To receive grant funds, an eligible community must
submit an application to the Department, using a form developed by the
Department. [20 ILCS
735/10-20(e) ]
a) For applicants that are within an eligible
area due to their proximity to a fossil fuel or nuclear plant or coal mine that
has closed or significantly reduced operations in the past six years or
anticipated closure or significantly reduced operations in the next six years,
applications will be accepted in two phases as follows:
1) Phase 1:
A) The Department will publish a Phase 1
Notice of Funding Opportunity ("NOFO") with a Phase 1 application form and
application for at least 30 days.
B) The applicant must submit:
i) A signed Uniform Grant
Agreement;
ii) A Conflict of
Interest disclosure;
iii) Mandatory
disclosures; and
iv) A statement
detailing:
* Name of local government or organizations, specifying primary
applicant and any secondary applicants;
* List of parcels that the qualifying physical plant or mine
are located on, as well as property tax revenue collected for each of those
parcels by each local government entity with jurisdiction in the most recent
year available, and in the year six years prior; and
* If the applicant is not the local government that hosts or
has hosted the investor-owned electric generating plant, a resolution of
support for the project from the local government or local governments that
hosts or has hosted the investor-owned electric generating plant.
[20 ILCS
735/10-20(f) ]
C) The Department will evaluate
the submissions and notify applicants of its determination of eligibility and
maximum funding amount for their application following the criteria described
in Section
810.70(a).
Applicants will be designated eligible if they submit a complete application
and provide the factual information detailed in Section
810.60(a)(1)(B).
D) The Phase 1 determination of eligibility
may be appealed through the process afforded in the Department's Administrative
Hearing Rules set forth at 56 Ill. Adm. Code
2605.
2) Phase 2: For primary applicants determined
eligible following the Phase 1 publication period, the Department will provide
a letter via e-mail containing a notification of eligibility, maximum funding
amount, Phase 2 application form, and guidelines for supporting documentation.
Primary applicants shall submit an application which includes, but is not
limited to, the following:
A) A cover page
including the name of primary applicant and any secondary applicants;
B) A detailed project narrative including,
but not limited to:
i) A description of what
the project will entail and which entity will be responsible for the
administration and implementation of the project;
ii) How the project will address the economic
and social impacts of the closure and support economic development in the
affected area;
iii) The timeline
for implementation;
iv) A
description of community involvement in planning and implementing the
project;
v) A uniform budget
template; and
vi) Any additional
information and documentation that supports the applicant's project.
b)
Applicants that are units
of local government that are taxing
authorities for a nuclear plant that was decommissioned before January 1,
2021 may submit applications as outlined in this subsection,
including, but not limited to, the following: [
20 ILCS
735/10-20(j) ]
1) A cover page including the name of
applicant;
2) A signed Uniform
Grant application;
3) A Conflict of
Interest disclosure;
4) Mandatory
disclosures;
5) A detailed project
narrative including the scope of the project;
6) A description of community input and
consultation;
7) A uniform budget
template; and
8) Any additional
information and documentation that supports the applicant.
