Show Valley-wide sewer project need and progress told In an effort to answer the many questions that have been asked concerning the problems behind the current valley-wide sewer project and the IS million EPA grant available to the Vernal City has issued the following answers to the most often asked What in the of the newer We have been in constant contact with the State Department of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency concerning the gravity of the problem we face in getting the sewer system Vernal City wants to go ahead with the sewer We have spent a significant amount of time and money already on the valley-wide sewer The project will be funded if both Vernal and Maeser's need can be Vernal City is the grantee for the valley-wide sewer As Vernal has been responsible for coordination and communication with the Federal Government concerning this along with Uintah The Council has spent many hours on EPA has approved a grant award of for Step 2 of the Grant Project which is the design phase of the sewer lines and lagoon We could spend that money now for but EPA has requested that we have assurance that Maeser's sewer needs will be met along with Vernal City has signed and extended to Maeser a sewer agreement that would allow us to go in as partners on the present sewer We have been informed by Maeser that they have serious reservations about enter- ing into that agreement with Vernal extends to Maeser an invitation to not turn away this federal grant and move ahead with the sewer will happen if will not enter into an agreement with Vernal is willing to go ahead with the valley-wide If people want to be we will extend sewer services to them as far as the law will allow and EPA will Vernal will prepare the best plan we can to serve the valley-wide sewer project and submit it to EPA for They have said they will give this consideration if all other alternatives Some people have aid it would be belter for u to build the newer on our own and be free of Would we be free of federal anyone in the sewer business has to maintain a discharge permit with the State Division of Health and Environmental Protection Control with regard to discharges from sewer systems would be the same no matter what we There are some obvious controls placed upon us when we use federal These controls are placed there to insure that the funds are used to carry out the intent of the laws passed by Most of these requirements were accepted by the valley when we applied for the grant in the first These relate to equal and fair treatment of the parties and completing the requirements of the funding agency in the design and construction of the Up to this it has been apparent these controls can be handled and are worth the million in grant money that can come to Will it rout more to go with the federally funded newer The cost of the present sewer project will total approximately EPA will fund approximately million of that The local cost share will be million That local cost breaks down as Maeser is about 25 of that cost at Ashley Valley is approximately 40 of that cost at and Vernal at 36 at In answer to the the federal project more One could answer due to the fact that on the average 70 of all expenditures will be paid for by the the cost of labor on that project will be somewhat higher because of the federal wage If we could obtain a contractor who would build that sewer project for 25 of the present costs we could say we could do it cheaper than going with the federal grant since the present requirement is 25 from the local It has been estimated that if we were to go on the sewer project on our own without federal it would cost us approximately three times as much to build the present sewer system if we were able to build it this In other presently the local share on the grant is about If we were to go without federal that amount would approximately be three times that And that is assuming we could obtain the bonding capacity in the near future and get the construction project completed as quickly as we could with the federal Will the Environmental Protection Agency fund Maeer or Vernal The goal of the sewer project is to help solve both Maeser and Vernal's sewer We have been informed as late as yesterday morning that they would work with us in every way possible as long as we were trying to meet this Vernal is committed to entering into an agreement with Maeser on a sewer If we fail in this they have asked us to make the final offer to them as to how Vernal could best proceed with the sewer project and they will give it Let us re-emphasize that Vernal has been committed from the very beginning to the valley-wide sewer Most of the grant work and the work with the engineers has been done by Vernal The cost of this time has not been charged to the If the other two entities turn the offer to go on the valley-wide sewer project Vernal City will have to go another Where Vernal City plan to go from Vernal would petition the residents of the valley that they ask their community leaders questions concerning the sewer Those people of the valley who would be served by the sewer lines need to know how critical the health hazards are in parts of the valley and should be made aware of the facts relative to the sewer It appears that the only thing left that would save the million in assistance for the valley-wide sewer project would be for the people to get the facts as quickly as possible and let their leaders know how they If there are people who have questions about this sewer they are welcome to call Vernal City Hall and we would be happy to try to answer their questions as well as we A letter from Calvin Director of the Bureau of Water Pollution Control for the State of Utah to Vernal City Mayor Sam dated explaining the federal sewer grant for the Vernal grant monies have been reserved for the past several years to complete construction of this As you are these funds are available to the state only for a limited time period and if not obligated to projects within the mandated time they will be lost to the to these we must receive confirmation in the form of a written agreement by the first week of January that this project will proceed on schedule through design such that a step 3 grant can be awarded by the end of If this assurance cannot be we will be forced to bypass this project and utilize the funds on a lower ranking project which is ready to In this the Vernal project would not lose its position on the priority funding would depend on the amount of future grant appropriations to the There is some uncertainty relative to the amount and timing of future state grant appropriations due to congressional efforts to trim the Federal are anxious to see this much-needed project be completed to alleviate the documented health hazard conditions due to failing individual systems and to bring the Vernal City discharge into compliance with state and federal effluent We would not be able to support a project in this area that did not alleviate the two problems mentioned Another dated November from L. C. Department of Housing and Urban Development to Shane City concerning the need for sewer service in Ashley Valley is as continue to receive many applications for Federal Housing Administration mortgage insurance as does the Veterans Administration for loan guarantees for many areas of the Ashley Valley As you are we have determined that some existing vacant lots and entire subdivisions are unacceptable for our participation where septic tank systems are combined with high subsurface ground There have been several cases of septic tank failures in parts of the as you are confident that should these homes and lots be provided with acceptable sewer our involvement could be more readily made Certainly cost has been the primary The absence of a sewer system has been largely the reason why developments have not been feasible to As a many of these developers have struggled for long periods trying to market their lots and homes in areas subject to these adverse that high ground water together with septic tank interest in writing is one of encouragement toward the resolution of this We are very pleased that the entities involved in the Vernal area are working toward a EPA area-wide sewer system and processing We are delighted that this may soon be a of the time-consuming problems we are now confronted with in getting homes and subdivisions ed in your valley will be eliminated and will permit the Federal Housing Administration and Veterans Administration to more fully service the people of your area In providing mortgage insurance and sincerely hope that the entities Involved will arrive at a successful agreement for what will surely be a long-term asset to the We would appreciate your keeping us advised of the |