Grant will be used for analysis and planning to protect Moorhead’s infrastructure from flooding and increased rains
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) announced today a $100,000 grant to the City of Moorhead to better understand how the city will prepare its infrastructure for extreme weather caused by climate change.
Projects funded by the grant include:
- A study to map how much additional precipitation Moorhead can expect in the future and the parts of the city most impacted by increased rainfalls.
- An assessment to identify specific buildings, roads and critical infrastructure that are most at-risk for failing because of flooding.
- A planning analysis to identify infrastructure upgrades that will protect low-income residents from flooding.
“This grant will help Moorhead protect their thriving economy, environment, and way of life from the impacts of climate change,” said MPCA Commissioner Katrina Kessler. “Moorhead is a steadfast leader and demonstrates the hard work we need to do across Minnesota to prepare for these challenges.”
Communities across Minnesota are also recognizing the need to prepare for climate change. According to a recent MPCA survey, 87% of local governments reported recently experiencing the impact of at least one weather trend caused by climate change. Forty-two percent of Minnesota communities reported the need for additional funding for planning and infrastructure upgrades to address these impacts.
“Our environment and climate are changing. We see it every year around the world in the form of extreme weather events, flooding, drought, wildfires and more. The City of Moorhead wants to learn all it can about these changes to allow us to proactively plan and prepare. This generous grant will help our staff do just that,” said Mayor Shelly Carlson.
Moorhead, along with 16 other Minnesota cities, recently declared a climate emergency. Last month, the city also achieved the highest level of recognition from the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program, which provides guidance to communities on best practices for sustainability.
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