DoLA Severance Tax Dollars Help Improve S.E. CO Infrastructure

DENVER, CO – August 16, 2019 – The Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) awarded over $17M for the Tier I and Tier II Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance Funds (EIAF) program. Programs that receive Tier I grant funding are eligible for up to $200,000 for their projects. In the most recent cycle, 19 local governments received funding for their Tier I projects, totaling $2.3M. Tier II grant awards allow for applicants to receive up to $1M for their projects and there were 18 local governments that received funding, totaling $15.1M.

Funding from the program is ongoing and helps build communities that are socially and/or economically impacted by the development, processing, or energy conversion of minerals and mineral fuels. Communities that receive funding can engage in community development, which increases livability and allows for investment opportunities in Colorado’s resilient communities.

Gunnison County received $497,500 towards its solar panel project. The project will add photovoltaic (PV) solar panels to five County facilities. The energy for the PV systems will be used in each facility with minimal energy exported back to the grid. Upgrades to the Keefe Memorial Hospital received funding of $960,000 towards infrastructure upgrades. The hospital is located in Cheyenne Wells in Cheyenne County, where upgrades include completion of the fire sprinkler system and replacement of the roof, and the HVAC system. This in turn will allow the hospital to continuously provide critical healthcare services in rural Colorado. Clear Creek County also received $1,000,000 towards its Collaborative Care Center, Phase II project. Expansion of the project will include the allowance of County offices that provide human services programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, rental assistance, and workforce assistance in the center. This will allow for a fully integrated and collaborative approach to patient care in rural Colorado. “These latest DOLA grant awards demonstrate the diverse capital needs of local governments and continue to strengthen and support rural economies and communities,” said Rick Garcia, Executive Director of DOLA.

Southeastern Colorado Awards:

Tier 1 – Eads Water Storage Tank Improvements for $41,550; Baca County Fairgrounds Improvements for $200,000.

Tier 2 – Trinidad Sewer Transmission Line Replacement, Phase 2, for $1,000,000; Las Animas County Roads Improvement Project for CR 53.7 and 75.1 for $400,000.