Financial Assistance for Nonpoint Source Water Pollution Projects: Clean Water Partnership and Section 319 Programs

The MPCA provides financial and technical assistance to local government and other water resource managers to address nonpoint-source water pollution through the State Clean Water Partnership (CWP) and Federal Clean Water Act Section 319 (Section 319) programs.

During 2011, Section 319 funds are being used for Developmental, Education and Research (DER) projects and total maximum daily load (TMDL) implementation projects. The CWP funds will be used for diagnostic study or implementation projects that protect water bodies currently meeting Minnesota’s water quality standards.

The CWP and Section 319 programs address nonpoint sources of pollution. Nonpoint pollution comes from many individual sources, such as storm sewers, construction sites, animal feedlots, paved surfaces, failing septic systems and over-fertilized lawns. When taken together, these sources contribute huge quantities of phosphorus, bacteria, sediments, nitrates and other pollutants to the environment. They also represent the largest combined threat (an estimated 86 percent) of the state's water pollution.

The MPCA uses the CWP and Section 319 programs to support the leadership efforts of local units of government and citizens to address nonpoint sources of pollution. The programs provide financial and technical assistance to study water bodies with pollution problems, develop action plans to address the problems, and plan implementation to fix the problems.

CWP and Section 319 projects require a large commitment of time and effort on the part of local participants. Participants may include local units of government, tribes, nonprofit organizations, universities and colleges, as well as citizens concerned about local water quality. Both programs require applicants to match grant money with local cash or in-kind services.

Low-interest loans from the State Revolving Fund (SRF) allow successful CWP program grantees to conduct implementation projects. Loans can be used for implementation and can cover the entire cost of the implementation phase or supplement another grant, leveraging limited grant funds.

Applying for Section 319 and CWP Funds

A local unit of government able to generate revenue and adopt and enforce official controls must sponsor a CWP project and act as its fiscal agent. These applicants may be a tribe, township, city, county, watershed district, watershed management organization or joint powers board whose members are townships, cities or counties.

While the CWP is limited to local units of government, Section 319 is open to all entities except federal agencies.

Applicants must submit an electronic proposal in a Microsoft Word format. Review teams (MPCA, representative state and federal agencies involved with nonpoint source pollution issues) score proposals for eligibility and completeness.

Eligibility

Projects eligible to compete for available funds are those that address a nonpoint-source pollution issue. Because Section 319 is federally-funded and the CWP is state-funded, there are differences in how grant money may be spent. For example, Section 319 funds cannot be spent on diagnostic work; CWP grant funds cannot be spent on in-lake treatment. Neither program may fund projects under enforcement action, permitted wastewater treatment plants, and projects addressing feedlot NPDES or stormwater permit requirements.

Nonpoint Source Water Pollution Project Grant Proposal Information

Clean Water Partnership Projects Awarded

On May 1, 2013, MPCA Commissioner John Linc Stine approved the staff recommendation and awarded grant and/or loan funding to 16 Clean Water Partnership proposals. These projects will begin this spring and will continue for three years. See the list below for the projects and their awards.

The next CWP funding round will open Fall 2013. Please return to this site for future updates.

• FY 2013 Clean Water partnership Awards (wq-cwp7-35l)

Should you have any questions or need additional information please contact Peter Fastner at peter.fastner@state.mn.us or 651-757-234

Federal 319 Funding Round Opens

Beginning May 20, 2013, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is seeking proposals for projects that will reduce Nonpoint Source Pollution (NPS) in Minnesota’s lakes, rivers, and streams. Funding for selected projects will be provided by the Federal Clean Water Act Section 319 (Section 319) grant funds.

Proposals for nonpoint source development, education or applied research projects (DER) projects, Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) or Watershed Protection and Restoration Strategy (WRAPS) implementation projects are being solicited. The MPCA anticipates about two and a half million dollars will be available this year, contingent upon Congressional appropriation. There is a maximum limit of $300,000 per project funding request. Projects must be funded with at least a 45 percent local cash or in-kind match. The Federal share of the total project cost can be no more than 55 percent. Grant funds are limited and MPCA urges proposers to request only those funds needed to complete a project by August 31, 2017.

All DER proposals must address at least one specific Milestones (Action Steps) from Minnesota’s 2008 Nonpoint Source Management Program Plan (wq-cwp8-08b) . For TMDL/ WRAPS implementation projects, eligible proposers must have a TMDL Implementation Plan or WRAPS approved by the MPCA by June 30, 2013.

Please note that the State of Minnesota has recently implemented a new procurement system, called SWIFT. Now, notifications of solicitations, viewing and submitting proposals and awarding of contracts are done online through the SWIFT Supplier Portal. Prospective responders must have a SWIFT Vendor ID and Supplier Portal Account set up to apply. Please note that it can take up to four days to receive your SWIFT Vendor ID. For more information, please see 2013 Changes for Minnesota Vendors.

If you need assistance registering in the SWIFT Supplier Portal so you can bid on this solicitation or if you have questions or problems viewing or submitting proposals, contact the Minnesota Department of Administration, Materials Management Division SWIFT Help Desk at 651-201-8100, Option 1. Then follow the prompts to connect you to the correct contact person.

The complete Request for Proposal (RFP), proposal form, and other information are available at the SWIFT Supplier Portal listed above. Proposals must be electronically received through the state SWIFT Supplier Portal no later than 4:30 PM CDT Tuesday, June 11, 2013. Submissions received after the deadline will not be eligible for consideration. Successful proposers will be notified around July 3, 2013 and will then be required to submit a detailed work plan, budget and timeline/Gantt chart.

If you have questions concerning this Federal 319 funding round, email questions to contracts.pca@state.mn.us, subject line: CR 6659, 319-13 Grant.

Links

• Clean Lakes (U.S. EPA)
  This federal site includes information on a broad range of topics related to lakes and reservoirs in the United States.

• Nonpoint source documents compiled by U.S. EPA
  EPA set of quality nonpoint source materials for both professionals and the public.