Applications are due June 29.
DEP is giving priority for funding to the following:
-- Newly mandated municipalities based on the 2010 decennial census by the Bureau of the Census of the United States Department of Commerce;
-- An incentive based pricing and collection program designed to increase the quantities and types of recyclable materials and reduce the quantity of waste collected;
-- Multi-municipal collection, processing and/or materials marketing program where capital costs are reduced and/or recycling marketability is enhanced due to intergovernmental cooperation;
-- The development of electronic notices for recycling events and programs; and
-- New or expanded collection, education and outreach for commercial and institutional establishments, including school recycling programs.
In addition, communities whose existing recycling programs contain the following components will receive additional consideration:
-- Municipally operated or municipal contracted waste and recycling services that provide consistency and uniformity of the waste and recycling programs; and
-- The collection of six or more of the following materials: newsprint, office paper, corrugated paper, other marketable grades of paper, aluminum cans, steel or bimetallic cans, colored glass containers, clear glass containers and plastics.
Only those projects involving municipalities that have a mandatory trash collection program or projects seeking support for a residential recycling program that have a corresponding commercial recycling program will be considered for funding.
Applicants seeking funds to replace curbside collection containers and/or collection vehicles will need to demonstrate that the new equipment will increase collection efficiencies and tonnage of materials.
Potential applicants must contact the appropriate Department regional planning and recycling coordinator to schedule a preapplication conference to discuss application requirements and program particulars. Applications will be returned to municipalities that fail to schedule preapplication conferences.
Grant applications and guidelines are available on DEP's Recycling Grants webpage. The formal PA Bulletin notice also has additional background information.
For more information contact Mark Vottero, Recycling Grants Coordinator, Department of Environmental Protection, Rachel Carson State Office Building, Bureau of Waste Management, Division of Waste Minimization and Planning, P. O. Box 8472, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8472 or send email to: mvoterro@state.pa.us.