DEQ Announces Approximately $1 Million in Available Grants for Water Quality Projects
HELENA—The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is seeking applications for approximately $1 million in funding for nonpoint source pollution prevention and reduction projects.
Grant funds are available to nonprofit or government organizations for on-the-ground projects, capacity building or education outreach projects. On-the-ground projects must reduce or prevent nonpoint source pollution and implement activities or practices in a locally developed watershed restoration plan or Tribal nonpoint source plan. These plans guide restoration and protection efforts through local engagement. Capacity building or education outreach projects can help increase organizational capacity, assist with watershed planning, or address nonpoint source pollution through education and outreach efforts.
“By working with local organizations, DEQ empowers local communities and leverages local knowledge to improve Montana’s lakes, rivers and streams,” said DEQ Water Quality Division Administrator Lindsey Krywaruchka. “Examples of past projects include removing mine waste from streambanks, restoring wetlands and native vegetation along streambanks, or working with farmers and ranchers to implement best management practices to improve stream health.”
DEQ monitors water quality in Montana's lakes and streams and identifies water bodies that are impaired. This funding is one way that DEQ works to improve impaired waters across Montana.
Nonpoint source pollution is the single largest cause of water quality impairment in Montana’s lakes and streams, and typically comes from diffuse sources that are not regulated under a discharge permit. Nonpoint source water pollution is often associated with land uses such as agriculture, forestry, urban and suburban development, and runoff from abandoned mine sites. Common pollutants include sediment, nutrients, pathogens and toxic metals. In lakes, streams and wetlands, these pollutants can cause serious harm to aquatic life and can make the water unsafe for human recreation and consumption.
Funding is provided by a combination of state and federal funds. The legislature authorized funding for Nonpoint Source grants through House Bill 6 to the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation’s (DNRC) Renewable Resource Grant funds program. DNRC is partnering with DEQ to achieve the nonpoint source grant program goals by helping match federal funds provided through the Environmental Protection Agency.
“Matching these federal funds with state-sourced grant funds will leverage federal grant resources and improve accessibility to project proponents who work to address nonpoint source pollution statewide,” said DNRC CARDD Division Administrator Mark Bostrom.
The recommended range for new on-the-ground project applications is $10,000 to $300,000 per project. Up to $500,000 of the total available funding may be allocated to projects located in the Lower Gallatin or Shields River watersheds. Each year, DEQ focuses a portion of available funding on specific watersheds and rotates watersheds every two or three years. This targeted approach maximizes the cumulative impacts of water quality restoration projects within a watershed. The recommended range for capacity building or education outreach applications is $10,000 to $30,000 per project.
Nonprofit or government organizations can submit applications for proposed projects. Between 10 and 40 percent of total project costs must be matched with non-federal funds.
The application form and instructions can be downloaded from DEQ’s website using the following links:
Application Form – On The Ground Projects
Application Form – Capacity Building / Education Outreach Projects
DEQ staff will be available to answer questions and provide feedback on project applications. A summary of answers provided by DEQ will be available on DEQ’s website. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m., Friday, April 5, 2024.
For more information about eligibility and to view past applications, visit the DEQ website at: Nonpoint Source Program and view the Nonpoint Source Project Funding section.
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