Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Contact: Barbara Skoglund, 651-296-5965 toll free: 800-657-3864 Saint Paul, Minn. -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) awarded 17 environmental assistance grants totaling $524,069. The program, established by the Minnesota Legislature, encourages the development of environmentally-sustainable practices through voluntary partnerships and goal-oriented, economically-driven approaches to pollution prevention and resource conservation. Projects awarded in 2007 fall in one of four focus areas: increasing renewable energy generation, energy efficiency gains and greenhouse gas reductions; best uses of solid waste; stormwater pollution prevention and assistance; and increasing environmentally-sustainable actions in the greater Lake Pepin watershed. Funded projects include: - University of Minnesota College of Design, zero emission design protocol development, $40,000. - City of St. Paul, green policy development, $36,000. - University of Minnesota Department of Agronomy & Plant Genetics, on-farm biodiesel outreach, $40,000. - University of Minnesota Clean Energy Resource Team, seed grants, $39,957. - CR Planning Inc., sustainable development ordinance model, $40,000. - Neighborhood Development Alliance, LEED certified affordable home development, $15,000. - Integrated Technology, low-cost treatment of landfill gas study, $37,258. - Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association, expanding horticulture plastic recycling, $18,000. - Linden Hills Power and Light, mini-digester feasibility study, $30,000. - Resource Recovery Technologies, expanding organics composting in Hennepin County, $15,000. - Eureka Recycling, public space recycling model, $40,000. - Cannon River Watershed Partnership, stormwater ordinance development, $38,000. - City of Lake City, stormwater ordinance development, $39,900. - University of Minnesota Regents, stormwater infiltration study, $40,000. - Christina Manning, behavior change study, $9,000. - The Minnesota Project, farm resource assessment model, $35,955. - Cannon River Watershed Partnership, fecal discharge monitoring, $9,999. The MPCA Environmental Assistance Grant Program offers grants on a yearly basis. Since 1985, more than $11 million in grants have been awarded to organizations across Minnesota. More information about the program and the funded projects is available on the MPCA Web site at www.pca.state.mn.us/grants/eagrants.html.