EPIC DWSRF Funding Tracker: Mississippi
These findings and recommendations are based on EPIC's analysis of DWSRF Intended Use Plans (IUPs) prepared by the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) for State Fiscal Years 2023-2026.
Federal law requires states to submit an IUP as a condition of receiving a DWSRF federal capitalization grant, and further requires that “[t]he IUP must contain a fundable list of projects that are expected to receive assistance from available funds designated for use in the current IUP and a comprehensive list of projects that are expected to receive assistance in the future.” EPIC interprets “comprehensive list” broadly, to include any projects for which an applicant has indicated an interest in seeking SRF funds, and which could be considered for SRF funding from the current or a future funding cycle. EPIC interprets “fundable list” to include a subset of projects identified at the IUP stage, which have been selected to move forward in the process towards finalizing an SRF award agreement. As such, this subset of projects has passed the first hurdle towards receiving SRF funds.
In Mississippi, the Fundable List is indicated by a funding line that MSDH places on the Priority List published with each IUP; projects above the funding line have crossed the first hurdle towards receiving an SRF award. Mississippi’s Base IUPs also include a Planning List, which includes additional projects seeking DWSRF assistance that have not met all of the readiness to proceed requirements necessary to be listed on the Priority List. The Priority List and the Planning List together comprise a Comprehensive List of projects seeking DWSRF assistance in Mississippi. To date, Mississippi’s Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) and Emerging Contaminants (EC) IUPs have not included a Planning List, and we assume that the LSLR and EC Priority Lists include all projects being considered for LSLR and EC funds. We are unsure if additional applicants sought funding under the LSLR and EC IUPs, or if the LSLR and EC Priority lists are also the Comprehensive Lists.