Pennsylvania Statutes Title 72 P.S. Taxation and Fiscal Affairs § 1808-A. PA SITES Program

(1) The Pennsylvania Strategic Investments To Enhance Sites Program or PA SITES Program is established in the department.

(2) The department shall administer the program to provide grants and loans to approved eligible applicants for eligible projects from the bond proceeds deposited in the department's subaccount within the fund.

(3) No less than fifteen percent of the proceeds in the subaccount shall be used for loans.

(1) Acquisition of land and buildings, rights of way and easements.

(2) The construction or rehabilitation of one or more of the following:

(3) Demolition of existing structures at the site and removal of abandoned foundations at the site.

(4) The department may provide grant or loan money for the rehabilitation of existing on-site buildings if the eligible applicant can demonstrate that the potential for site reuse will be greater with the existing structure or structures.

(5) The clearing and preparation of land for construction.

(6) Environmental site assessment and remediation.

(7) Related engineering, design and inspection costs.

(8) Signage, landscaping and street lighting.

(9) Administrative costs, permit fees, legal costs and expenses for other professional services not to exceed five percent of the total grant or loan award.

(10) Costs associated with the development of a comprehensive real estate plan.

(1) Develop written guidelines for the administration of the program to be published on the department's publicly accessible Internet website.

(2) Develop a certification program which verifies the site readiness of marketed sites across this Commonwealth.

(3) Develop a written competitive application and application process for the program.  The grant and loan processes and application shall be available on the department's publicly accessible Internet website.

(4) Develop a grant agreement for the program that includes provisions requiring an eligible applicant to return any unused or improperly used grant money to the Commonwealth.

(5) Develop loan documentation for the program consistent with this article.

(1) The eligible applicant's need for program funding for the eligible project.

(2) The feasibility of the proposed project, including whether the eligible applicant can complete the project with the available funding, including the proposed non-State source matching funds and the program grant or loan.

(3) The marketability of the site once the site has been fully developed.

(4) The need for developed business-ready sites in the community or surrounding area.

(5) The increased employment opportunities resulting from the project in the community or the surrounding area.

(6) The amount and sources of non-State source matching money proposed to be invested in the project by the eligible applicant.

(7) The eligible applicant's demonstration of site control.

(8) The proposed time frame for commencement and completion of the project.

(9) Other criteria specified by the department in the program application that the department deems necessary to conduct a full evaluation of program applications.