Chloride reduction grants

Eligible applicants must be located within the geographic area of Minnesota or serve Minnesota. 

• local and regional governmental agencies (including townships, watershed organizations, sanitary sewer districts, and conservation organizations)
• educational institutions
• Tribal governments and entities 
• nongovernmental organizations (e.g., nonprofit or industry association) 
• for-profit businesses ONLY with a documented eligible applicant (e.g., a private consultant partnering with a city to administer the grant funds)

Eligible projects must be located in Minnesota communities that have elevated chloride in wastewater discharge or in local surface waters and result in the reduction of chloride pollution at the source. All projects must result in measurable reductions of chloride pollution entering local surface waters within a targeted area that has elevated chloride levels in local surface waters or in the wastewater discharge (see MPCA chloride map and the MPCA Statewide Chloride Management Plan for examples).

Applicant must propose a project for one of the following scenarios, and must indicate the selected project type on the proposal and work plan:

• Whole community project. Single applicant will work within at least one community to implement chloride reduction projects that will reduce chloride at the source. Each community participating must have a documented plan that has identified the primary sources of chloride and include proposed strategies or actions that will result in chloride reduction. Use of the MPCA Smart Salting Tool is encouraged to develop a community or region specific chloride reduction action plan, however other chloride management plans may be submitted.
• Industrial facilities project. Single applicant can be one industrial facility or an organization that will work with multiple industrial facilities to eliminate or reduce chloride in the facilities' discharge. Facilities must discharge to a wastewater treatment facility with effluent that has elevated chloride that is contributing to a downstream chloride impairment or has a chloride limit in their NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit and have documentation that the chloride in the industrial discharge is a significant contributor to the wastewater treatment facility discharge.

Projects must clearly define objectives and tasks that describe how the objectives will be met in the work plan with a detailed budget, a chloride reduction action plan for the selected community(ies), and letters of commitment from project partners for MPCA evaluation. Proposals must demonstrate that the chloride reductions achieved will be maintained and sustained long-term. At a minimum, all projects must create some education and outreach content that educates the community about the project and chloride pollution. Grantees may utilize the MPCA Chloride Reduction Program for support with developing and disseminating education and outreach materials, strategies, and content.

While not required, applicants are encouraged to use the MPCA’s criteria and interactive mapping tool to identify if the proposed project, or the direct benefit from the project, is located in one or more of MPCA’s identified environmental justice (EJ) areas.