Section 216-RICR-50-05-6.7 - Project Priority List RevisionsA. As necessary, but not less than annually, the Director shall review the Project Priority List for changes in estimated schedules, project costs and/or scope. The Director may propose modifications of the Project Priority List at any time according to these procedures: 1. Addition to the list: projects can only be added to the list after the solicitation of public comments.2. By-pass provisions: a project on the Project Priority List may be by-passed, without soliciting public comments, if it is apparent that the project will not be ready to proceed (i.e. system will not be able to sign a loan agreement) by the end of the federal fiscal year in which funding is designated. The highest ranked unfunded project or projects on the priority list which is(are) ready to proceed will be selected for funding utilizing the money freed-up by the by-passed project. By-passed projects will not lose their priority ranking and will be eligible for future DWSRF moneys when the water system is ready to proceed with the project.3. By-pass provisions for small water systems: to the extent that projects exist, a minimum of 15% of the money available for funding projects each year must go to public water systems that serve a population of less than 10,000 people (small systems). The lowest priority project or projects for water systems that serve 10,000 or more people may be by-passed, without soliciting public comments, in order to achieve this 15% assistance to small systems. As necessary, the highest priority small system projects will be selected to satisfy the minimum 15% level.4. Emergency projects: without soliciting public comments, projects necessary to address an imminent risk to public health, as determined by the Director, will be moved to the top of the priority list, even if the project was not previously on the priority list. A water system would be considered as having an imminent risk if there is either a known waterborne disease outbreak or a threat of disease outbreak by the presence of an acute contaminant in the system; or the total loss of water supply or loss of a major component due to a natural or unforeseen disaster which could not have been prevented by the applicant.216 R.I. Code R. 216-RICR-50-05-6.7