While its still a stretch that the Shenango Valley Intergovernmental Study Committee will be able to secure funding for a study on consolidating its members' sanitary sewer systems, a meeting with state officials Wednesday gave it a better idea of how to go about it, said Tom Tulip of the Pennsylvania Economy League.

The committee supported its sewer subcommittee in a meeting with representatives of the Department of Environmental Protection -- including Deputy Secretary Jay Moyer -- the Department of Community and Economic Development and the governor's office.

Consultant L. Robert Kimball and Associates, Ebensburg, is seeking $86,000 from a variety of smaller grants from state sources within DEP and DCED.

Locally, the Strimbu Memorial Foundation has pledged $10,000 for the study, should other financing be secured, said Tulip, a non-voting member of SVISC and recovery coordinator for Farrell.

SVISC members -- Farrell, Sharon, Hermitage, Sharpsville and Wheatland -- are studying whether to merge or consolidate.

The meeting pointed out areas where Kimball can improve its funding applications, Tulip said.

But the state does not have a specific program to address a request such as what SVISC is making, Tulip said.

DEP's main study funding source falls under Act 537, which dictates how a community plans to deal with sanitary waste.

Under Act 537, a municipality has to agree to implementation of the plan up front, and then spend the money for it, which DEP would reimburse, he said.

DEP also attaches tighter regulations to its grants, while DCED grants are more planning-oriented and flexible, he said.

"There's nothing to tie it together between both departments," Tulip said.

The subcommittee is less optimistic about funding than when it started its work, Tulip said, acknowledging the process is more complicated than originally thought.

"It's still a stretch," he said of getting funding for the study.

Moyer suggested a program that the subcommittee did not know about, but which requires the initiation of the General Assembly, Tulip said.

The subcommittee will look into the program and talk to state Rep. Michael C. Gruitza, D-7th District, Hermitage, and state Sen. Robert D. Robbins, R-50th District, Salem Township, Tulip said.

The state's budget situation is complicating the request.

Before Gov. Tom Ridge left office, he froze $200 million in funding, and more than half of that amount was for DCED and DEP programs, Tulip said.

Kimball had applied to DCED for a Growing Greener grant to fund part of the study, but that program has been put on hold.

"The funds that were there a year ago are not there now," Tulip said.