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 2013 Federal 319 funding round will be opening this winter. Further information and requirements will be posted here soon.
Clean Water Partnership Projects Awarded
On February 16, 2012, MPCA Commissioner Paul Aasen approved the staff recommendation and awarded 10 Clean Water Partnership proposals grant and/or loan funding. 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 2012. Please return to this site for future updates.
FY 2012 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
Clean Water Partnership Funding Round Opens
Beginning January 7, 2013 the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) will accept proposals for nonpoint source pollution control project grants and loans to be funded through the state Clean Water Partnership Program (CWP) and the Clean Water Fund (CWF).
The MPCA anticipates that about $1.1 million of grant funds and about $5 million of loan funds will be available this year.
There are two types of proposals that will be accepted this round:
- Resource investigation projects monitor, assess, and develop a diagnostic study on the status of a water body, and also develop an implementation plan to protect or restore the water body. Resource investigation projects are only eligible for grant funding.
- Implementation projects will implement protection or restoration activities, such as best management practices, that are identified by a comprehensive assessment and planning process in the watershed or around the water body of concern. Such assessment must consist of an MPCA-approved CWP resource investigation or equivalent diagnostic study and implementation plan. Implementation projects are eligible for both grant and/or loan funding.
Priority for funding will be given to protection projects. To be given priority, project proposers will need to document that the water body(ies) being addressed are either currently meeting state water quality standards for a particular pollutant to be addressed by the project (e.g., a lake listed as impaired due to mercury can develop a proposal addressing phosphorus levels in the lake), or have not been assessed by the MPCA, but are known to be supporting beneficial uses. Project proposals must provide measurable project outcomes.
The complete Request for Proposal (RFP), proposal form, and other information are available on the state SWIFT e-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 vendor ID from SWIFT. Go to: http://www.swift.state.mn.us/doc/messages/announce-11-08-12.pdf for more information.
If you need assistance registering in the Supplier Portal so you can bid on this solicitation, you may contact the Minnesota Department of Administration, Materials Management Division at 651-201-8100, option 1. Then follow the prompts to connect you to the correct contact person.
Proposals must be electronically received through the state SWIFT supplier portal by 4:30 PM CST on Friday, March 8, 2013. Proposals received after the deadline will not be considered.
Questions may be e-mailed to Contracts.pca@state.mn.us (subject line: CR 6367 RFP Clean Water Partnership 2013)
