporting
15
Not assessed
7
Recreation
Fully supporting
5
Partially supporting
10
Not supporting
15
Not assessed
7
c.
Protection of groundwater resources.
This category considers
				the use of the aquifer affected by the project.
Groundwater Category
Points
Wellhead protection area for public water supply
40
Unconfined aquifer that serves as a drinking water
						  source
20
Other groundwater protection
10
d.
Project type.
In this category, points are provided based on
				the type of project and the relative level of the impact on public health and
				the environment. Points will be awarded only for the primary project type.
Project Type
Points
Category I. Secondary wastewater treatment
40
Category II. Advanced wastewater treatment
50
Category III-A. Infiltration/inflow correction
30
Category III-B. Sewer replacement/rehabilitation
30
Category IV-A. New collector sewers and appurtenances
10
Category IV-B. New interceptor sewers and appurtenances
20
Category V. Combined sewer overflow correction
40
Category VI. Storm water conveyance treatment systems
						  and green infrastructure
30
Category VII-A. Agriculture (cropland)
30
Category VII-B. Agriculture (animals)
50
Category VII-C. Silviculture
10
Category VII-E. Groundwater protection (unknown sources)
20
Category VII-F. Marinas
10
Category VII-G. Resource extraction
10
Category VII-H. Brownfields
30
Category VII-I. Storage tanks
20
Category VII-J. Landfills
30
Category VII-K. Hydromodification
40
Category X. Recycled water distribution
10
Category XII. Decentralized sewage treatment
40
Refinance of existing projects that meet CWSRF
						  eligibility criteria
5
e.
Project purpose.
In this category, points are awarded based
				on the purpose and expected outcome of the project. Points will be awarded only
				for the primary purpose.
Project Purpose
Points
Allows facility to meet new water quality standards
50
Protects or restores the physical, chemical, and
						  biological integrity of water resources at a specific site
50
Reduces the loading of a parameter that has been
						  identified as an impairment to the receiving water or watershed as identified
						  through the total maximum daily load (TMDL) process
40
Provides regional consolidation in wastewater treatment
						  or system management
30
Brings facility into compliance with a National
						  Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit or other administrative
						  or judicial enforcement action as may be required by the department or U.S.
						  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
25
Eliminates or remediates a source of groundwater
						  pollution
20
Meets existing or reasonable future needs of the
						  community in order to maintain compliance with an NPDES permit
15
Provides operational reliability improvements, apart
						  from projects which address compliance and enforcement
10
f.
Total points.
Total points are ca1culated using the following
				formula: Total Points = Use Classification + Water Quality or Groundwater
				Protection + Project Type + Project Purpose
g.
Tiebreaker.
Two or more
				projects may receive the same total points on the fundable list. If sufficient
				state revolving loan funds are not available to fund the projects, ties will be
				broken by determining which project has the highest score in each category in
				the following order:
*Use Classification of Receiving Streams
*Water Quality of Receiving Streams (a+b)
* Groundwater Protection
*Project Type
*Project Purpose