Environment-friendly fund

The Provincial Fund of Environment Protection and Water Economy in Poznań is planning to allocate this year about PLN 140 million in the form of loans, subsidies and some extra means to preferential bank credits in order to support investments aimed at the improvement of the state of the environment in the Province of Wielkopolska. Over 900 pleas for subsidies have been submitted to the Fund.

The largest sum (over 50%) will be assigned to investments in the fields of water protection and water economy. Top priority undertakings include the construction and modernisation of sewage treatment plants, the modernisation of the sewage system and the implementation of modern technologies reducing water pollution and restricting water consumption as well as an overhaul of the sewage economy.

The largest number of investments concerns the improvement of the state of the atmosphere. Over 300 undertakings will be subsidised with a total of 40 million PLN. Amongst top priorities is the restriction of low emission especially in larger urban centres, in densely built-up areas, in places and complexes of historical interest as well as in protected areas.

Approximately 12 million PLN will be devoted to the protection of the earth surface, i.e. subsidising programmes of waste segregation, the construction, modernisation and protection of landfill sites.

The remaining 10 million PLN will be allocated to the protection of the environment, i.e. planting new trees and shrubs as well as ecological education. The Fund supports also the development of environment monitoring, control and measurement systems.

The main sources of income of the Fund are charges for the use of the environment. An investment can be subsidised at a level not exceeding 50% of the whole enterprise. In order to be eligible an undertaking must meet the criteria spelled out by the supervisory board of the Fund. The most important criteria include the convergence with the objectives of the ecological policy of the state and the province, ecological efficiency and cost effectiveness.

The Provincial Fund of Environment Protection and Water Economy, with Przemysław Gonera as its chairman, covers the area of five former funds: Poznań, Kalisz, Konin, Piła and Leszno. It has been operating in this new enlarged structure since 1st January 1999.