The Board of Commissioners of the Big Bear Lake Department of Water and Power will hold a special meeting at 2:30pm today (November 3), during which time they will discuss an invitation from the United States Department of Agriculture, to submit a formal application for funding in the amount of $21.6 million through the USDA’s Rural Development program. In subsequent contact, the USDA stated that DWP’s application for funding, under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, would be considered at an 80% low interest loan and a 20% grant. The DWP Board meets at their offices at 41972 Garstin Drive, to determine whether to apply for the funding and, if so, to spend roughly $50,000 to retain the engineering services of Water Systems Consulting, Inc. to assist in preparation of the formal application.