PRINTER'S NO. 777
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
627
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY STREET, FONTANA, TARTAGLIONE, SCHWANK, SABATINA,
SANTARSIERO, FARNESE, BREWSTER, HUGHES AND COSTA,
MAY 13, 2019
REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS, MAY 13, 2019
AN ACT
Amending Title 3 (Agriculture) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes, establishing the Urban Agricultural Infrastructure
Grant Program.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 3 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes
is amended by adding a part to read:
PART IX
GRANT PROGRAMS
Chapter
107. Urban Agricultural Infrastructure Grant Program
CHAPTER 107
URBAN AGRICULTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT PROGRAM
Sec.
10701. Legislative intent.
10702. Definitions.
10703. Grant program.
10704. Distribution of grant money.
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10705. Funding.
§ 10701. Legislative intent.
It is the intent of the General Assembly to establish a
reimbursement grant program under which persons who implement
projects that improve agriculture infrastructure in urban areas
and that focus on aggregation of agricultural products, sharing
of resources and support for community development resources may
be reimbursed some portion of the costs of the projects.
§ 10702. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Eligible project." A project that the department determines
does all of the following:
(1) Improves agricultural infrastructure in an urban
area.
(2) Improves or facilitates the aggregation of
agricultural products in an urban area.
(3) Entails the sharing of resources among urban
agricultural operations, agricultural producers or community
organizations.
(4) Supports community development in the project area.
"Person." An individual, partnership, association, firm,
corporation or any other legal entity.
"Program." The Urban Agricultural Infrastructure Grant
Program established under this chapter.
§ 10703. Grant program.
(a) Availability.--Grants under this chapter shall only be
offered in a fiscal year in which and to the extent funding is
made available to the department. The following apply:
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(1) If funding is exhausted or otherwise unavailable,
the department shall be under no obligation to provide grants
under this chapter.
(2) Grant money may be prorated or offered as a
percentage of actual costs, as determined by the department
and set forth in an order by the secretary, to spread
available money to a larger number of eligible projects. The
secretary shall transmit notice of an order to the
Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the
Pennsylvania Bulletin.
(b) Reimbursement grants.--Grants under this chapter shall
be reimbursement grants. The following shall apply:
(1) The amount of reimbursement shall be based on actual
eligible costs submitted by an approved applicant for an
approved project during any fiscal year in which grants are
offered.
(2) Grant reimbursement money shall be limited to 50% or
less of the costs of an eligible project.
(3) Grant reimbursement money shall not be used to
reimburse any portion of an in-kind contribution to an
eligible project.
(4) Grant money may not be used to pay or reimburse
wages or salaries of grant recipient staff.
(5) Grant money may not be used to reimburse any portion
of the project costs which are being paid or reimbursed under
another Federal or State grant program.
(6) A single applicant may not be awarded more than
$100,000 in grants in any five-year period, calculated from
the date the department awards the grant.
(c) Eligibility.--A person may apply to the department, in
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accordance with the program standards and requirements under
subsection (d), for a determination by the department that a
project is an eligible project that may receive a reimbursement
grant under this chapter.
(d) Program standards and requirements.--The department
shall, consistent with this chapter and any appropriation of
money for grants under this chapter, establish the terms and
conditions for the application process for program reimbursement
grants, including the maximum reimbursement grant amount an
applicant may receive in any single fiscal year. The department
shall transmit notice of the requirements to the Legislative
Reference Bureau for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
(e) Application procedure.--An applicant who desires to
receive a program reimbursement grant shall submit a grant
application on a form provided by the department and in
accordance with program standards and requirements. The
application shall contain the following information and other
information as required by the department:
(1) The applicant's name, business address and contact
information.
(2) The details of the project for which reimbursement
grant money is sought, including the following:
(i) A project budget.
(ii) A statement of the maximum amount of grant
money sought for the project, not to exceed 50% of
project costs.
(iii) A project construction and implementation
schedule.
(iv) A narrative identifying each entity that will
assist in, participate in and benefit from the project.
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(v) A description of how the project would improve
agricultural infrastructure in an urban area.
(vi) A description of how the project improves or
facilitates the aggregation of agricultural products in
an urban area.
(vii) A description of how the project entails the
sharing of resources among urban agricultural operations
agricultural producers or community organizations.
(viii) A description of how the project supports
community development in the project area.
(ix) An attestation signed by the applicant,
verifying the accuracy of the information presented on
the application.
(x) Other information as the department may
reasonably require.
(f) Grant awards.--The department shall award grants to
applicants in accordance with this chapter and the applicable
program standards and requirements.
§ 10704. Distribution of grant money.
The department shall issue program reimbursement grant money
to pay some portion of the costs of an eligible project based
upon the applicant's submission of a verified statement that the
eligible project has been completed or implemented, including a
statement of the project completion date, photos of the
completed or implemented project with a narrative explanation of
each photo, bills and invoices for which reimbursement grant
money is sought and other information as the department may
reasonably require.
§ 10705. Funding.
The department shall use money as appropriated by the General
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Assembly for grants under this chapter, and may also use any
other money that is made available to the department for grants
under this chapter, by Federal appropriation, State
appropriation, donation or from any other source.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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