COMMONWEALTH FINANCING AUTHORITY Business in Our Sites and PennWorks Programs; Solar Energy Program; Applications for Funds [41 Pa.B. 4212]
[Saturday, August 6, 2011]On July 12, 2011, the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) Board of Directors approved a motion to accept applications requesting funding under the Business in Our Sites (BOS) and PennWorks Programs for the development of business sites in this Commonwealth. The application period opened on July 12, 2011, and will remain open until October 31, 2011.
The CFA plans to deploy approximately $38.5 million in funds that are available from loan repayments and projects that either did not use all of the awarded funding or did not proceed. Within the $38.5 million there is approximately $25 million in BOS loan repayments that can be reloaned and approximately $13.5 million in unused PennWorks funds that can be loaned or granted to projects for water and sewer improvements. The CFA intends to use the BOS and PennWorks funds in tandem to help finance the construction of high-impact projects in regions of this Commonwealth where there is a significant need for developed business sites.
Eligible applicants are encouraged to contact Brian Eckert at (717) 720-1400 or Scott Dunkelberger at (717) 720-1418 to discuss potential projects before beginning the application process. The CFA is not intending to fund stand alone water or sewer projects with the limited PennWorks funds, but rather use the available funds to compliment the BOS funds for projects where there are water or sewer components. Review the BOS and Penn-Works guidelines thoroughly before applying. If applying for both BOS and PennWorks funding for a project, indicate that in the application narrative and budget sections. Where application addendum information is the same for both the BOS and PennWorks applications, only submit that information as part of the BOS application. Only the application fee for BOS is applicable if applying for both programs.
The CFA anticipates acting on BOS and PennWorks applications at the January 2012 board meeting.
Solar Energy Program
On July 12, 2011, the CFA Board of Directors approved a motion to again accept applications requesting funding under the Solar Energy Program to encourage further development of solar energy projects in this Commonwealth. The application period will open on September 1, 2011, and will remain open until October 31, 2011.
The CFA plans to deploy funds that are (or will be) available from projects that either did not use all of the originally awarded funding or will not proceed. As a result of previous approvals through the Solar Energy Program, there are currently completed or started projects representing almost 25 megawatts of solar power installed across this Commonwealth.
Review the Solar Energy Program guidelines thoroughly before applying. Eligible applicants are encouraged to contact Tigh Savercool at (717) 720-1401 to discuss potential projects before beginning the application process. It is important to note that CFA contracts extended to newly approved projects will be 12 months in length. Applications should be submitted with this in mind and should represent projects ready to move forward within 6 months of application submission.
Previously submitted applications for still viable projects that were not approved by the CFA in the past must be updated and resubmitted following Solar Energy Program guidelines. It is possible to request an application fee waiver for those projects. The CFA anticipates acting on Solar Energy Program applications at the January 2012 board meeting.
SCOTT DUNKELBURGER,
Executive Director[Pa.B. Doc. No. 11-1316. Filed for public inspection August 5, 2011, 9:00 a.m.]
