Section 961.3. Financial assistance criteria

(a) The Board will consider the following criteria when considering applications for financial consideration:

(1) Whether the project will improve the health, safety, welfare or economic well being of the people of this Commonwealth.

(2) Whether the proposed project will lead to an effective or complete solution to the problems experienced with the water supply or sewage treatment system to be aided, including compliance with State and Federal laws, regulations or standards.

(3) The cost-effectiveness of the proposed project in comparison with other alternatives, including other institutional, financial and physical alternatives.

(4) The consistency of the proposed project with other State and regional resource management and economic development plans. These plans may include, but are not limited to, the State Water Plan, the municipal sewerage plan for the area served adopted under the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act (35 P. S. § § 750.1—750.20) and the State’s Economic Development Strategy.

(5) Whether the applicant has demonstrated its ability to operate and maintain the project in a proper manner.

(6) Whether the project encourages consolidation of water or sewer systems where the consolidation would enable the customers of the systems to be more effectively and efficiently served.

(7) The availability of other sources of funds at reasonable rates to finance all or a portion of the project and the need for authority assistance to finance the project or to attract the other sources of funding. The Board may require the applicant to participate in financing a project when it determines that the applicant has the financial capability to do so and that the participation is desirable.

(8) No project will be considered for financial assistance which will have a detrimental impact on this Commonwealth’s air, land or water, or on the natural scenic, historic or aesthetic values of the environment unless the environmental harm can be satisfactorily mitigated.

(b) The Board may approve the request for financial assistance for projects which address emergency public health and safety needs or economic development opportunities.