Planning/Environmental Phase

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The technical staff of the State Revolving Fund Loan Program (SRF Loan Program) completes an extensive environmental and technical review of every proposed Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) project. The environmental and technical information that is prepared by the CWSRF loan applicant´s consulting engineer and presented in the Facilities Plan is reviewed to ensure compliance with various, applicable federal and state requirements.

The SRF Loan Program´s technical staff coordinates an Interdisciplinary Environmental Review (IER) during the early stages of the Planning Phase. The IER is presented to fourteen State and Federal environmental agencies for review and comment and consists of a detailed, concise project description accompanied by a copy of a 7.5-minute USGS topographic quadrangle map delineating the proposed project. IER agencies contacted include the following:

   Tennessee Department of Agriculture
   Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
   Tennessee Department of Transportation
   Tennessee Division of Air Pollution Control
   Tennessee Division of Archaeology
   Tennessee Division of Groundwater Protection
   Tennessee Division of Natural Heritage
   Tennessee Division of Solid Waste Management
   Tennessee Division of Water Pollution Control
   Tennessee Division of Water Supply
   Tennessee Historical Commission
   Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
   US Army Corps of Engineers
   US Fish and Wildlife Service

Comments, if any, that are received from the reviewing agencies generally necessitate special CWSRF loan conditions requiring the loan recipient to mitigate the respective agency´s concerns subsequent to award of the CWSRF loan and prior to the approval of the Plans and Specifications for the proposed project.

Environmental information is an integral part of every Facilities Plan. The environmental information presented in a Facilities Plan must be a comprehensive evaluation of the current environment in the planning and project areas, the potential impacts of construction on the environment, and the actions necessary to prevent potential negative environmental impacts. The SRF Loan Program´s technical staff reviews the environmental information and pays particular attention to the utilization of that environmental information in the development of alternatives and the selection of the most cost-effective alternative.

Subsequent to the successful completion of the technical and environmental reviews of the Facilities Plan, the Plan of Operation, and the public participation process, either a Categorical Exclusion (CE), a Finding of No Significant Impact (FNSI) including an Environmental Assessment, or an Environmental Impact Statement is issued for public and agency review and comment. The review process is complete only after comments and additional information have been satisfactorily addressed and supplied.

For more information please call 615-532-0445 or visit the
State Revolving Fund Loan Program Contact Page.