GOVERNOR BREDESEN ANNOUNCES DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT GRANTS
FUNDING HELPS DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS SUPPORT LOCAL COMMUNITIES’ EFFORTS TO MANAGE AND REDUCE WASTENashville, Tenn. – Governor Phil Bredesen and Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Jim Fyke announced today that Tennessee’s nine Development Districts will each receive grants starting at $50,000 to support solid waste management activities in the 2006-07 fiscal year. Total grant funding for the nine Development Districts is $515,212.
The Tennessee General Assembly formed the state’s nine Development Districts in 1966 to do general and comprehensive planning and conduct development and administration activities for local governments.
“I appreciate the support our Development Districts provide to local communities and municipalities as they strive to manage and reduce solid waste,” said Governor Bredesen. “I’m pleased we have these important resources in place with functions supported by these grants that help advance our environmental goals.”
Tennessee’s Development Districts assist the state’s solid waste planning regions in compiling information about landfills, source reduction, composting and recycling for the state’s Annual Progress Report. The report is a planning and reporting tool required by the Solid Waste Management Act of 1991, which was the first comprehensive solid waste planning legislation in Tennessee history. The data is used to determine each region’s progress towards Tennessee’s goal to achieve 25 percent waste reduction in Class I landfill solid waste.
Local governments also receive technical assistance from Development Districts in designing, implementing, upgrading and maintaining solid waste programs, systems and facilities including landfills, convenience centers and recycling centers.
“Tennessee’s nine Development District offices have been instrumental in assisting solid waste regions with planning and implementing mandates of the Solid Waste Management Act,“ said Commissioner Fyke. “That is why we are pleased to be able to increase funding this year for those Development Districts that have agreed to increase the scope of their work.”
Grant determinations by Development District are:
| East Tennessee | $50,000 | South Central Tennessee | $50,000 |
| First Tennessee | $67,773 | Southeast Tennessee | $65,000 |
| Greater Nashville | $69,939 | Southwest Tennessee | $52,500 |
| Memphis Area Association | $50,000 | Upper Cumberland | $50,000 |
| Northwest Tennessee | $60,000 |
Grant amounts more than $50,000 are determined on an annual basis depending on available funding and the scope of work proposed by each Development District.
Development District grants were authorized by the Solid Waste Management Act of 1991 and are supported from the Tennessee Solid Waste Management Fund that is administered by the Department of Environment and Conservation. The Tennessee Solid Waste Management Fund receives its revenues from a tipping fee surcharge on each ton of solid waste disposed of in Class I landfills and from a pre-disposal fee on new tires sold in the state.
| For more information contact: Tisha Calabrese-Benton
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