Program Contact: 

Please contact your regional manager for questions.

Remember! 

Some projects funded through the Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance Fund may be subject to the requirements of the

High Performance Certification Program

through the Office of the State Architect.  For more information on these requirements, please

click here

. 

Overview:

The purpose of the Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance Program is to assist political subdivisions that are socially and/or economically impacted by the development, processing, or energy conversion of minerals and mineral fuels. Funds come from the state severance tax on energy and mineral production and from a portion of the state's share of royalties paid to the federal government for mining and drilling of minerals and mineral fuels on federally-owned land. The program was created by the legislature in 1977.

The department is assisted by a twelve-member Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance Advisory Committee, which meets several times each year, to consider applications for grants and low-interest loans. Seven members are appointed by the Governor to four-year terms, while the remaining five are state department executive directors or their designees. Final funding decisions are made by the department's executive director.

Eligible entities to receive grants and loans include municipalities, counties, school districts, special districts and other political subdivisions and state agencies. The kinds of projects that are funded include -- but are not limited to -- water and sewer improvements, road improvements, construction/improvements to recreation centers, senior centers and other public facilities, fire protection buildings and equipment, and local government planning.

Modifications to the program include categorizing grants into Tier I, Tier II and Tier III and clarifying evaluation criteria, including match requirements.