This section establishes a Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund Program in the Louisiana Department of Health, office of public health, and lets that office help eligible water systems and carry out related rulemaking and grant actions.
§2823. Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund Program A. There is established a Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund Program within the Louisiana Department of Health, office of public health, through which the state may provide financial assistance, to the extent provided by state law, to both publicly and privately owned community water systems and to nonprofit non-community water systems for projects eligible for assistance under this Chapter. The program shall be administered in accordance with this Chapter and the federal act. B. The Louisiana Department of Health, office of public health, may promulgate rules and regulations as are necessary to implement the provisions of this Chapter, in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, provided such rules and regulations shall not take effect unless approved by the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee. C.(1) The Louisiana Department of Health, office of public health, may enter into a capitalization grant agreement with the United States Environmental Protection Agency to implement the Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund Program and may accept from that agency any grants and loans necessary for its operation. (2) In entering into the agreement, the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health may commit the state to: (a) Accept grant payments from the United States Environmental Protection Agency in accordance with the schedule established in the capitalization grant agreement, and deposit same into the Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund, with the exception of any set-aside amounts authorized under the federal act. (b) Deposit state matching funds, to the extent required by the federal act for receipt of federal grant funds, into the Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund on or before the date that each federal grant payment is made to the state. (c) Enter into any other covenants, commitments, and obligations necessary to ensure that the state's administration of the program is consistent with the provisions of this Chapter and the federal act. Acts 1997, No. 480, §2, eff. June 30, 1997.