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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

Federal Clean Water Act Section 319 Program

The FFY12 Section 319 grant proposal period ended May 13, 2011.  The following projects were chosen through a competitive process:

  • Reducing P Runoff from Livestock Farms – University of Minnesota
  • Linking Water Storage BMPs to Watershed Goals – Minnesota River Board
  • Dakota County Nitrate Reduction – Dakota County Water Res. Dept.
  • State of the Minnesota River Report – Minnesota State University - Mankato - WRC
  • Jack and Okabena Creek Sediment Reduction Project – Heron Lake WD
  • Mid-MN River Low DO Project – Renville County
  • Cottonwood Streambank Inventory and Prioritization – Redwood Cottonwood River Control Area
  • Targeted Fertilizer Application Reduction Project – Clearwater River WD
  • Greater Blue Earth Urban Retrofit Initiative – Faribault SWCD
  • Collaborative for Sediment Source Reduction: Greater Blue Earth River Basin – University of Minnesota – St. Anthony Falls Laboratory
  • Reducing Phosphorus Runoff from Turfgrass – University of Minnesota
  • LeSueur Watershed Targeted Conservation Practices – Minnesota State University – Mankato, Water Resources Center

Clean Water Partnership (CWP) Resource Investigation and Implementation Projects

The Clean Water Partnership (CWP) program is now accepting proposals from local governmental units interested in leading a nonpoint source pollution control project for protection or restoration of Minnesota’s water bodies.  Proposals for Clean Water Partnership (CWP) Resource Investigation and Implementation projects are due December 30, 2011.

CWP Proposal Information

Clean Water Fund Information

The Clean Water Fund (CWF) grant program is an interagency initiative comprised of representatives from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR), the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The CWF competitive grant application period will begin again in the fall of 2011.  Watch the BWSR web site for more information.

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Last modified on Tuesday, December 27, 2011 14:01
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