Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Contact: Jennifer Groebner, 651-296-7706 Toll-free: 1-800-657-3864 Saint Paul, Minn. - The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) announced today the availability of about $2.3 million in grant money for lake and stream monitoring projects. Eligible applicants may apply through a competitive application process from Sept. 24 to Nov. 15, 2007. The funding is part of the 2007 Clean Water Legacy funding, approved by the Legislature and Governor Pawlenty. In addition, the MPCA, Board of Water and Soil Resources, and the Department of Agriculture have funding for protection and restoration activities designed to improve surface water quality. Eligible applicants for all funds available include counties, soil and water conservation districts, watershed districts and water management organizations. Nonprofits, Minnesota colleges and universities, and American Indian tribes are also eligible for the water quality monitoring, training and promotion funds. To receive funds for protection and restoration activities, groups must be operating under a currently adopted, state-approved comprehensive water management plan, or executing an MPCA-approved Total Maximum Daily Load implementation plan. The TMDL implementation plan must be associated with a project that has been approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The MPCA and BWSR will hold joint meetings to provide information about the funds available and the application process. The meetings will be held throughout the state as follows.
· Thursday, Sept. 27, 9:30 a.m. to noon, MPCA St. Paul office, 520 Lafayette Road N.
· Friday, Sept. 28, 9:30 a.m. to noon, West Central Initiative, 1000 Western Ave., Fergus Falls
· Monday, Oct. 1, 9:30 a.m. to noon, MPCA Brainerd office, 7678 College Rd., Baxter
· Monday, Oct. 1, 9:30 a.m. to noon, Benco Electric Co-op Building, 20946 549th Ave., Mankato
· Tuesday, Oct. 2, 9:30 a.m. to noon, MPCA Duluth office, 525 Lake Ave. S.
· Tuesday, Oct. 2, 9:30 a.m. to noon, MPCA Rochester office, 18 Wood Lake Drive SE.
· Friday, Oct. 5, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Beltrami County Administration Center, 701 Minnesota Ave. NW, Bemidji
· Friday, Oct. 5, 9:30 a.m. to noon, MPCA Marshall office, 1420 E. College Dr. For more information on funds available, visit the MPCA Web page at www.pca.state.mn.us/water/swagrant.html or the BWSR Web page at www.bwsr.state.mn.us/CWL/index.html.