SECTION 330.895. Information Exchange Program

(a) Program description. The Information Exchange Program (program) is intended to facilitate the exchange of current municipal solid waste management information by providing supplementary travel expense monies. Eligible organizations shall determine their solid waste management needs and associated information requirements, and shall contact the executive director for assistance regarding these information requirements. The executive director shall determine if staff or resources can provide the necessary assistance. If the assistance of another organization is determined to be appropriate, the executive director may identify a willing advisor or facility with relevant, verifiable municipal solid waste experience. The matching of information recipients to information providers shall be done in a manner designed to maximize the amount and quality of information exchanged while minimizing the expense incurred by the state and the recipient organization. In cases where information providers are located within the state, travel to or from out-of-state locations will be approved only where such is shown to be the most cost-effective. The requesting organization, or potential recipient, may then submit a program application. It is anticipated that typically the recipient will send an individual or group of individuals to the advisor so that an actual operational technology or process may be reviewed. However, the executive director recognizes that, to maximize the information exchanged, the recipient may wish to have an advisor or advisors travel to the recipient's location or some other agreed-upon location. This may be appropriate; however, the recipient will be responsible for reimbursing the information providers, in full, for the appropriate travel expenses. The recipient may, in turn, submit the appropriate reimbursed advisor(s) expenses along with their own expenses, for reimbursement by the executive director.

(b) Eligible recipients. Eligible recipients shall only be local governments, public agencies, and public and private primary and secondary schools.

(c) Eligible projects. Eligible projects must use advisors with a relevant, established, verifiable municipal solid waste management process or program experience. Advisors may represent any political subdivision, educational organization, or private organization. Potential exchange topics include, but are not limited to:

(1) waste stream minimization;

(2) recycling and recycling material markets;

(3) composting;

(4) educational programs and curriculum development;

(5) transfer station operations;

(6) waste-to-energy incineration;

(7) water and sewage treatment sludge use and disposal;

(8) landfill - leachate recovery and treatment;

(9) landfill - gas recovery and treatment;

(10) post-closure alternative land uses;

(11) small and rural community municipal solid waste management; or

(12) litter reduction and enforcement programs.

(d) Funding limitations. Eligible travel expenses shall be those incurred while traveling within the United States. Travel expenses shall be limited to vehicle mileage, air or bus fare, food, and lodging. Recipient and/or information providers' salaries or fees are not eligible expenses. The State of Texas Travel Allowance Guide will provide the guidelines for the determination of acceptable expenses. Expenses shall be eligible for repayment only if the travel was conducted after executive director approval and shall be limited to trips of six nights or less in duration.

(1) Recipient organizations must provide matching expense contributions.

(2) The maximum contribution from the executive director shall be $500 per exchange.

(3) The executive director will not accept contribution requests of less than $100.

(e) Participation frequency. Recipient agencies or organizations shall be eligible for reimbursement under this program one time per state fiscal year.

(f) Final reporting procedures. Post-informational exchange reports shall be submitted to the executive director by both the recipient and the information provider. The recipient shall also complete and submit a follow-up questionnaire form provided by the executive director within approximately 12 months after the informational exchange has occurred.

Source Note: The provisions of this §330.895 adopted to be effective April 15, 1991, 16 TexReg 1822; transferred effective March 1, 1992, as published in the Texas Register, March 3, 1992, 17 TexReg 1649; amended to be effective September 5, 1999, 24 TexReg 6779; amended to be effective March 27, 2006, 31 TexReg 2502