Solid Waste District Accepting Grant Applications

ST. JAMES—Beginning Aug. 1, 2006, the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District will be accepting applications for its 2007 grant program. The district has an estimated $100,000 available for district grants this year.

The grant funds are made available for district distribution and use through a tipping fee on trash. The Department of Natural Resources collects the tonnage fee at landfills and waste transfer stations across the state, and reallocates a portion of that money to solid waste districts in Missouri.

The Ozark Rivers District includes Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties. The seven-county area is implementing its solid waste management plan for reducing the amount of waste generated in the district. Scott Murrell of Fort Leonard Wood is chairman of the Ozark Rivers District.

Local governments, schools, organizations, businesses and individuals in the seven-county area are eligible to apply for grants that help the district implement its plan and reduce the amount of waste going to landfills.

Deadline for applications is 5 p.m. Sept. 8, 2006. The district will announce funded projects and present that list to the Department of Natural Resources for final approval by Nov. 1, 2006. A mandatory grant workshop will be scheduled in December for grantees. Tentative start-up date for funded projects is scheduled for Jan. 1, 2007. Projects must be completed by Dec. 31, 2007. Application packets are available by contacting Nongluk Tunyavanich by phone at (573) 265-2993 or by email at nongluk@meramecregion.org. Grant packets are also available online at www.meramecregion.org.
Click here for grant application.