The North American Development Bank (NADB) was established by the governments of the United States and Mexico in a joint effort to provide a cleaner and healthier environment along the two countries’ shared border. One of its main areas of activity is the development of affordable, self-sustaining infrastructure that provides for the safe disposal of municipal solid waste in compliance with established environmental regulations. Because of the lack of resources available for financing such infrastructure, the NADB created the Solid Waste Environmental Program (SWEP), with funding from its net earnings.

Objective

The main purpose of the SWEP is to support the financing and construction of sustainable solid waste infrastructure projects.  As a complementary objective, SWEP also serves to strengthen the ability of border communities to provide municipal solid waste collection, transfer, transportation and disposal services in a sustainable and fiscally responsible manner.

Through this program, the NADB will encourage MSW projects that include private sector participation; recycling and waste flow reduction measures; and where appropriate, regional facilities that serve more that one community.

Eligibility

Projects must be sponsored by a public entity, located within 100 kilometers (62 miles) of the U.S.-Mexico border, and certified by BECC to be eligible for SWEP support. Projects may be designed to serve one or more communities within the border region.

Projects sponsored by private entities may be eligible if co-sponsored by a public entity. Private sponsors may receive NADB loans but will not be eligible for SWEP grant support.  SWEP funds may be used only to support the public portion of a joint public-private project

Specific project priorities will be reviewed in conjunction and cooperation with federal, state, and local authorities. Preference will be given to existing projects that have completed final design and where co-financing partners have already been identified but additional financial support is still required.

All projects must include measures to ensure their environmental, financial and operational sustainability.  Proper design and operation, as well as the cooperation of regulatory agencies, will be essential to ensure environmental sustainability.
 

Form of Assistance

NADB will provide grant assistance through the SWEP to complement other sources of funding for the project. SWEP support may be provided in two ways:

  • a direct grant to cover the costs of construction, land or equipment; or

  • a transition assistance grant that subsidizes the interest rate on a loan.

ELIGIBLE USES

  • Construction of sanitary landfills, transfer stations, facilities for separating, recycling, or recovering useful material from waste, and other solid waste management infrastructure.

  • Purchase of landfill and collection equipment, including garbage trucks, bulldozers, trash compactors, street sweeping equipment, etc.

  • Closure of existing landfills or substandard municipal solid waste disposal sites.

  • Development of final design.

  • Construction management and supervision.

 

Uses of Funds

SWEP assistance is intended to facilitate the financing of comprehensive solid waste infrastructure projects. In coordination with other available funding, SWEP grants may be used to finance the construction and equipment components of projects, as shown in the table.

SWEP assistance may NOT be used to cover operation and maintenance costs.

General Financing Terms

SWEP funds may be used to finance up to 50 percent of the total cost of the project.  The remaining project costs must be covered through loans or other funding sources.   In-kind contributions such as land, equipment, design and other project component costs might be considered as complementary funds, at the discretion of NADB. The sponsor may apply for a loan from NADB. In accordance with NADB Loan Policy and Procedures, NADB may provide a loan for up to 85% of the eligible costs of a project. All other sources of funding for the project must be identified and committed in order to receive SWEP assistance.

Under the program, SWEP funds will be limited to a maximum of $1 million per community. In order to promote regional facilities with higher construction and operational efficiencies, multiple eligible communities may pool their grant award towards the construction of a single shared facility. In this case, the grant limit per project will be $2 million.

The amount of any direct grant will be determined through an analysis of the project’s feasibility, based in part on a community's financial condition and the project's expected cash flow. The availability of other funding sources, grants and loans, will also be considered in the determination of the grant amount.

Operations

Application Procedures

Step 1 NADB, in coordination with the BECC precertification process, performs a preliminary review to determine project eligibility and to ensure all pertinent information is provided.
Step 2 Project sponsor formally submits a SWEP funding application to NADB.

NADB Review and Approval Procedures

Step 1 BECC and NADB perform a comprehensive analysis of the project, including financial and environmental feasibility, project risks, and other available sources of financing.
Step 2 NADB works with project sponsor to structure an appropriate financing package for the project based on the community’s financial situation and the availability of other sources of financing.
Step 3 BECC and NADB submit a joint certification and financing proposal to their Board of Directors for approval.
Step 4 Project sponsor is notified of project certification and funding award.
Step 5 Project sponsor and NADB finalize the terms and conditions of funding, including procurement procedures.
Step 6 Project sponsor and NADB sign SWEP agreement.
Step 7 NADB disburses funds according to the approved schedule and established policies and procedures.
Step 8 NADB monitors the project through financial and technical audits and reports.

For more detailed information about this program, see the Solid Waste Environmental Program Guidelines.

Procurement
Project sponsors will be responsible for the procurement of all goods and services related to the project, which must be carried out in compliance with NADB Procurement Policies and Procedures, in a manner providing full and open competition.

Additional Assistance

In addition to financing, NADB can assist communities and project sponsors with the planning and design of MSW projects to be certified by BECC. In particular, the NADB can help finance design and related studies needed for the proper development of these projects through its Project Development Program (PDP). Assistance for studies aimed at enhancing the financial performance and managerial efficiency of the utility is also available through the NADB Institutional Development Cooperation Program (IDP).

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