(1) The agency may award funding for any amount up to, but not exceeding, the maximum amounts established in RCW 70A.345.030(2) for each applicant for a single petroleum underground storage facility.

(2) Program funding is awarded by loan, grant, agency-led remediation, or a combination of these. The total funding amount cannot exceed the maximum amount established in RCW 70A.345.030(2).

(3) An applicant is considered for the following award types.

(a) Loan.

(i) A loan award is for the amount that the participant is borrowing from the program. The participant will be charged with interest on the outstanding balance of moneys applied to project work. Financing and repayment terms will be described in the participant loan agreement.

(ii) The loan amount is reduced by any grant amount paid towards the preliminary planning assessment and the technical assistance program fee, if applicable.

(iii) Loan awards must be applied to remedial action prior to infrastructure upgrade costs.

(iv) Program participants may select their own consultant to perform remediation and infrastructure upgrades.

(b) Grant.

(i) A grant award is the amount that the program will pay towards the project work identified in the preliminary planning assessment.

(ii) All work may be performed by a prime consultant.

(iii) If applicants or participants are not able to secure access to the location for remediation work, the agency may rescind the award offer or terminate the participant agreement.

(c) Government grant.

(i) A government grant may only be awarded to a state agency, local government, or a tribal government who is the owner or operator of a petroleum underground storage tank.

(ii) A grant award is the amount that the program will pay towards the project work identified in the preliminary planning assessment.

(iii) All work may be performed by a prime consultant.

(iv) If applicants or participants are not able to secure access to the location for remediation work, the agency may rescind the award offer or terminate the participant agreement.

(d) Agency-led remediation.

(i) Agency-led remediation funding is limited to costs associated with remedial action and is subject to cost recovery as provided in RCW 70A.345.070.

(ii) If applicants or participants are not able to secure access to the location for remediation work, the agency may rescind the award.

(iii) All remediation work will be conducted by a prime consultant.

(4) Program funding awards are made after:

(a) The department of health conducts a review of the applicant's financial circumstances and provides a recommendation (as applicable); and

(b) The agency reviews a completed preliminary planning assessment or a technically sufficient assessment that was submitted with the application.

(5) If selected for funding, any applicant with funding needs for remediation will enroll in the agency's technical assistance program with the enrollment fee paid from the funding awarded under this chapter.

(6) When PLIA issues an applicant a written program funding award, the agency may require a meeting to review the terms and conditions of the award. Applicants have 30 calendar days to either accept or decline the program funding award and, if accepting the award, must sign a participant agreement. If the applicant does not accept the program funding award after 30 calendar days, the award terminates.

(7) Funds are not dispersed directly to the participant except with the director's approval.

(8) The agency will directly pay the prime consultant or participant-selected contractor direct costs from the program funding award after review and approval of invoices.

(9) PLIA may terminate a program funding award or may adjust a ranking of an application if information about the project significantly differs from the preliminary planning assessment. If a program funding award is terminated or a ranking is adjusted, the agency will provide written notice to the applicant with an explanation.